Page 57 of From Beijing, With Love

“The pissing beef balls got you, huh?” Jack pointed to Daniel’s stained pique polo.

Daniel froze. “Wait, what?”

“It’s not how it sounds,” Yang chimed in. “It’s the same idea as soup dumplings. It’s called that”—Yang gestured to Jack—“because the filling is made with mantis shrimps, which are called pissing shrimps in Hong Kong, where the dish originates.”

“Also, it does that if you are not careful,” Jack said with a laugh and a hiccup.

“We’ll get you cleaned up.” Yang got up.

“Sit, Li Yang.” Jack patted Yang on the shoulders. “I’m headed that way. I’ll show him. If you trust him with me for a few minutes.” He grinned.

The washroom sported a tall ceiling and more backlit mirrors than a hair salon. Its poshness was in line with the rest of the designer-filled neighborhood.

“Here.” Jack ran a paper towel under the golden faucet and passed it over.

“This is not looking better.” Daniel dabbed at his polo with a wet paper towel, only to leave behind a beige patch. “I’m an idiot.”

“Happens to the best of us.” Jack pointed down at his black sneakers, which were covered in white splotches. “Ruined my shoes this week. Someone had the bright idea of leaving a paint tray in the middle of the lab floor, and some idiot”—he pointed to himself with a grin—“walked right into it.”

“I kind of like them better like that.” Daniel offered a smile when their eyes met in the mirror.

“You should tell Meiwen that. She’s furious with me, since she bought me these Jordan 1s.” Jack checked his hair in the mirror, his cheeks ruddy from the booze.

“Sorry, I totally would, but I don’t want to push my luck. I’m a party crasher, after all.” Daniel laughed as he rubbed the stain some more, managing to make it worse.

“Only Li Yang could get away with pulling shit like this.” Jack chuckled. “Him and Meiwen go way back with their moms being best friends and all. Lucky for me that they didn’t work out.”

“What didn’t work out?” Daniel’s hand froze under the automatic soap dispenser.

“Li Yang and Meiwen. They used to go out, but that’s ancient history now.”

The girl Yang “dated” was Meiwen? Daniel imagined the two of them together, Yang in his white linen shirt and Meiwen in her red dress. They made a good-looking couple.

“I think that’s enough soap.” Jack glanced at Daniel’s hand, now covered in enough suds to wash his whole body. The air was saturated with the artificial scent of roses. “Anyway, on the topic of ancient history. Where has Li Yang been taking you in Beijing?”

“The usual touristy places,” Daniel said, trying to sound nonchalant.

“He must really like you. I always thought he had no interest in other people, with his head always buried in his research,” Jack said, his eyes searching.

Shit. Did he know?

“I’m paying him,” Daniel blurted out. It was a half-truth, or at least a quarter-truth, but Daniel was committed now. He needed to leave no doubt about what his relationship with Yang was—or wasn’t, rather. “I came to Beijing to see my friend, but she’s in Shanghai for the week. I just needed to kill time before she came back. And I’d rather pay a local to take me around than fill my week with tourist traps.”

“Tell me about it. This city is full of them and overrun by the wrong type of tourists. Have you seen those village people coming in by the busload? Uneducated country bums,” Jack said, a clear disdain in his voice as they walked out of the washroom. Then he perked up. “Go meet up with your friend in Shanghai and forget Beijing. The night life is unbeatable and a lot less of this bureaucratic capital city baggage.”

Daniel forced out a laugh, a headache brewing. The lie he’d told just moments ago left a bad taste in his mouth. When they returned to the table, Yang was standing with his hands in his pockets and in the middle of what looked like a serious debate with a lab mate.

Jack draped his arms around both of their shoulders. “Guys, no science talk outside of the lab.”

“Thought you got lost.” Yang’s brows relaxed as he spotted Daniel. “Dinner’s wrapping up.”

“It’s still early. We are going for drinks,” Jack said. “Coming?”

“No,” Yang said without hesitation, his eyes fixed on Daniel.

Jack cocked his head but didn’t ask any questions.

They sat in silence in the ride-share car, which smelled like cotton candy vape. The city lights danced across Yang’s sharp profile. Daniel knew he should stop looking, but he couldn’t, not if what waited at the end of the night was goodbye.