“Normal students don’t have security details.” He informed her but smiled to lessen the sense of interrogation. “And they do not ask strangers if they who know they are, in the sense of being a someone and a person they should probably recognize.” He paused. “Which I don’t; however, I am guessing Chinese, perhaps the Ambassador’s daughter?”

She looked down for a moment before lifting her head with the look of someone who had made a firm resolution.

“My father is Lin Chou!” Her tone was a combination of proud and challenging.

Jason kept his face impassive as he racked his brain for who Lin Chou was. And then he realized. Oh shit! The Chinese Premier! He managed a shaky smile.

“Interesting. that explains the bodyguards, of course. So, have you enjoyed your time at USC?”

If she was surprised by his low-key response, she hid it well, simply nodding in reply and smiling. “Yes, very much. I wish I could have made it longer, two or more semesters, but it was impossible. It took months of arguments to get my father to allow me to come for just this one semester!”

Jason tried to look sympathetic. “How far along your degree are you?”

Daiyu waved her hand. “This is my third year. I am trying to decide whether to continue next year, which my father favors, or just try and get a real job. It will depend a bit on what happens at the Party conference later this year.”

Jason reflected that being the daughter of the Premier would no doubt be both a good thing as far as getting a job and a bad thing in not knowing whether you got the job because of your skill or who you are the daughter of. Interesting conundrum and something he supposed a lot of kids with famous parents would be affected by. It was never going to be his problem, of course. Still, she was pretty! And smart!

“You are only here for another two weeks, you said?” She nodded. “Damn. Well, can I take you out to dinner, say, tomorrow night?” He smiled at her.

She shook her head.

“I am not supposed to go out with American boys.” She replied but then stopped and cocked her head sideways. “You would not mind if my watchdogs come along with us, would you?”

He grimaced internally as that would limit how far things could go, but he managed a smile anyway.

“As long as I have your company, you can bring a whole squad of bodyguards.”

God, that sounded so lame. In fact, his whole conversation had been far lamer than anything he had ever attempted with an American girl. Hmm. Maybe there was a lesson there!

She laughed though at his sally. “We shall see. What is your number?”

He gave her his number, and she promised to call him the next day, one way or the other. Not wanting to push things, he let her wander off after they finished their lunch. Besides, he was booked into a seminar that afternoon, while she wanted to listen to a talk by a particular writer which happened to be on at the same time as the seminar. Oh well, hopefully, she will call, he thought to himself as he moped through the convention until he reached the auditorium where the seminar was being held. That had been by far his most successful chance meeting with a girl he had ever had, and while feeling hopeful, he was also miffed that it was not going to lead anywhere.