At 6:45 p.m., the setting sun, like a pat of melting butter, coated the asphalt at the intersection with a glossy sheen.
Arthur stood at one end of the crosswalk, clutching a cup of iced Americano that had gone completely cold. This was the fourteenth consecutive day he’d stood here at this exact time. As a rookie real estate agent, he knew all too well what this intersection meant—it was the only route to the affluent neighborhood of “Oak Bay,” and the crucial battleground that would determine whether he could close the deal with that major German client.
Mr. Schmidt, his client, was an extremely punctual and discerning man. He had said, “Arthur, if you can wait for me at this intersection every day as I drive home from work, and show me your ‘deep understanding’ of this neighborhood, then we’ll discuss the sale of that villa.”
There were thirty seconds left before the light turned red. Arthur took a deep breath and adjusted his tie. He had long since memorized the “script” for this spot: at 6:48 p.m., the owner of the flower shop across the street would carry out a bucket of yellow tulips; at 6:49 p.m., a red Tesla would turn left; and at 6:50 p.m., Mr. Schmidt’s black Audi would arrive right on time.
Everything was under Arthur’s control, as perfect as his meticulously polished résumé.
“Ding—”
His phone vibrated. It was a WeChat message from his supervisor: “Arthur, that German client just called me and said he left work early today and was already home by 5:30. Who exactly are you reporting to?”
Arthur’s finger froze mid-air, the light from the screen casting a pallid glow on his face.
He jerked his head up toward the intersection. The setting sun was still blinding; the florist’s owner was carrying out that bucket of yellow tulips, and the red Tesla was slowly turning left with its turn signal on.
Everything was as usual.
Except that Mr. Schmidt’s Audi hadn’t shown up.
Arthur felt a wave of absurd dizziness wash over him. He had stood at this intersection for two full weeks, come rain or shine, recording the flow of traffic, the flow of people, and the shifting light and shadows every day—he could even predict the path of every single car. He thought he was observing this neighborhood; he thought he was waiting for an opportunity.
The light turned green.
Arthur didn’t move. He stared at the intersection and suddenly realized a fact that sent a chill down his spine: in those two weeks, he had never truly seen Mr. Schmidt’s face. Every time that black Audi drove by, the windows were always covered with a layer of dark, bulletproof film; he could only make out a vague silhouette and would wave politely.
He had desperately tried to fit into the rhythm of this “upscale neighborhood,” mimicking the elite lifestyle here—he’d even switched to cold brew coffee, just to match his clients’ preferences. He’d turned himself into a meticulously designed ornament, placed at that intersection, waiting to be claimed by that so-called “upper echelon.”
But perhaps that intersection had never belonged to him in the first place.
Arthur glanced down at the confrontational message from his supervisor on his phone, then looked across the street at the florist’s wife, who was spraying water on the tulips. She looked exhausted, but her movements as she watered the flowers were gentle.
He suddenly realized that for the past two weeks, he’d been acting like a fool, playing a part in a script that didn’t even exist. He thought he was waiting for an opportunity at sunset, but in reality, he was just waiting for a handout from a phantom.
Arthur tossed the cup of cold coffee into a trash can by the roadside and turned to walk in the opposite direction.
He didn’t chase after the Audi that might never show up, nor did he reply to his supervisor’s message. He simply felt that today’s sunset was actually quite beautiful—and he didn’t have to stand at the intersection to see it.
After taking a few steps, he glanced back.
The intersection was still bustling with traffic, and the setting sun stretched everyone’s shadows out long. Suddenly, he couldn’t tell whether it was the cars rushing by or the intersection itself, standing motionless, swallowing up everyone who tried to take a shortcut there.
He loosened his tie and, for the first time, felt that the evening breeze was freedom.
