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Chapter One

The Boy Acrobats

It was a sunny afternoon in early spring when I set off after school to Big Aunt's place for my daily English lesson. I was thinking of a kung fu novel I was reading about a warrior monk with an iron hand as I hopped off the tram near the Du Mei Gardens, opposite my aunt's apartment.

The sounds of a bamboo flute drifted on the air with the heady fragrance of lilac blossoms, and suddenly I saw three boys, wearing colorful satin costumes with matching caps of red, blue and green, rounding a rhododendron bush into the park. I knew Big Aunt would worry if I was late, but I couldn't resist following them.

A large crowd was milling around the music pavilion, and an elderly woman signaled to the boys to hurry. Soon they were twisting, jumping and performing somersaults, all under the direction of the woman. The crowd gasped as one of the boys . . .

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Excerpted from Chinese Cinderella and the Secret Dragon Society by Adeline Yen Mah
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.