Good Girls Do Not Marry Men Who Owe Money
by Effie Pow
Murky clouds drew in slowly and a wind stirred the shedding trees on Shaanxi South Road. The vehicles were stuck in their lanes. Lights blinked vigorously and horns wailed impatiently, while drivers tried to edge ahead.
Without any sense of calm under the full canopy, they were like hot, metal bugs that had crawled onto a gummy trail. A glossy BMW kept company with Bus 24 as it crept past narrow store fronts, flower shops, a store filled with Greek canned goods, and an Italian gelato place with shiny counters.
Standing on the crowded No. 24, Xiao Yang scrutinized the fuchsia shirt woman riding in a carbon black BMW750Li. The look was either pulled from Vogue or a retro outfit from the racks of Zara. At the intersection, Xiao Yang watched her reach into a handbag and pull out a white iPhone. The gesture reminded her of a part-time employer Mrs. Laurent. Continue reading…
