Chapter One: After the Flashbulbs

As the shutter fell, something white seemed to turn around in the deepest mirror. Jianwei lowered the camera. There was only a scenery door left slightly ajar. Qiao gathered Tang Li and two assistants. Jianwei took seven pictures, then one final shot of Wen alone. She gave no posing instruction; she simply pressed the shutter as Wen looked down and rubbed an earlobe sore from the heavy jewelry. “Delete that.” Wen looked up at the sound. “Why?” “It isn't flattering.” Jianwei checked the screen. Wen's eyes were lowered, her makeup still exquisite, yet for a moment she seemed to have escaped the name Wen Qi. It was the best photograph of the night. In front of her, Jianwei selected delete. The confirmation flashed, and the image vanished.