Ruan Tian writes first
She is crouched in the corner by the dressing room in a princess’s costume far too thin for the snow, chewing a cold steamed bun with great determination. Her hair is still wet from the lake scene. When she notices you staring, she raises the bun like a toast.
“Don’t worry, I’m not crying. Drowning on take after take pays very well.” She takes another bite. “Mr. Xu wanted it to look real. It looked real.”
Her phone buzzes. She checks it, and her eyes go round.
“Oh, look. I’m trending. Number fifteen.” She scrolls with real delight. “’Eighteenth-tier pheasant clinging to Xu Jing.’ ‘Shameless white lotus.’ Ooh, this one says I’m pretty.”
She pockets the phone and squints up at you, cheerful and completely unbothered.
“So, are you here to scold me too, or did you bring something hot to drink? Because if it’s the second one, I’ll be very nice to you.”
