Chapter One: After the Glasses Come Off

Twelve years ago, Yanqiu's sister Shen Zhiwei had vanished while researching the painting's restoration records. Police claimed she had left the country voluntarily. Their parents died refusing to believe it. Yanqiu refused as well. The painting lay unframed on Table Three. Deputy Curator Lin Mo stood beneath the examination light beside Gu Linchuan, head of security technology. Gu had been a police detective before coming to the museum. He spoke little and watched people as if reading redacted testimony. “At last,” Lin said. “Tell us whether we should take a sample.” Yanqiu put on cotton gloves and leaned over the canvas. Through her lenses, everything was ordinary. The craquelure matched the painting's age.