As they stepped from the cab into the steaming night, Zhang placed his hand in the small of her back and said, ‘Your dress is perfect for the party. Very Old Shanghai.’ A sea of people wandered along the raised promenade along the Bund, their gazes moving between the line of grand old European-style buildings on one side of the Whangpoo River and the dazzling skyscrapers disappearing into clouds on the other. Everyone was taking selfies. A sizzling barrel of plump sheng jian bao—crispy on the bottom and pillowy-soft on top—filled the street with the scent of caramelised pork and fennel seed. Alexandra’s mouth watered, but she didn’t dare buy a dumpling for fear the soup inside would drip onto her dress.

Alexandra and Zhang walked through revolving doors into the cool gold and marble-domed foyer of the Fairmont Peace Hotel. The room was bathed in golden light and filled with the fruity aroma of hundreds of dusky pink lotus flowers piled into vases on the central table.

‘This dome matches your dress,’ Zhang said, laughing.

Alexandra studied the ceiling. ‘My grandmother stayed here once. She used to rave about the food. Lots of ladies who lunched here in the glory days, apparently. Champagne from six—in the morning!’ ‘I can’t ever see you doing that!’

‘Oh, I don’t know. I’m thinking I might have a bit more time…Maybe I’ll get a new job!’

‘Really?’ He wrinkled his nose. ‘I hope it’s not because of what I said. I didn’t mean—’ Zhang paused. ‘What I mean is, I think you are wonderful just the way you are.’

Alexandra’s cheeks burned as she said, ‘Thank you.’

He plucked a tight bud that seemed painted with soft pink at the tip and placed it in his top pocket, beside his lapel. As they stepped into the elevator he adjusted the lotus bloom and leaned towards her. ‘I never get tired of that sweetness. You know, lotus for me means summer. Also, purity. It’s a miracle that something so perfect grows from the mud.’ Zhang laced his fingers with hers and squeezed. The hair on Alexandra’s arms stood on end. She looked up at Zhang, who gave her a wink—as if he could read her mind.

They stepped out of the elevator onto a packed rooftop terrace with the shimmering lights of the Bund as the backdrop. The party was in full swing. A jazz band played on a small stage in the far corner and a stunning woman in a gold cheongsam sang in a low husky voice as her finger trailed up the stem of the microphone. Waitresses dressed as showgirls swirled around the room.

A champagne fountain flowed, filling flat glasses on a central table. Decadent chandeliers and vases of lotus flowers added sparkle and magic.

‘There you are,’ said Cynthia as she gathered them both in a tight hug. ‘I’m so pleased you made it.’

Lu kissed Alexandra. ‘Wow!’ He raised his eyebrows as she twisted to show him the web of pearls at the back before he shook Zhang’s hand.

‘Here, try these.’ Cynthia grabbed two pink drinks from a waitress. ‘Lychee and ginger martinis.’

‘Ganbei!’ They clinked glasses.

Cynthia looked stunning in a figure-hugging black chiffon dress with a thigh-high split. Her nails were black with gold half-moons, and her hair was set in tight curls. While most of the women wore extravagant feather fascinators and fur shrugs, Cynthia kept it simple with a crystal-beaded headpiece.

As they sipped cocktails, Lu started to laugh as he tried to keep his fake moustache stuck on. ‘Oh, just lose it,’ Cynthia said, laughing. She ripped it off, and gave him a kiss on the lips as she raised her glass. ‘To Shanghai. Old and new.’

‘To Shanghai.’ They clinked glasses again and Zhang stepped closer to Alexandra, wrapping an arm around her waist.

‘Come inside,’ said Cynthia. ‘I want to show you the poster of our girl all grown up.’

They stepped inside as the singer switched to a broody jazz tune that suited the dark wood-panelled room. More oversized chandeliers dripped and sparkled from the ceiling and towers of flushing lilies, roses, orchids and lotus flowers stopped Alexandra in her tracks.

‘This room!’ she gasped. ‘It’s magnificent.’

