The more we tidied up, the more stuff there seemed to be, but it wouldn't all fit in the suitcase, so we had to go through it again and pick out what to leave behind. By the time we were done, I'd been helping my sister pack until after eleven. We only stopped when Dad came over to remind the three of us it was time for bed.
I washed up and went straight to sleep.
Half-asleep, I heard a lilting melody.
I seemed to be walking. After just a few steps, I stopped and reached out to grab something.
"Who is it?"
A girl's voice.
But not my sister's.
"Delivery."
"Uh, we aren't expecting anything..."
"Room 503, Ma Guoping. This is your place, right?"
"Oh. Hang on, I'll open the door."
It felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck my brain. I woke up completely.
My vision brightened. An open door, and a man in a delivery uniform.
"Sign here, please."
He handed over a package. It felt a little stiff to the touch.
I signed, thanked him, said goodbye, and closed the door.
"What was delivered?" someone called from the kitchen.
"It's something for Dad," the girl answered.
Not long afterward, I heard someone unlocking the door.
Section Chief Ma's familiar face appeared before me, though his expression was much gentler than usual.
"Why are you standing by the door? What did you buy?" Section Chief Ma asked as he changed his shoes. His voice was gentle, too.
"It's for you," the girl replied.
"For me? What is it?" Section Chief Ma asked in surprise.
He seemed very relaxed. His expression was livelier than when he was at work, with far more variation.
I handed him the package and watched curiously as he opened the plastic