Chapter Two: The City's Other Voices

“Gray-suit man: possibly a dragon, afraid of being late. Convenience clerk: long shadow, sent me a message saying not to go back.” Su Li tapped her notes. “The tree downstairs is sixty-eight and hates dogs.” “Why does being sixty-eight make a tree a monster?” “It says it's sixty-eight on human records and refuses to disclose its real rings.” Xu Tang set down the drinks. “We're going to a hospital.” Su Li wanted to go too. They chose Linjiang First Municipal, assuming a major hospital would at least avoid writing PATIENT'S THIRD EYE OPENED BY CHILI in her chart. The lobby was packed. Su Li kept her head down, ignoring the buzzing beneath a nurse's cap and a vending machine begging passersby to free a stuck coin.