‘Thanks to Zhang. He organised the flowers from the markets—then sent someone to arrange them for us.’

Zhang ducked his head modestly. Alexandra ran her fingers over a piece of red silk embroidered with gold calligraphy that was wrapped around the central vase.

‘These banners are traditionally used for Chinese New Year,’ explained Cynthia.

Zhang stepped closer to the calligraphy. ‘It’s another riddle. That’s an upside-down character. So an upside-down Fu means that the sender hopes good luck will arrive on your doorstep. Good fortune.’

‘Very thoughtful. Let’s hope it brings some prosperity too.’ Cynthia reached for Lu’s hand. ‘I already have the good fortune.’

Lu beamed and took another sip of his drink.

Between the flowers were seven life-size coloured posters designed to look like Calendar Girls.

‘These are the seven great singers in Shanghai of the thirties and forties.’

The first was a soft-focus close-up of an oval porcelain face, wavy hair pinned back just like Cynthia’s, diamond earrings falling onto the silver collar of a cheongsam.

‘White Rainbow,’ said Lu. ‘Her hit single was “He Is Like the Spring Wind”.’

‘Indeed,’ said Zhang as they stepped to the next photo.

A sassy woman stood sideways with her hair pulled tight off her face in a ponytail, cascades of curls streamed down her back. Her ebony eyes dared you to blink first.

‘Golden Voice,’ said Lu. ‘She was a feisty one, too.’ He looked at Cynthia fondly and she stood on her toes and gave her husband a peck on the cheek.

The third photo was of a woman in a yellow cheongsam embroidered with blue roses, reclining on a large wicker chair and exposing a large part of her upper thigh. She held a mandolin on her lap, and an orchard of cherry blossoms flowed into the distance behind her.

‘They called her Queen of the Nasal Voice,’ said Cynthia, and Alexandra chuckled.

‘It was a thing, back in the day,’ explained Lu. ‘More nasal, more dough. Now, this is your girl from the blossom photo. Li Ho.’

The photo’s focus was softened at the edges, so it looked like a painting. The subject was a beautiful woman with a high forehead and regal nose wearing a plunging V-neck dress dotted with crystals. Layers of ruffled sleeves poured from the shoulders and three rows of pearls were slung lazily across her modest chest. Her hair was pinned in a bob, and she wore a dazzling pearl-and-crystal headband, like a beaded chain, across her forehead. She was staring directly at the camera. Proud. Sitting in a high-backed peacock cane chair, lips slightly parted. An open fan sat demurely just under her chin and she was smiling, two deep dimples giving her an impish charm.

There was no mistaking the jade pendant—etched with a lily—sitting at the base of her throat. It was Alexandra’s pendant.

‘Yu Baihe—she’s my favourite,’ said Cynthia.

‘The Jade Lily,’ said Lu. ‘Some say she was a Japanese collaborator, but I’m not so sure.’

Alexandra was too shocked to speak. Instead, she stepped towards the photo and touched the pendant.

‘Those eyes look pretty haunted to me…’

‘That deep brown—they’re your eyes,’ said Zhang softly as he turned to face Alexandra.

Everyone stared between the photo and Alexandra as the music changed to a swing.

Alexandra was a little dizzy and confused. ‘I need to go—’ She was about to say ‘home’, but it struck her that she was no longer sure where home was. She’d only been in Shanghai a short time and it was supposed to be a limited placement. She looked from Cynthia and Lu to Zhang and felt for the first time in ages that she wasn’t alone. She wanted to stay.

But first, she needed closure. For her mother, but also for herself. She wanted to understand her history. The truth would eliminate the well of uncertainty and grief she’d carried since Opa’s death, she was sure of it.

‘I need to go to Melbourne. I need to tell Oma I found my other grandmother.’ Oma must have been given the child for safekeeping, surely. But, then, what did she really know of Oma’s life in Shanghai?

Zhang put his arm around her shoulder and she nestled against him. Alexandra looked up at Zhang and knew what she had to do.

‘Will you come home with me? Please…’ She reached for his hand. ‘I don’t want to do this alone.’