Old Feng is past sixty and often jokes that he’s a little salted fish. He’s spent his whole life hoping to turn things around, but never managed it. Now he’s gone from a little salted fish to an old one, and the thought is downright depressing. It’s been more than thirty years since Old Feng graduated from a prestigious university in the provincial capital. He didn’t make it to deputy section chief until after turning fifty, and he’s probably hit the ceiling, with no chance of promotion. Looking back on the past, it all feels as if it happened only yesterday. Only now has Old Feng truly lost heart. His drive and courage to turn things around are completely gone, and lying flat while waiting for retirement feels like the most natural thing in the world.
