Chapter Four: Two Identical Faces

Every fragment you repair brings Mianmian closer to disappearing.” The call ended. Mianmian seemed to hear the last sentence. It tucked its torn left ear behind its back. On the train to Nanchuan, Wanzhao numbered the girls in the photograph. She listed every verifiable detail: Girl One wore a hospital bracelet with the name burned away. Girl Two held the mascot head and had silver paint on her shoes. At the words silver paint, Mianmian snatched the pen and drew a moon-shaped door. “Where is that?” Xinghe asked. THE OLD WARD. UNDER THE MUSIC ROOM. “What's there?” Mianmian drew a cassette. Xinghe stopped breathing. Yuechuan's scorched tape was locked in a tin at his childhood home.