Pictures released by the state department showed Chen Guangcheng, the blind Chinese legal activist, leaving the US embassy compound in Beijing accompanied by diplomatic staff.
The deal between the US, China and Chen - medical treatment, reunion with his family and the chance to attend law school - initially produced smiles all round.
However, within hours the shine was wearing off. Chen now says he feels let down by the US that he was not told the full story.
The case that was meant to be settled before the annual US-China summit in Beijing is seemingly far from over and threatens to destabilise relations between the two superpowers at a crucial time.
Al Jazeera's John Terret reports.