American Panda

When Mei receives Xing and Esther’s wedding invitation in the mail and sees that her parents aren’t invited, she feels nostalgic for when her family was united. At Chow Chow, a family friend recognizes Mei from her dim sum meeting with Xing, which shocks her parents. They explode with anger, and Mei reveals that she sought out Xing and that she will not be a doctor. Her parents accuse her of being ungrateful and rejecting their cultural traditions. Mei tries to communicate her anxieties about her identity, but they don’t understand; they disown her and leave. Mei calls Xing in tears. He picks her up and tries to console her by claiming that their rejection gets easier to handle over time, even though he misses them.

That night, Nicolette reveals that she has been trying to overcome her shy high school persona by feigning confidence. Mei tells her about her disownment in tears, and Nicolette claims that Mei is better off without her parents. Suddenly, Nicolette’s former lover slides frozen urine under their door as revenge for contracting chlamydia from her.

Later, Nicolette takes Mei chair surfing as a “hack.” They slide down underground tunnels on rolling chairs, and Mei feels briefly free.