Bonjour Shanghai

by Isabelle Laflèche

  As soon as I turn on my phone, an insane number of texts, emails, and missed calls flood in. They’re from friends, family, Parsons teachers, even total strangers.

  Words like “amazing,” “OMG,” “game changer,” and “way to go, Clem!” pop up on my tiny screen. There are messages from Jonathan, Maddie, Jake, and Ellie. Maddie was right. There is power in opening up and being vulnerable — much more so than in being defensive. I won’t be taking my intuition for granted again.

  It’s thrilling to see my entire trajectory change with just one blog post.

  I open the text from Jonathan first. It’s the one I’ve been waiting for.

  My sweet Clementine,

  Jake sent me your blog post last night and I just wanted you to know that it made me cry.

  You haven’t lost me. You could never lose me. On the contrary, you’ve gained even more of my respect. This blog post shows just how mature you’ve become and how amazing you are.

  I’m sorry that I acted out of insecurity. I didn’t feel good about myself, and I was filled with anxiety that I took out on you. You deserve only the best, Clementine.

  The “deceptive friend,” I assume, is Henry. He sounds like a total A-hole #sorrynotsorry

  I’m happy to report that the lawsuit was settled out of court yesterday, and my client pleaded guilty, so I’m off the hook for testifying. But after much reflection, I’ve told the company to find another photographer — I don’t want to be associated with them any longer. I’ve realized that I need to trust myself. I built this business once, and I can build it back up again. I won’t let one bad client define my success.

  I can’t wait for you to come home so I can hold you in my arms.

  I love you, Clementine Liu

  J XXOO

  I’m shaking and tearing up. I can’t believe Jonathan still wants to be with me. I’m not sure I deserve a second chance, but I’m going to take it. He doesn’t know yet that I betrayed his trust, but I plan to tell him what happened. I want to be totally honest and transparent with him. That’s what lasting relationships are built upon.

  I decide to forward his message to Sandra. It’s highly personal, but she’ll be thrilled to read it, and I trust her completely.

  I’ve got an email from Brian that leaves me speechless:

  Dear Clementine,

  I read about Bonjour Girl being in the frying pan and I saw your response this morning. It’s wise, well-written, and astute. I’m awed by your courage.

  I know that I’m the teacher who steered you in the wrong direction. I sincerely apologize. It wasn’t my intention to lead you off track. Your blog was outstanding the way it was, and I should have kept my mouth shut. I’m sorry, Clementine.

  You taught me a valuable lesson: if something works and is admired by many, why change it?

  I’ve already told Dean Williams and Maddie how much I admire your gutsiness.

  With admiration and gratitude,

  Brian

  Wow. Brian has class. He has my admiration, too.

  It’s Jake’s text that takes the cake:

  CLEMY, you are one badass blogger, babe! LOVE how you’re standing up for yourself while showing your vulnerable side. I love how you don’t attack anyone, too. If only more people behaved that way!

  I’m learning important things from you, Clem, I really am. No more fighting, and no more hiding. I’ve gotten on a debt consolidation plan at the bank. I need to move on with my life.

  We’re shipping the first batch of skirts to your dad tomorrow, so I should be able to make a first payment soon.

  Honesty — with yourself and others — really is the best policy. You’re my role model, and I think the world of you.

  P.S. Sorry Henry turned out to be such a fucking snake. The dude is BUSTED!

  LUV you and miss you!

  XXOO

  This makes me chuckle. I assume that Henry is partly responsible for all this turmoil. I think back to meeting him at the Wild Insect Kingdom and how I unwittingly chose an environment appropriate for his character. Interestingly, I have not yet heard from him. I guess he’s doing what snakes do best: slithering away.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  I SHOW UP AT SCHOOL the next day feeling empowered. The overwhelmingly positive response to my blog post has boosted my self-confidence. I haven’t lost my credibility after all. I can walk the halls of the Condé Nast Center with my head held high, and that’s what matters most. And knowing that Jonathan still cares, despite everything, makes my heart sing. I must be radiating joy from every cell in my body.

  I haven’t seen or heard from Henry. He’s hiding out somewhere, as he should.

  Before our digital marketing class begins, Wei beckons for me to follow her out to the hallway.

  I wonder what she wants. She’s so powerful and commanding, she makes me a bit nervous. I hope I haven’t offended her in any way.

  “Clementine, I heard what happened to you online, and someone forwarded me your response this morning. I was really impressed with what you wrote.”

  “Oh, thank you.” I try to act cool, but I’m jumping for joy inside. The fact that Wei likes what I wrote confirms that I’m finally on the right path, and that my intuition never lies.

  “I was just at the end of my rope,” I continue, “and I needed to get that stuff off my chest. I’m tired of being picked on and put down. I just want to spread joy, colour, and creativity in this world, and do it peacefully.”

  “I have two things to discuss with you, Clementine. First, I want to inform you that your writing assignment has been selected for publication on the website.”

  “Really? That’s fantastic!”

