Mei sped up. Between one end of the bridge and the beginning of a busy arched street, the road opened downward in the direction heading towards the bank. A new giant construction site stood in the way with white paper boards and steel frames rising into the air. She accepted that change, passed the signboard and stepped into the maze of steel inside a long squared tunnel. The sun only shone diagonally on half of her body through the steel frames, which refl ected on the protecting thin boards. Her dwarfi sh shadow was dissected into diagonal parts, appearing and disappearing on the leveled poles. The outline of her shadow was grotesque when all the dissections were gathered together. It was frightening. She didn’t often imagine things that ugly or grotesque. At the moment, her life itself was grotesquely ugly with fractures. She was feeling, not thinking or picturing. And out of the narrow framed path was a small lane with a mixed smell of fried spring onion, pickled cabbage, leak and garlic. Discerning but disregarding the smiles on the faces of an old yet seemingly happy couple, who were frying dumplings, pancakes and buns, Mei crossed the lane. She was visible to others but invisible to herself. Her face sank into the milkiness of the confusing air. Yet, she walked on, listening to the wild beat from within. When it came to the next crossing, she turned left into the less busy and more civilized Phoenix Street. Soon she stumbled into the bank.