Improvising

It took Sun Mei a moment to collect herself and answer. They had not talked about this prior to this gathering or made up a story, as they had assumed that everyone would be too discreet to ask about Lily.

Unfortunately, Linda was not a discreet person.

She was looking at Sun Mei with an eagerness no one should ever show while asking about the cause of a fake little girl's death.

"Uh, I…" Sun Mei stammered as Linda looked at her expectantly. She looked around the room for Mr. Wu to ask silently for help. Unfortunately, even when she spotted him, he wouldn't meet her eyes. He was too busy talking with a little boy who was holding a book. This was probably the only child who had gotten excited about Mr. Wu's present.

"Don't tell me he hasn't opened up to you about it yet?" Linda asked in surprise.

"Great," Sun Mei thought. "Now I have to prove that our imaginary relationship is going well enough that Mr. Wu would trust me with this information. How fantastic!"

"He has," Sun Mei said reluctantly. "I just wouldn't want to betray his trust."

"Oh, I understand completely," Linda reassured her emphatically.

"I'm glad," Sun Mei replied, letting out a sigh of relief.

"It was very tragic, wasn't it?" Linda asked two seconds later.

Sun Mei looked at her in disbelief. Hadn't they just decided not to talk about it?

"Yes, very tragic," she said laconically.

"Was it his fault?" Linda whispered close to her ear.

"What do you mean?"

"Was he driving a car with her or something like that?"

Sun Mei felt her blood boil suddenly. "No, nothing like that."

"Hey, what are you girls talking about?"

Linda almost jumped when she heard Mr. Wu's voice behind her. Meanwhile, Sun Mei, who had been watching him approach, had already thought of the perfect way to get revenge.

"Oh, Linda was telling me that she would like some book recommendations. I told her she should ask the expert!" she told Mr. Wu with a grin. "There he is!"

"Really, Linda?" Mr. Wu looked at the woman doubtfully. "I'd be happy to help."

"Yes, yes, totally!" Linda nodded quickly. "I was just telling Sun Mei how much I loved the last book you published."

"Really? Which one?" Mr. Wu asked with a smile.

"The romantic one. You know… with the green cover."

One could tell that Linda was praying that such a book existed just by looking at her sweaty forehead.

"You mean the one with the hunter?" Mr. Wu asked.

"Hunter?"

"Yes, the male lead is a hunter, and there's a forest on the cover."

"Yes, that one!" Linda said immediately. "I couldn't remember the title."

"Were you surprised when the hunter shot the girl in the leg with an arrow?"

Linda's eyes widened. "Yes, I was. I mean… Why would he do that?"

"He obviously didn't do it on purpose. He thought she was the deer he had been hunting for ages."

"Right, yes."

"Of course, when he shot her the second time…"

"Linda! Would you be a sweetheart and come help me set the table?" Vivian yelled from across the room.

Linda, who looked like she was about to faint, excused herself and rushed over immediately.

As soon as she left, Sun Mei narrowed her eyes at Mr. Wu. "Did you really publish such a book?"

Mr. Wu smiled mischievously. "No, I was just improvising."