Chapter One: Beyond Seven Minutes

Chaos erupted. Cheng Ye seized the camera. Qi Man ordered everyone to put away their phones. Only Shen Yan noticed the flash's hand had entered the first division, and that a hairline crack had lengthened across its shell. The photograph still showed He Xiao seated, exhausted, his knee iced. But as Shen Yan leaned closer, the man on the screen lifted his eyes, as if he could see through the glass. He Xiao completed the entire shoot, even demanding starting-block shots. At 9:07 p.m., Shen Yan finally left with the equipment and discovered seventeen missed calls from his girlfriend, Lin Wan. “You finally answered,” she said. “Where are you?” “Studio Three. We just wrapped.” “At what time?” He checked. “Nine-oh-seven.”