林婉 viciously gnawed on a chicken wing, her small face contorted in concentration. The neon-lit streets of moderne Beijing were in full swing, the air thick with the odors of roasting meat and fried snacks. She’d just finished her shift working as a cashier in a small snack bar, her pocketbook practically empty.

“Boss, your usual order!” The customer in front of her was a burly man with a greasy face, holding a dog-eared menu.

“Ah, one bowl of cold noodles, an egg, and a piece of chicken,” Lin Wan replied, her voice muffled by her half-eaten chicken wing. She carefully counted out the money, her eyes flicking across the crowd around her. It had been three years since she left this city, but the bustling atmosphere still felt familiar, yet distant at the same time.

“Here we go,” Lin Wan said, handing the change back to the man. She didn’t have a lot of money, and her small apartment was just a few blocks away. She took a deep breath, ready to head back home.