Chanel Cao: The Privileged Ally in If You Could See the Sun

Overview

Chanel Cao is Alice Sun’s wealthy roommate at Airington International Boarding School. Introduced as a popular, fashion‑conscious girl, Chanel initially appears distant from Alice, but her character deepens when she secretly hires the “Beijing Ghost” app to gather evidence of her father’s infidelity. Over the course of the novel, Chanel transforms from a suspicious client into Alice’s loyal ally, using her social influence to help Alice confront the school’s systemic inequality. Chanel embodies the contradictions of privilege: born into money and fame, she still experiences emotional isolation and a longing for genuine connection.

Plot Role

Chanel’s first major plot action is as user C207 — the very first client of Alice’s clandestine spying service. She tasks Beijing Ghost with following her father, Cao xiansheng, and capturing proof of his affair. After Alice delivers the evidence, Chanel discovers Alice’s identity as the ghost. Rather than expose her, Chanel leaves a positive review on the app, legitimising the operation.

Later, Chanel volunteers to help Alice and Henry delete compromising photos from Jake Nguyen’s phone, forming a three‑person team. In the climactic confrontation with school board representative Madam Yao, Chanel leverages her social connections—threatening to discourage international students from applying to Airington—to pressure the administration into a fair review of Alice’s case. Her participation is crucial in securing a less punitive outcome.

Motivations and Traits

Explicit Motivations

• Hurt and betrayal over her father’s infidelity. She remarks, “It just doesn’t make sense. My mum never did… she’s been busy preparing for his birthday.”
• Desire for evidence to confirm her suspicions, which drives her to seek help from an anonymous app.

Interpreted Traits (supported by evidence)

• Loneliness despite popularity. Chanel assumes Alice dislikes her, revealing insecurity beneath her polished exterior. The narration notes, “Maybe this whole time I was worried about the shopping and the expensive clothes, she’s been under the impression that I simply don’t like her very much.”
• Generosity and loyalty. After Alice confesses her invisibility, Chanel believes her and immediately supports her. She later uses her mother’s fame (model Coco Cao) and her own social capital to aid Alice.
• Strategic cunning. At the school board meeting, Chanel speaks with calm precision, threatening to influence her “forty international kids” social circle, showing she knows how to wield her privilege.

Chronological Arc

1. Establishment (Chapters 1–4): Chanel is Alice’s distant, wealthy roommate. Alice observes her popularity but feels they live in different worlds.
2. First Hire (Chapter 5): Chanel, as C207, commissions Beijing Ghost to tail her father. She receives the photos and cries alone in her dorm.
3. Revelation (Chapter 5): Alice finds Chanel crying and unintentionally reveals she is the ghost. After Alice proves her invisibility, Chanel accepts the truth and leaves a positive review.
4. Team‑Up (Chapter 6 onwards): Chanel volunteers to help delete Jake’s photos, joining Alice and Henry. She becomes a trusted member of the operation.
5. Climax (Chapter 19): Chanel stands with Alice and Henry in front of Madam Yao, using her influence to argue for fairness.
6. Resolution (Chapter 20): Chanel’s threat helps secure a milder punishment for Alice (expulsion after the semester). Though not seen again directly, her actions have lasting impact.

Relationships

Alice Sun (Roommate → Friend)

Their relationship begins in social distance. Alice declines shopping invitations not out of dislike, but because of financial discomfort. When Chanel discovers Alice’s secret, she offers genuine support. By the end, they share a bond of trust; Chanel calls Alice “my dear friend” in the meeting.

Father (Cao xiansheng)

Chanel feels betrayed by her father’s affair. She collects evidence not to destroy him but to understand the truth. Her anger is raw: “Aside from the fact that my dad’s a total asshole? I’m great.” She also mentions her mother’s devotion, showing empathy for her mother’s hurt.

Mother (Coco Cao)

Chanel takes pride in her mother’s career. On the train, she corrects a stranger: “Model’s daughter,” yet she is pleased by the attention. Her mother’s tailoring a qipao for the father’s birthday highlights the innocence Chanel tries to protect.

Henry Li

Initially Chanel suspects Henry might be behind Beijing Ghost, calling him “good with the tech stuff.” Later she works alongside him, forming an effective trio. They share a light‑hearted rapport (e.g., “You ruined the thing, Andrew” — showing her ease with Henry).

Key Decisions and Consequences

Theme and Symbol Connections

Class Privilege and Inequality

Chanel’s wealth is a recurring symbol. She assumes Alice’s refusal to shop is dislike, never considering financial barriers. In the school board scene, Chanel explicitly uses her privilege as a weapon, threatening to steer wealthy international students away. This illustrates how the system rewards those with influence, a theme central to the novel. Learn more about class privilege and inequality.

Invisibility as Marginalization

Though Chanel is not physically invisible, she feels emotionally unseen. Her father’s affair, her mother’s obliviousness, and Alice’s avoidance all contribute to a sense of neglect. The novel suggests that invisibility is not only supernatural but also social—those without power or authentic connection can feel erased. Explore invisibility as marginalization.

Family Sacrifice and Pressure

Chanel’s mother sacrifices her time and identity for a husband who cheats. Chanel herself bears the emotional burden of protecting her mother from the truth. This parallels Alice’s own family pressures. Read about family sacrifice and pressure.

Identity and Self‑Discovery

Through her alliance with Alice, Chanel moves beyond her shallow social role. She discovers a capacity for loyalty and moral action, redefining herself outside of her family’s wealth and her father’s shadow. See identity and self-discovery themes.

Moral Compromise and Ethics

Chanel knowingly participates in Alice’s illegal scheme (spying, evidence theft). Her choice to support Alice rather than report her raises questions about ethical lines when fighting systemic injustice. Examine moral compromise and ethics.

Questions and Answers

1. Why did Chanel hire the Beijing Ghost app?

Chanel hired the app to obtain concrete proof of her father’s infidelity, suspecting he was cheating on her mother. She needed visual evidence before confronting him. The text shows she received photos of her father with a younger woman at a VIP restaurant.

2. How does Chanel react when she learns Alice is Beijing Ghost?

At first Chanel is incredulous and demands proof. After Alice demonstrates her invisibility by pointing to the missing reflection in the photo, Chanel believes her and leaves a positive review. She calls the situation “holy shit” and accepts Alice without judgment, showing a willingness to trust.

3. What role does Chanel play in the school board confrontation?

Chanel threatens to spread word among her international social circle that Airington treats scholarship students unfairly, potentially discouraging wealthy families from applying. She also notes her mother’s public profile. This leverage forces Madam Yao to consider a fair review rather than expelling Alice immediately.

4. Does Chanel ever confront her father about the affair?

The novel does not show a direct confrontation. Chanel acquires the evidence and is clearly upset, but her later focus shifts to helping Alice. It is implied that she uses the information privately, as her father is not mentioned again in the climactic scenes.

5. What does Chanel’s character reveal about privilege in the novel?

Chanel’s wealth gives her resources (the app, social connections) that Alice lacks. Yet her privilege does not shield her from pain or loneliness. The novel uses Chanel to show that even the wealthy can be marginalized emotionally, and that true change requires those with power to wield it for justice—as she does in the board meeting.

For more on how the story ends, see the ending explained or browse questions and answers.