Page 178 of Sweet Dominion

I glanced at Aunt Suzi, who was now swaying to the music.

When DJ Hendrix transitioned from Teresa Teng into Leslie Cheung’s “Monica,” she opened her eyes and rocked even harder, a wide smile on her face.

“Yes! That’s my jam!” Aunt Suzi yelled out, pumping her fist in the air.

Chloe giggled beside her, clearly amused.

And all I could do is stare at my aunt in disbelief.

She must have bullied the DJ pretty good. Or. . .was he prepared and had already put together a good track list?

DJ Hendrix wasn’t done yet. “We’re not stopping! We’re bringing the old school and the new school together. Who’s ready for the Grill Off?!”

The crowd responded with loud cheers, people clapping and shouting.

“And remember, folks,” DJ Hendrix continued, “I’m gonna be down in the South this weekend, at the Emerald Hammer, bringing this same energy! So if you think this is good, you better come check it out. DJ Hendrix, spinning all night long, making sure you feel it in your soul!”

Aunt Suzi let out another cheer, louder this time. “I’ll be there, DJ Hendrix!”

It is the South. No. You will not.

DJ Hendrix laughed. “You heard it, y’all! Aunt Suzi’s gonna be there and you should be there too! This weekend, at the Emerald Hammer! Don’t miss it!”

So Aunt Suzi and him are friends now. Awesome.

Every party in the East would now feature this DJ. My aunt couldn’t help but adopt people.

The DJ continued with mixes of familiar R&B hits merged with classic Chinese ballads creating a unique atmosphere that had everyone buzzing with excitement.

Moni was laughing beside me, her eyes bright as she watched the crowd enjoying themselves.

Even I couldn’t help but feel the infectious energy. As much as I had on my mind, as much as I was trying to keep my cool with what would need to happen tomorrow, it was hard not to be caught up in the moment.

Goddamn it. I needed this.

DJ Hendrix’s voice cut through the music again. “Alright, alright! It’s about that time! Get ready for the best Grill Off you’ve ever seen! We’ve got Chef Foo on one side, Bad Boy Banks on the other! Who’s gonna take the crown? Stay tuned, folks, because it’s about to getheated!”

The crowd roared.

I glanced over at the grills, watching as Chef Foo and Banks prepared to face off. They looked like two boxers gearing up for a championship.

Aunt Suzi was still rocking in her seat, clearly enjoying the energy DJ Hendrix had brought to the day.

As I scanned the crowd, something caught my eye.

Near the bar, I spotted Duck and Thandi. They were dancing together too. Thandi had one hand resting on Duck’s shoulder, the other entwined with his as they moved in sync with the music.

Duck wasn’t much of a dancer, but Thandi was coaxing him into it and seeing him loosen up, even just a little, made me smile.

Good God. He is really into her.

Not far from them, Fen stood by the bar, but she wasn’t dancing. She had a drink in her hand and her eyes were fixed on the judge's table—specifically on Chen.

Oh.

In fact, she wasn’t paying attention to anything else, just watching him with a quiet, focused expression.

And the way she looked at Chen, it was like he was the only person in the world.

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