Angle of view

  After kicking the ball, I returned to the store. The other guys were all locals and had families, only I lived in the store.

  The sky has darkened, Im covered in sweat and dont feel like moving, lying on that narrow bed. Lifting my head to gaze at the ceiling, Tan Jiaos face appears in my mind.

  She wore my hat, hung her head and said nothing.

  It turns out that the prickly woman on the boat can also look like this. Suddenly, I felt like laughing.

  Just then Xiaohua lifted the curtain and came into this small compartment, looking at the smile on my face, also lewdly smiled: "Yuge, thinking of women?"

  This kid is really cunning.

  I ignored him and lit a cigarette. He sat down on the edge of the bed and said, "Why do I feel like theres something ambiguous between you and Miss Tan?"

  I asked: "Where is ambiguous?"

  He thought for a moment: "Its hard to say. Its just that when you two are together, it feels unclear and ambiguous."

  "Get out of here."

  He instead gained momentum and said: "Hey, she also wants you to wash her car?"

  I took a delicate puff of smoke and savored the slightly spicy and bitter taste, saying: "So what? She dares to give me orders, but I dont dare to obey?"

  Xiao Hua: "Hey, my brother, youre awesome! I think Miss Tan will be completely swept off her feet by you."

  I didnt chat with him anymore. My attention was drawn outside the window.

  The streetlights came on, illuminating the empty ground with a snowy brightness. A group of birds had stopped there at some point, around ten or so, all pitch black. Several of them gazed at me through the window, their yellow-brown eyes gleaming faintly.

  Im staring at them too.

  Xiao Hua asked: "Ge, whats wrong? What are you looking at?"

  I have seen these birds before.

  Only seen in one place.

  On that boat.

  I ran out of the store, and in mid-air came the sound of flapping wings, they scattered and flew away.

  Theres something Ive never told anyone. Since leaving that ship, its as if theres a vague hollow in my chest, but I just cant recall what Ive forgotten or overlooked. I often think back, feeling lost and bewildered.

  And now those birds, as if still carrying the fishy smell of the river, flapped their wings and flew past that cave entrance.

  An inexplicable strong intuition drove me to chase after the last few birds that had fallen.

  ——

  It happened after I chased him out of nearly half of the city district.

  The sky had already darkened, I ran through the bustling streets, also ran through the winding alleys, and finally arrived at a small road by the river. The birds in the sky gathered more and more, dont know where they flew from, probably over a hundred. They circled and soared in the bright moonlight, like a group of deliberate black shadows.

  I had run until I was dripping with sweat, and stopped to rest by a low wall. Suddenly the birds seemed to have gathered together, one of them let out a clear cry, and then all the birds dispersed at once, flying into the night.

  "Damn it." I cursed under my breath.

  Just as I was about to chase after the bird that seemed to be leading, a figure suddenly darted out from the other side of the wall. I was startled and broke out in a cold sweat, feeling like all my pores had turned icy. I didnt even have time to dodge.

  That person bumped into my arms, and I heard her clearly inhale a breath of cool air. I grabbed both of her arms and subdued her. She struggled to break free, but I pinned her body against the wall, holding her down.

  Her body was trembling slightly.

  Above her head, a faint streetlight shone down. I saw her face and was stunned.