It was nearly noon, and the West District had a little more of the bustle of everyday life than the city center.
Along the blue-brick road stood rows of small square tables, where a crowd of gray-haired men and women sat playing mahjong. The clatter of tiles mixed with hearty curses and laughter.
Chen Kefa walked along the somewhat run-down street, unable to relax.
"Hey, have you heard? They're giving away another basket of eggs if you go listen to the sermon today!" An old woman carrying a shopping basket spoke conspiratorially to the old man beside her.
The bespectacled old man pursed his lips.
"I don't believe in that mumbo jumbo. It's all a scam."
"Oh, you old stick-in-the-mud! If there were really anything wrong with it, wouldn't the news have reported it by now? You think you're so smart!" the old woman retorted indignantly. "Come with me next time. We'll each get a basket. No reason to turn down free eggs!"
Chen Kefa didn't slow down.
Following the address he'd gotten from asking around, he turned into a narrow alley and found the crowded apartment building.
The stairwell was piled with clutter, dimly lit, and filled with the damp, musty smell of mold.
Just how cramped was it?
If someone happened to be coming downstairs, even pressed against the wall, Chen Kefa had to wait at the landing to squeeze past and let them through.
The sixth floor wasn't particularly high, but Chen Kefa climbed very slowly, each step heavy.
The ominous feeling in his heart grew stronger with every step.
Just as he reached the landing between the fifth and sixth floors, he stopped abruptly.
A familiar presence suddenly entered the range of his mental perception.
The tension in Chen Kefa's face softened at once.
He hurried