Chapter Seventeen
Lan smiled across the table at Mei.
She’d been wanting to eat at the Hanging Gardens for a while, but she’d had trouble coming up with a sufficient excuse. Jia, of course, wouldn’t appreciate the glories of the tower-top open-air restaurant, but her other daughter was less troubled by what some narrow-minded people might call pretentiousness.
There was hope for Jia, and Lan treasured her, as she did all her family members, but it was obvious she wouldn’t grow out of her police phase anytime soon. It was her duty as Jia’s mother to guide her daughter to a pleasant future, regardless of her choices.
For that to happen, she would need the help of Jia’s sister.
A rich, floral scent from the colorful blooms surrounding their table filled Lan’s nostrils, complementing the
