Land of Big Numbers by Te-Ping Chen, Simon & Schuster

His twin, Lulu, was born so perfectly quiet doctors thought she wasn’t breathing. By 10 her precocity was apparent. Their factory worker parents were in awe of her. When she earns a place at Beijing University, brother goes to a college up the road. He likes gaming; she joins the debate club and protests. Lulu is arrested, beaten and sent to prison. When she is released she moves near to her parents, where she hands out tea samples in the mall. Her brother makes huge sums playing in international gaming shows. In another story American Eric has been dating his Chinese girlfriend for eight years. He is unfaithful but always tells his “pickle” they will marry. Their differences are as vast as the Grand Canyon they visit. She spots a bus load of Chinese tourists and realises she only feels true safety in numbers.