Chapter One: After the Flashbulbs

Jianwei stripped a piece of transparent boning from her own cuff, suspended the stress point with doubled silver thread, and hid her stitches beneath three decorative crystals. Wen Qi looked down at her. Under the lights, the superstar's face resembled a work of art without a temperature. Even her impatience was calibrated not to deepen the lines beside her mouth. “Will it fall?” “Not unless you run.” Jianwei took the pin from her mouth. “If you have to run, take off the shoes first.” Someone nearby inhaled sharply. A newcomer did not speak to Wen Qi that way. Wen merely raised one eyebrow. “The final segment has a spotlight transition.” “That isn't running. It's walking in a great hurry.” Jianwei stood and stepped back. “It'll hold.”