PALO ALTO, U.S. -- It began as a night out with friends, and a polite request to stop smoking. It ended with death threats, lawsuits, and a life upended by China's social media rage machine.
On March 29, feminist and online retailer Xiao Meili took some friends visiting from out of town to a popular Chengdu restaurant known for "hot pot," the spicy soup in which diners cook a variety of meat and vegetables.
