Chapter Two: The Woman Everyone Forgot

Jianwei stared. Both had eaten Qiao's cake last night; one had written a birthday card for her daughter. The cake box still sat on the corner, but the name on its label had dissolved into a watery blank. It was not only Wen. Everyone connected to her identity as Wen Qi was forgetting Qiao. “I remember,” Jianwei said. Every face turned toward her. She set the group pictures on the table. In daylight, they had returned to normal: Wen wore her standard smile, with Qiao beside her. An assistant studied Qiao's face and said, “Who is that? Did you add her afterward?” Qiao seized Jianwei's wrist. “How old is my daughter?” “Seven. Her birthday was yesterday. You ordered the cake.” Qiao burst into tears.