Chapter One: The Bear Who Wouldn't Take Off Its Head

Xinghe stared at a red sign reading FINAL THREE DAYS. “Is it alive?” “In theory.” Forty-eight hours later, he met the theory backstage at Haicheng Stadium. It was a seven-foot pale-blue bear with an absurdly round head, a silver star stitched to its left ear, and a closed eye painted on its belly. The staff called it Mianmian. It occupied the only sofa in Xinghe's dressing room, furry hands folded politely over its knees, a warm glass of milk and a straw on the table. “Who's inside?” Xinghe asked. Tour director Zhou Ce gave him an airtight smile. “Brand secret. Remember three rules: never force it to remove the head; get it back to its room before midnight; and whatever you hear, don't open the door.”