Mei was busy working. Luckily, no sooner had I found a room in an old compound than she was available. With her courteous characteristics, she kept mentioning giving me a bag as a gift. It was exciting. I hurried out of the compound. My backpack with only the valuable things seemed weightless on my belly. The sun set. A wind swept. Almonds rustled and dimmed. The paths wound to a broad street. A row of vendors messed up both sides. Distinct sounds echoed. Different smells mixed. A complex of apartments with ground-floor shops arose from a terrace. An enormous golden sign of Beautiful Pearl River blushed above a black gate. Staring at the sign and dreaming of the beautiful Pearl River, I waited for Mei at a grocery store across the street. Time counted backwards.