I also suspected my dad didn’t like Alex much. It was a surprise, considering he had a soft spot for smart, accomplished people, and Alex was as smart and accomplished as they came. I’d always chalked it up to the fact that Alex didn’t kiss ass as much as Chinese parents liked—he wasn’t one for flattering words. Plus, I was 90 percent sure my dad knew something was up with me and Alex, though he didn’t say anything. “He knows,” I whispered when my dad excused himself to use the restroom. “I swear, he knows.”