Another Brilliant Fireworks Display

"I'm really sick of living."

"I wish I could close my eyes and never open them again tomorrow."

By the time Chen Shi turned forty-nine, that had become his usual boast whenever he went out for a late-night snack.

It had been more than half a month since he'd last eaten late-night snacks with his buddies.

The little town felt empty.

He'd lost his phone.

He couldn't remember how many people he'd told:

"We all have to keep on living."

Over and over.

Updates when inspiration strikes. Writing about the people from Hubei I got to know from winter to spring.

Theme: A middle-aged man down on his luck and even thinking about suicide meets so many different people because of a box of face masks.