The Picky Eater

When Mr. Wu heard Sun Mei's suggestion, he was a little reluctant to say the least.

"I don't know, Sun Mei," he said as he tidied up the drawers in his study. "I really don't like to get involved in my colleagues' personal affairs."

Sun Mei found a loophole and took advantage of it. "Technically, you are not colleagues. You are the CEO, and Parker is an illustrator. Those are two completely different jobs."

"I still sign his paycheck."

Sun Mei shrugged. "It's okay, Mr. Wu. I don't want to put you in a difficult position. I just wanted to cheer Yu Zan up. I guess I'll have to find a different way to do it…"

She had barely reached the door, when Mr. Wu yelled, "Sun Mei, wait!"

"Yes?" Sun Mei asked eagerly.

"I guess we could find a way to make this meeting seem… spontaneous."

A smile formed at the corners of Sun Mei's lips and stretched across her face. "I'm listening."

For someone who did not like meddling in his employees' affairs, Mr. Wu sure came up with a plan pretty fast.

Two days later, when Lily's school was in session again, Mr. Wu would take Parker Qin to a restaurant near Golden Horse Publishing for lunch under the pretense of discussing some work issues. Sun Mei would get there a few minutes later with Yu Zan and act all surprised by this coincidental meeting.

Mr. Wu would invite the two of them to join him and Parker, but as soon as the conversation got going, Mr. Wu and Sun Mei would leave to fetch Lily from school.

They had thought of everything. What could possibly go wrong?

Actually, a lot of things did.

First, Yu Zan did not want to go to that particular restaurant. Sun Mei had decided not to tell her in advance about the plan, for fear that she would get as nervous as she had at the office party. Parker Qin's effect on her had proven to be unpredictable, so it would be better to play it safe and let Yu Zan react to this surprise like a normal person.

"I'm actually not in the mood for Italian," Yu Zan told Sun Mei when she suggested going to that place. "I'm craving some noodles."

"Spaghetti is technically noodles," Sun Mei said diplomatically, even though she already felt cold sweat running down her back.

If they did not show up, Mr. Wu would kill her. She had practically guilt-tripped him into this.

"I want noodles that taste like home," Yu Zan said with a sigh.

It was hard to argue with that when they had already been in the US for half a year.

"What about garlic bread? Aren't you craving some garlic bread?" Sun Mei asked hopefully.

"Nah, just noodles."

"What about some pizza?"

"No, cheese makes me get bloated."

"Gnocchi?"

"Not a fan."

"Caprese salad?"

"It contains cheese."

"Risotto?"

"Are you going to list an entire Italian menu?"

"Parker Qin is eating with Mr. Wu in that restaurant."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?"