“Right,” he coughed, “Now let's sit and enjoy your mother's cooking.”
Xu Bo was intently responding to the text message as he sat across a small table from Huang Li.
“It's so hot in here,” she was saying, “I'm sweating.”
Her companion looked up and frowned, “So take off that silly woollen hat.”
“I can't,” the woman mumbled, beads of perspiration beginning to trickle down her forehead.
“What?” Xu Bo asked, finally flicking off his phone, “Why not?”
“It's my hair,” Li confessed quietly, “My roommates have cut and coloured my hair.”
“Let me see,” the man demanded, curiosity getting the better of him, “Take it off.”
Reluctantly Huang Li put a hand up to remove the winter beanie from her head, lowering her eyes as she did so. Underneath her hair had been cut into a rough bob shape and d
