Jiang Rou gripped the strap of her canvas bag, her fingertips brushing against the square tin of malted milk inside. From her Portable Space, she pulled out two packs of Double Happiness cigarettes and placed them alongside it.
The copper ring on the old wooden door had been polished to a shine. She raised her hand and knocked gently. Suddenly, a little urchin darted out from within, slamming his forehead into her canvas bag with a loud "thud."
"Ouch!" The boy clutched his forehead and stumbled backward, his nose bright red from the cold, and unmelted snowflakes still clinging to his eyelashes.
Chapter 44