  “And second, I want to give your name to the digital ad agency I work with to make you a KOL, a local influencer. I know you are only in China for a short time, but we could make the most of your presence and connect you with local fashion brands for some collaborations. Potentially some really big names.”

  My mind spins. It’s a generous offer, but I know that posting sponsored content just isn’t for me, especially after the Victoire & Sophie debacle. After all that’s happened, I want to maintain my freedom.

  “I’m very flattered, but my goal isn’t to become an influencer. I just want to create original content, free from any sponsorship or commercial ties.”

  Her eyes light up and she puts both hands on my shoulders. “Wow, Clementine Liu. No wonder you have such a loyal following.” She smiles broadly, then heads back into the classroom, turning in the doorway to give me one last funny look, as though she has something up her designer sleeve.

  I don’t know what she’s up to, but I trust that her intentions are as pure as shantung silk.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  AFTER CLASS, I SPOT HENRY. He’s standing at the far end of the hallway with some friends, looking dishevelled and quite unlike himself. He’s wearing an old ratty T-shirt and a checkered shirt over some baggy jeans. I might not have recognized him, except for that unmistakable gaze. He zeroes in on me, and his two friends disappear as soon as they see me coming.

  I guess that determined look on my face scared them. Surprisingly, I’m not angry — that feeling disappeared a few days ago, after I pressed the publish button on my blog. If anything, I feel sorry for Henry, because if someone needs to stoop that low to get ahead, they must be miserable.

  “Can we talk?”

  “Sure,” he says, staring at the floor.

  “Not here.”

  He follows me to a small, empty classroom. He shuts the door after himself and stoops forward with his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

  “I don’t know where to start.”

  “The beginning would be good.” I lean against the far wall, keeping my distance. “Wherever the deception started. Because I feel deceived all around.”

  He pinches the bridge of his nose, clearly holding back tears. I guess I’ve unmasked him, and it hurts. Whether it’s his ego or his heart, I’m not sure. />
  “God, I feel like such an ass. I’m so sorry, Clementine, I thought Stephen was a good guy. It turns out he wasn’t. I had no idea he was up to no good. But since we were partners, I’m as much to blame as he is.”

  “I’m glad you’re owning your shitty mistakes. That’s one thing we have in common.”

  He sits at one of the student desks and takes a deep breath. “Stephen was a venture capitalist in New York. We met at a party there back when I was in college. He wanted to create a portfolio of websites to drum up massive online revenues. He read about these two guys from Hong Kong who were making a killing online and got inspired to do the same. We were planning to build sites for online courses, shopping, a bunch of different platforms. He wanted us to become marketing and digital influencers, too, and hire a whole bunch of people to work for us.

  “Then one day, I was surfing the web and came across your blog. I showed it to Stephen — I thought it was so inspiring and original. He started reading your posts and was impressed by the content.”

  I cross my arms tightly over my chest. This is getting interesting. “I have a feeling I know where this is going.” I bite my lip.

  “My idea was to ask you to partner with us so we could create a new joint platform for China. That’s when I initially reached out to you.”

  “Yeah, you were laying it on thick as molasses.”

  He cringes. That’s the reaction I was hoping for. He deserves it.

  “We were going to make you an offer — a big one — to become an affiliate of ours.”

  I chuckle to myself. It’s nice to feel so in demand. Too bad it’s not my cup of jasmine tea.

  “But when I heard the forecasts in class that the influencer business was oversaturated, I told Stephen, and we decided to change course.”

  “Hmm.”

  “And then, without telling me” — he cringes some more — “he decided to copy your idea and create our own website instead.”

  “I remember …”

  “I told him it was wrong, but his mind was made up. He’d seen the money that could be made and the publicity we could get out of it. Nothing could convince him. I tried to tell myself we could just be friendly competitors, both amplifying similar messages. But when Stephen realized we could never write as engagingly as you, he started playing dirty. He hired people to criticize your content, get it into the hands of Bloggers Unveiled, and troll you …”

  I purse my lips. I’m trying not to get angry, but it’s tough.

  “I know you guys are the ones who complained to WeChat about me. Over the blouse you convinced me to accept. Did you purposely connect me with that racist designer, too?” I’m on a roll now.

  His face turns the colour of a ladybug. “I was going to pay for the shirt, but the salesperson offered it as a gift. He kept insisting and I finally caved when you were in the change room. I should have said no, or at least told you about it. But I truly didn’t think it would matter one way or the other, because you don’t typically share stuff like that on your blog. Honestly, I was just trying to impress you. I never thought the store would mention having gifted it to you on their own social media accounts. And I swear, I had no idea that French designer was such a jerk. I’m really sorry about all of it, Clementine. I never intended for things to happen that way.” He lets his head fall into his hands. “Things changed for me as I got to know you better. I developed … feelings.” He stares down at his shoes.

  “Oh, come on, don’t bullshit me, okay? I’ve heard enough of your nonsense already.” I roll my eyes. This is getting ridiculous.

  “Honestly, I did. I was stuck between you and Stephen.”

  “You are stuck, and you’ll stay stuck unless you break free from lousy people who are out to make a quick buck. You’re doing things for the wrong reasons.”

