A One-Day Trip to Shanghai

Shanghai, China’s largest economic powerhouse and a world-renowned metropolis, is a city overflowing with wonders and unimaginable possibilities. As a Chinese citizen, it would be a shame not to visit Shanghai at least once. Here is my one-day trip journal.

Looking back on this journey, many scenes seem like I’m in a novel. Those small and trivial details evoke a warm feeling, like an old film.

I forgot what the sky looked like, perhaps because I was not fully present and didn’t pay attention to my surroundings. The excitement of the first day faded within an hour. I was rejected twice, but I didn’t mind. I only remember that my lunch was late, amplifying all my fatigue. I fell asleep on the dinner table, my head felt heavy as iron and kept sinking and spinning. There were stars and dots flashing and pricking my scalp. Then, I woke up abruptly, momentarily unsure of where I was. I looked at Qiao Jie, holding her phone that was still charging, and couldn’t recover for a while.

Because I caught a cold on the first day, I felt unwell on the second day, but I didn’t take it seriously and continued my journey. I said, “If we can’t find a job today, we’ll stand outside all night!” I was serious because the exorbitant price of accommodation, costing hundreds of yuan per night, would quickly drain my already meager savings.

We didn’t find a job, but we didn’t stand outside all night.

Here’s what happened. The interview location was in a remote area of Songjiang District. We arrived in the afternoon. He only sent the specific address after we got there. Predictably, it turned out to be a scam group. I kept a watchful eye on her, but my heart was cautious and careful. I was wearing cheap clothes, my brows were furrowed, my voice was sharp and impatient, and I was wearing flip-flops. I pretended to be a manager, a cunning move indeed. The naive Qiao Jie kept her innocent eyes wide open afterwards, believing that the scammers were simply incompetent, causing her to be disheartened.

With no other options, our last hope vanished, and we had to return the way we came. As we walked, we saw a large job market, my eyes lit up instantly. The most important thing was that they provided accommodation for only twenty yuan a night! But after walking around and asking everywhere, the bubbles of hope in my heart kept bursting. In the end, the manager said, “You should just go home. If you were more resourceful, I could have helped you. You look like students. You’re so rigid.” Pointing at Qiao Jie, he said, “You’re wearing glasses too.” He shrugged, indicating his inability to help. These words poured cold water on us, leaving us frozen like sculptures.

Although we didn’t find a job, we were fortunate to have a place to stay.

That night, after hearing advice from various sources, we reached a consensus: No matter what anyone asked, we would insist that we were looking for long-term work.

With this newfound resolve, we continued our journey, gradually embarking on our expensive taxi rides.

After countless phone calls, we finally caught a glimmer of hope. It was a farm-style restaurant. It was strange, the location was remote, yet their business was surprisingly booming. We followed a manager, weaving through the crowds, for a long time before reaching a workshop tucked away in a corner. Everywhere we went, whether it was the hall or the rooms behind the screens, it was packed with people. The dishes were so beautifully made, it was like they could bloom. I had only seen such gorgeous and vibrant scenes on TV, now I was seeing them in person.

We filled out all kinds of paperwork and waited for a long time before someone came in. It wasn’t the supervisor, so we continued to wait. Finally, someone arrived and had a lot to say, but I only grasped the gist – it wouldn’t work out. We turned away from the bustling crowds in the hall and exited. It was already dark outside. Seeing this scene, the disappointment in my heart amplified. I looked at you, you followed me, but who was I following? After this ordeal, I felt a bit more awake after being so numb for a while. Looking at the map on my phone, I resolutely decided to go to the next place! This sudden resurgence of passion and determination gave me a boost. No taxi? Let’s walk!

