When Shirley appeared at the school gates

(with no father to meet her),

Weng felt self-conscious and awkward again,
but started the engine,

and resolved that once she was home safe

and through the outside door of her apartment building,

he would go straight back to the hotel and pack for Beijing.

However, at some point Shirley turned off the usual path

and Weng lost sight of her.

He stopped and got out of the car.

Perhaps she had gone down one of the side streets

with the idea of taking a shortcut?

Then, suddenly, there she was in the doorway of a shop,

holding a bag of Ningbo fried batter.