The days passed as a spark with vitality. At night, everyone’s dreams were framed into the beautiful silence of the photos taken in the day, except for Mei. Her dreams went dark and wild below the surface.
Exactly a month later, the night before she left again, she confi ded to me, happily and sadly, that she was just pregnant and her pregnancy must be kept a secret. Disturbingly, she wasn’t sure who the father was. Bing was not the only customer she had to sleep with. But she must bring one home before any gossip or rumors that could dishonor the family and the village. Such a point was inarguable. Neither she nor I added a word to it. When the day dawned she said her goodbyes, knowing that it would be cold winter by the time she could bring her man home.