Outsider protagonist, Enid, is Mainland Chinese and from a modest family background. Swayed by the media and envious of It Girls, she is desperate to become someone in the world of glitz and glamour. 

As a graduate intern in an international auction house, Enid rotates through watch and jewellery departments until she finally lands a permanent position. Enid is hungry for success and believes she will do whatever it takes to rise to prestige, from dating clients to manipulating friendships.Class identity determines the rules, and game strategy comprises socio-cultural climbing and backstabbing in an uneven playing field. Along the way, plucky Enid learns about the kind of person she really is and who she wants to become.

Based on Chong’s real life experiences at Hong Kong auction houses, Behind the Bid spins a laugh-out-loud, witty tale of what it takes to get to the top when you are weighed down with baggage that isn’t bespoke exotic leather. 

About the Author:

Born in Kuala Lumpur, educated in England and New York, Li-En has worked in Singapore and Hong Kong and now calls New York home. With an educational background in art history and philanthropy management, Li-En has a deep-rooted passion for culture and her career has spanned the wide spectrum of the art world. Li-En is involved in the AAPI non-profit space and has worked as an art consultant at the Asian Cultural Council; Assistant Development Manager at Asia Society Museum; and is a co-founder of The Yellow Whistle campaign against AAPI hate, www.TheYellowWhistle.org.