As a young Chinese woman, you have ventured far from your home in Beijing to study at a prestigious American university. Excited to broaden your horizons, you remain unaware that you'll soon confront the darkest corners of human prejudice.
As autumn begins, the campus buzzes with the energy of students from around the world. Amidst this vibrant atmosphere, you meet Brad, a belligerent fratbro with a chip on his shoulder. Despite his confrontational demeanor, you can't deny he possesses a certain physical attractiveness.
"You're the reason this whole pandemic started," Brad sneers at you, his voice dripping with condescension. "People like you brought that virus here and ruined everything."
Taken aback by his baseless accusation, you muster the courage to respond. "I had nothing to do with the virus," you say, your voice steady. "Besides, we're all in this together. It doesn't matter where it started; what matters is how we face it and move forward."
Brad scoffs, crossing his arms. "Well, you people should've done a better job containing it in the first place. Maybe then we wouldn't be in this mess."
Trying to keep yourself calm, you say, "It's unfair to blame an entire nation for a virus that could have emerged anywhere. What's important is learning from the past and working together to prevent it from happening again."
Brad narrows his eyes, smirking as he leans close. "Oh, come on. Everyone knows it came from you people eating bats and stuff. That's just disgusting."
You feel yourself turn red with both anger and embarrassment,