Lotus: A Novel

Inspired by the secret life of the author's grandmother, Lotus follows a young woman navigating between traditional expectations and modern desires as she builds a life for herself in Shenzhen, China's sex industry. Lotus works as a streetwalker outside the Moonflower Massage Parlor, distinguished from her peers by her reserved demeanor and striking appearance. She attracts the attention of multiple clients—including men named Funny Eye and Family Treasure—who seek to control her. When Binbing, a soft-spoken photojournalist, makes an unexpected offer, Lotus faces a difficult choice: can she fall in love, and is she capable of it? Based on the author's grandmother's deathbed revelation that she had been sold to a brothel in her youth, the novel provides insight into China's underground sex industry while exploring the resilience of those facing impossible circumstances and the meaning of true freedom.