"Shu Ke climbed out of bed and drank some water. She lit a cigarette before burrowing back under the blanket, bringing the ashtray with her, pressing close to the man's body. They were silent for a while, slowly coming back to themselves. They had gone further than ever before while making love, two bodies in the grip of obsession, endlessly trying to find ways to get closer– so close that their faces and voices vanished. Frightening. When she made love to him, Shu Ke could see her past lives, one after another. Each time she went through the pain of reincarnation, it seemed to be for this:

I was re-born for only one thing, waiting for you to come and fuck me, Shu Ke said."

Translated by Jeremy Tiang

attached to: Zhang Yueran