The road was so wide, the lights so high, and you looked so small, it was like all my memories. This road felt so different from the brightly lit and spacious road we just walked on, so different that it made me anxious. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed the wrong way. The best option would be to turn back and take the original route, but I had a strong resistance. I was determined to walk down this path, no matter what lay ahead. Perhaps it was stubbornness, as they say, but also a bit of obstinacy. I just kept going. To be honest, the further I walked, the more uneasy I became. As the distance grew, the road seemed increasingly deserted. The streetlights gradually dimmed, and there were very few cars. This was in stark contrast to the continuous stream of vehicles speeding along the main road just before.

Further ahead, with some unknown light, I saw a recruitment notice posted at the entrance of a factory! I was ecstatic and quickly dialed the number on my phone. But the excitement was quickly replaced by disappointment because of the bad result.

I was unwilling, truly unwilling, so I went into the factory. After taking a closer look, I realized it was a logistics company specializing in packing and delivering large batches of express packages. The workers coming and going were all men. I saw a man and asked him for directions. He simply pointed and didn’t say anything clearly, then quickly walked away. Following the direction he pointed, I saw a door. I looked inside and saw all women. Seeing us, a woman sitting at the end of the room stretched out her head, half hidden behind her hair. Just as I was about to speak, she said, “Did you just call? We’re not hiring summer interns.” We quickly and awkwardly exited in the astonished gazes of everyone. But after coming out, my mood was inexplicably better. Perhaps after being rejected so many times, my heart gradually became indifferent. I looked at the workers loading and unloading goods on the trucks with a peaceful mind, smiled at the security guard at the door, and then walked out together.

It was already dark outside, but why did I feel like the sky was clear? I listened to your reassuring words, which were meant to comfort you, but they also felt like poetry to me, each line nourishing my parched heart after these days.

We continued walking forward. Not far ahead, we saw a factory, one after another. We asked about any suitable jobs until we reached a crossroads and saw a road sign that said “Industrial Park.” All around were factories. We didn’t find a job, but we felt a strange excitement.

Here, the noise of people increased, and my heart grew too. Yes, everything will be fine. Sure enough, we soon caught a ride. Sitting in the car, I looked at the city’s bustling prosperity and luxury. I was so overwhelmed that I forgot myself for a while. Finally, we arrived at a dimly lit tall building.

We thought it was another scam, but it wasn’t. They only needed one person, so we resolutely got out. It was almost nine o’clock when we left. Holding an empty stomach, we took a stroll around a bakery and then left. It’s free to smell the fragrance, but we couldn’t afford the prices in this area. We left that brightly lit, fragrant room and looked at ourselves. We felt a sudden coldness, but we kept walking. We turned into a dim alley. There was a coffee shop nearby, its exterior pulled me into a dream. Cupid, with his arrow of love, was smiling. Below was a small fountain that gurgled. The surroundings were dotted with flowers, decorating the entrance. There was only a small lamp in front of the door, which drew me in. I peeked inside and saw many women. Most of them had exposed chests. Some were holding trays with butterfly bows in their hair, others were sitting or lying down. It was quite a sight! We came out and continued walking. Finally, we saw the Vienna Hotel. Looking to the right, I suddenly saw a KTV with nearly twenty women standing in the lobby. They were holding pagers and there was a box underneath. We all knew what they were doing because we had planned to do that kind of work before. But seeing the organized and grand scene with our own eyes still shocked us. We both felt grateful that we hadn’t actually done that kind of work.

We arrived at the Fat Cat Restaurant just before closing time. The manager was very polite and well-mannered. These people seemed to be very good at talking, making us feel comfortable, but they skillfully rejected us without us realizing it. They also offered us advice and, in the end, praised you profusely without you noticing, causing you to feel embarrassed to have any thought of deception. Qiao Jie’s heart had been captured by him. But not mine. Perhaps I was an observer at the time, so I felt quite indignant.

The crisscrossing streets were bustling with life, a vibrant scene created by various restaurants and diners. Our figures seemed increasingly lonely. We inquired at several places, but were rejected at each one. We entered one restaurant where the staff were smiling and welcoming us, even bowing slightly and asking what we would like to order. But as soon as they heard that we were looking for part-time work, their expressions changed instantly. Before I could even register the speed of their transformation, he threw out a “We’re fully staffed” and disappeared into the crowd.

