How It All Goes Down
Eleanor — Shenzhen
- We're in Lorena's home in Shenzhen, what Eleanor describes as a tasteless place built by Mainland developers.
- Lorena calls out Eleanor for disliking her "Westernized" son's ways when she "can't even enjoy a typical Chinese breakfast" of fish porridge (2.7.5).
- The women go to a "top-secret" shopping center (2.7.11).
- We learn the differences between dressing styles: Singaporean women "dressed in their own distinct hodgepodge of styles and wore less jewelry"; Hong Kong women dressed alike and wore "huge rocks;" and Japanese women wore sun visors and fanny packs (2.7.14).
- The women are led through what seems like an abandoned building, up a crammed elevator, and are instructed to turn off their phones and cameras before being allowed inside a "sumptuously designed boutique" (2.7.19).
- What kind of magic is this?
- This boutique is filled with luxury brand knock-offs. The women talk up the virtues of buying "real fakes" (2.7.29).
- We learn Eleanor's particular aesthetic must be something no one in Singapore has, something she spends less money on than her friends, and something that makes her look 10 years younger.
- While browsing, Eleanor bumps into Jacqueline Ling — both women seem unhappy to see each other at the place to buy fakes.
- Jacqueline mentions meeting Rachel at Shang Su Yi's party and says Rachel was "overconfident and overfamiliar" (2.7.41).
- She adds that Rachel is close to Astrid and Oliver, and lies that Rachel was ogling all the items at Tyersall.
- Shocked, Eleanor composes herself and decides to align herself with Jacqueline: she asks how her daughter Amanda is doing.
- Jacqueline confidently says her daughter will be at the wedding, putting aside her feud with Araminta.
- She then silently judges Eleanor for the friends she keeps, and ignores Nadine begging for an introduction.
- Eleanor thinks it fortuitous that Amanda is returning to Singapore, as she is a "superb match" for her son (2.7.55).