Chapter One: The Woman in the Rain

Thousands claimed to have seen her before—on the last train in Tokyo, on an old bridge in Prague, at a funeral in Mexico. Different cities, different years. Always a white coat and a red umbrella. Messages made Shen's phone hot in his hand. His landlord offered an extension without being asked. An image agency proposed a six-figure exclusive. By 11:50, Shen had more than a million followers. Tang, however, sent nine voice messages telling him to delete the original immediately. Her tenth message was a screenshot. A facial search had led her to a municipal orphanage file from twenty years ago. In its group photograph, a twelve-year-old girl stood in the back row with the same face as the woman beneath the umbrella.