We had expected this, so we didn’t feel anything. We put it all aside and admired the lively atmosphere around us. There were a few resident singers by the diners’ tables. Some sang to only one table, the guests would eat and watch, their tables adorned with massive crabs and shiny shrimp that seemed to beckon us. In the middle, there was a tall circular disc, like an inverted umbrella, filled with wine. There were spouts on each side, and when you opened them, the wine flowed out. These sights overwhelmed us.

We didn’t find a job, but we saw a lot of things.

Although I felt it was inappropriate, I still mustered my courage and went into a health and wellness foot massage shop, curious. Two people who were completely out of place in this environment walked in. After asking, we learned that they were only hiring cashiers and only one position was available. Although we knew it was unlikely, curiosity made us wait. We took a closer look at the shop. The most prominent feature was several large posters showcasing the massage therapists, each with a number assigned to them. There were some men, but the majority were women, their partially exposed tops were especially eye-catching. Each of them looked more like a star than a therapist. As I was looking, a tall young man in a suit with slicked-back hair walked over slowly and said, “Sorry to keep you waiting. Please follow me.” Then, he led us upstairs. Every time we reached a corner, he would turn his body to face us, bow slightly, and extend a hand, saying, “This way please.” As we walked, the employees would say, “Welcome.” I was thinking, this treatment… At that moment, a beautiful woman came down the stairs. She was wearing a revealing top and flip-flops, carrying a small box, and she swayed as she walked into a room next door. We continued to walk up the stairs, the scene made our eyes widen. Row after row of long, white legs were stretched back over the chairs, a magnificent sight!

They didn’t move their exposed legs when they saw the man coming, they continued to sit in their chairs and play with their phones. We continued walking towards an office and thought, “Finally, we’re here.” The friendly handshake, though courteous, did make us feel a little uneasy at first. I even felt a bit lustful, but I thought to myself, anyone who can reach this position must have unique abilities. Later, I realized, but I didn’t want to delve deeper.

After coming out, we went into another shop, and it was another rejection. But this person was very nice. We talked for a long time in that small room. He even wanted us to stay a little longer. Perhaps he saw some of his past self in our appearances.

We continued our journey. The image of the two of us leaning against each other in the big crossroads, under the night wind, was so deep and vivid. We visited every shop on every floor, seemingly without results, but in reality, we gained a lot.

It was already past eleven at night, and we were still wandering the streets. We knew there was no hope, but we pressed on, feeling optimistic! Later, we went into a moxibustion shop. Speaking of that, it was a huge deal. As I write this, I don’t really feel like writing anymore. What I thought were important events now feel like a boring list of daily routines, lacking any motivation to write.

That dim alley concealed so much, we really opened our eyes on this journey, but not in a good way. Exposure, pornography, we finally saw it firsthand, and we were secretly amazed.

The late-night snack left me with only regrets. A phone call made me both upset and touched. Even thinking about it now gives me a tingling sensation from the inside out.

Sleep, child.

I woke up at eight or nine. That’s when I took a closer look at the dorm. The men’s dormitory was directly across from us. We could see the men going in and out, all naked. The windows couldn’t be locked, because it was on the first floor, and people could easily jump in. The door wasn’t locked either. You could push it open with a little effort. Robbing and raping would be so easy, what a convenient setup!

My throat felt a little tight,

but I didn’t take it seriously. Let it be, I had to keep going.

Another new district, the meeting at the KFC entrance was unreliable, indeed another scammer. We wandered around, you in the dumpling shop, I roaming, we roaming together. United we stand, divided we fall. But I’d rather fall together. From morning to afternoon, chatting in the furniture mall, a bowl of hot noodles at the security booth, all those kind words… Warmed my heart and became precious memories.

Drifting, floating, disappointment, hidden ills, intertwined and entangled.