  He lifts his head abruptly. I guess this resonates. Well, if the designer shoe fits …

  “Now that I think about it, you aren’t really stuck, you just think you are,” I continue. “You’re as free as a bird but you’re keeping yourself chained. It’s your decision. Whatever you’re trying to prove, whoever you’re trying to impress, it’s not working, okay? You’re going down the wrong path. I could make a complaint about you to the school for some of the things you’ve done, but I’m not going to. I’m taking the high road instead.” And without turning around, I walk straight out of his life.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  DESPITE MY FALLING OUT with Henry and the negative association of Jean-Charles’s response to our video, I decided to keep the white bag Henry and I customized together. It’s a souvenir of a creative moment I’m particularly proud of. I’ve given the cherry blossom blouse to Ting and Julia at the vintage shop so they can resell it. It may not be old enough to be considered true vintage, but it does have one heck of a backstory.

  Those gorgeous embroideries have had me daydreaming about them ever since. Impressed by the skill and craftsmanship that go into creating them, I did a bit of online research and came across an article about a young Chinese woman who left her career as a politician in Shanghai to create this traditional artwork.

  Meili Zhou was born to a Miao family in the mountains of Yaoyang, and she successfully made her way to the big city in her twenties. Eventually, though, she quit her high-profile job one day and returned home to learn the embroidery process and start a business dedicated to preserving the art form.

  I managed to find Meili online and ask if she would do an interview for Bonjour Girl, and she agreed. I was ecstatic. I love telling stories like this. That’s all that truly matters to me, not whether the story is obscure enough or should be more mainstream or sponsored.

  Now I’m sitting at my desk overlooking the park, interviewing Meili via WeChat video.

  “Tell me more about this embroidery. I think more people need to know about it.”

  “Sure. It’s an essential part of Miao culture and a treasure of Chinese costume culture,” she says. “Every Miao woman is taught this skill, and it’s passed on from generation to generation. Every piece is handmade using a number of complicated skills. It takes at least a year to complete an embroidery one square metre in size, so it’s a time-consuming craft that’s very hard to make money from.”

  “Did you learn it from your family?”

  “Yes, I learned the skills from my grandmother, my aunts, and my own mother. I started when I was only four, and by the time I was ten years old, I could make a skirt and a shirt by myself.”

  “Wow. Can you tell me more about the Miao people?”

  “The Miao live mainly in the mountains of southern China, in Chongqing and the provinces of Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei, and Hunan.”

  “I’ve read that you had a successful career in politics, but you decided to leave that world.”

  “Yes, a few years ago, while on a mission for the city of Shanghai, I returned to Chongqing and met some amazing women who reminded me of my cultural identity and reconnected me with these embroidery skills. I visited the Miao villages in Hunan and Guizhou and learned the skills from the masters. I decided to stay for a while and I worked from six in the morning until twelve at night. It was hard work, but well worth it.”

  “You were basically working much longer hours than you were in politics,” I say.

  She laughs. “Yes, but loving it. That’s the difference. I also researched the current practice of Miao embroidery and collected some of the traditional patterns in order to keep the practice going. That’s my mission in life. Two years ago, I finally set up my own company to promote and preserve this folk art. My artwork has been exhibited at home and internationally, too. Now we’re partnering with local women’s associations to set up training camps.”

  “And employing women at the same time. That’s terrific!”

  “You should be applauded, too, for featuring stories that fall outside of traditional fashion.”

  She promises to send me photos of her work, and with that, we finish our conversa
tion.

  A fiercely independent spirit pursuing her passions, Meili is a Bonjour Girl to the core.

  Chapter Forty

  THIS AFTERNOON, as soon as I walked through the doors of the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund, an exquisite five-star hotel, I knew that this was the setting for that last scene in Henry’s video, the one that took away my breath and, unfortunately, a little of my heart.

  But it’s funny how we’ve come full circle: his video rendered me speechless, but in the end, I got the last word.

  His video did share a powerful message, though: that quote from Lisa See’s book about not hiding who you truly are. That sentiment has stayed with me ever since and was instrumental in my breaking free of the expectations of teachers and people on the web.

  I’m just happy to be sitting here drinking tea with Sandra, an honest, loyal friend who has my best interests at heart. It feels good to have such a supportive mentor here, since Maddie’s not around.

  “That was really impressive, what you did, how you so freely expressed yourself on your blog,” Sandra says.

  “You were instrumental in that, Sandra. You and Dr. Ho. I can’t thank you enough. Even his herbs had a positive effect on me, helping me quell my anger and open up.”

  “I’m so happy to hear it. Dr. Ho is a miracle worker, isn’t he? He’s been helping me deal with my sister’s illness.”

  “How’s she doing?”

  “Not good, I’m afraid. The prognosis isn’t very encouraging. I just want to be there for her. But it’s not easy to see someone you love deteriorate. Heartbreaking, actually. That’s why I enjoy spending time with you, Clementine. You bring lightness to my days.”

  “But I only ever come to you with my own issues — that can’t be too refreshing,” I say.