Nia smiled.
"Of course."
The student hesitated.
"Did people really laugh at you because they thought you couldn't speak Mandarin?"
Nia nodded.
"Yes."
The girl looked embarrassed.
"That's awful."
"It wasn't pleasant."
For several seconds, the student studied her.
Then asked, "Did you ever think you wouldn't be good enough to do the other work you wanted?"
Nia considered the question.
"Many times."
The student looked surprised.
Nia continued.
"Especially when my mother was sick and I had to change my plans."
She paused.
"Sometimes I confused having a difficult life with not being capable."
The young woman nodded slowly.
Nia smiled.
"But those aren't the same thing."
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then the student whispered, "I work at a grocery store. Some people act like I'm stupid because I stock shelves."
Nia felt an ache of recognition.
She reached for the girl's hand.
"Stocking shelves is honest work. And studying engineering is something you're working toward. Neither fact cancels the other."
The student's eyes filled.
Nia continued.
"Don't let somebody who knows only one part of your life convince you that's all you are."
The young woman nodded.
Then smiled.
"Thank you."
Nia watched her walk away.
For a moment, she imagined Lorraine standing beside her.
And she knew her mother would've approved of that conversation far more than any corporate award.
Two years after the original dinner, Nia returned to the same restaurant for a quiet meal with Wei and Grace.
It was a cold evening.
Rain tapped against the tall windows.
The translucent sliding partitions glowed beneath familiar amber lighting.
And the round dining table was set with porcelain dishes, polished utensils, and crystal glasses.
Mei greeted them personally.
She embraced Nia.
Then welcomed the others.
For several minutes, they talked about ordinary things.
Wei's retirement.
Grace's family.
Nia's work.
And the restaurant's new pastry chef, whom Mei insisted everyone needed to meet.
Then the meal arrived.
Once again, the kitchen had prepared Peking duck.
Wei looked toward Nia.
For a moment, he seemed amused.
"Do you ever get tired of this dish?"
Nia laughed.
"Not when nobody's testing me."
Grace smiled.
Wei began laughing so hard that he had to put down his glass.
For several minutes, the three of them simply enjoyed dinner.
Eventually, Wei became quiet.
He looked toward Nia.
"Do you ever think about that night?"
She nodded.
"Sometimes."
He studied her.
"What do you remember most?"
Nia considered the question.
She could have mentioned Victor's shocked expression.
The black folder.
The signature on page seventeen.
Or the moment the elderly chairman stood and bowed.