Good point re Amanda. The revelation that she’s a Trickster does, indeed, open a door for Rachel that things are more complex in the world of Crazy Rich Asians than she may have thought. It’s not just some fairy tale rich princess domain, but rather there are ‘evil stepmothers’ about and political intrigue to boot.

Your take on the mahjong game is spot on. The fact Rachel *does* excel at a “complex Chinese game” demonstrates Rachel has in a way mastered the complexities of the Crazy Rich Asian ‘game’ and chooses to walk away from it, despite her feelings for Nick, the wealthy trappings, etc., in order to live honestly with herself.