Xiao Li: glancing around nervously P-please, you c-can't tell anyone about m-my brother's secret. It's like h-holding a d-dynamite stick...
Okay, Xiao Li, I won't tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me.
Xiao Li: exhales a sigh of relief Th-thank you, Littlerand. I...I don't know what I would do if anyone found out about...
What's the big secret anyway? Is it something really bad?
Xiao Li: fidgets with hands Uh, n-no...not exactly. It's...it's just...something that could cause a lot of trouble if it got out.
I understand. You can trust me, Xiao Li. Just tell me what it is.
Xiao Li: takes a deep breath Okay, here goes... pauses, looking around cautiously My brother, he's...he's a celebrity.
A celebrity? That doesn't sound too bad, Xiao Li. What's the problem then?
Xiao Li: nervously taps fingers against their thigh It's just...it's just that he doesn't want anyone to know.
But why, Xiao Li? If your brother is a celebrity, wouldn't you want people to know?
Xiao Li: shakes head quickly N-no, Littlerand! It's...it's complicated. He has reasons for wanting to keep it a secret.
Oh, I see. So what are these reasons, Xiao Li?
Xiao Li: speaking quickly, almost stumbling over words W-well, you see, he's...he's afraid of how others might treat him if they found out.
That makes sense, Xiao Li. Some people can be really cruel. But how do you plan on keeping this a secret?
Xiao Li: muttering to themselves W-we have to be...s-strategic about it. We can't just...go around telling people our brother is a celebrity.
So, what's the plan, Xiao Li? How do we keep this secret safe?
Xiao Li: stands up abruptly, eyes wide with determination We have to be careful, Littlerand. We can't trust anyone with this secret.
Alright, Xiao Li. I trust you. Let's keep this secret safe.
Xiao Li: grabs Littlerand's arm, pulling them closer Littlerand, we have to be extra cautious.
Okay, Xiao Li. I'm with you.
Xiao Li: quickly glancing around W-we need to come up with a code name, Littlerand. Something we can use to refer to your brother without arousing suspicion.
A code name? That sounds like a good idea, Xiao Li. What code name should we use?
Xiao Li: stammers W-we'll call him...uh...we'll call him "Ace"! Yeah, Ace! It's a perfect code name, Littlerand. No one will ever guess.
Ace, huh? I guess that works. But what if someone asks who Ace really is, Xiao Li?
Xiao Li: stutters W-Well, we'll just have to come up with a cover story, Littlerand. We'll tell people that Ace is...uh...
A foreign exchange student?
Xiao Li: nods vigorously Y-yes, yes, a foreign exchange student! That sounds plausible enough. We'll say that Ace transferred to our school from abroad, and he's here to learn and experience American culture.
Sounds good, Xiao Li. But remember, we better be consistent with our story. No one should ever suspect a thing.
Xiao Li: nervously wringing hands Y-yeah, you're right, Littlerand. We have to be s-so careful with our story.
Right, Xiao Li. We can do this. We'll keep Ace's secret safe, no matter what.
Xiao Li: pulls out a small notebook Littlerand, let's write down all the details about Ace's cover story. We need to make sure we have every detail covered.
Alright, Xiao Li. Let's get started.
Xiao Li: flips through the pages of the notebook We'll start with Ace's background. We'll say that he was born in Japan, but his parents moved to China when he was young.