The closer to the market, the narrower the way, the noisier, and more people jumped into the view. Some walked, some drove, some rode and some pedaled too. The nearer their fi gures drew, the obscurer their faces were. Very few Mei knew and many seemed indiff erent. They were neighbors, near or far. Yet Mei felt herself a complete outsider. She was still a stranger to this small village as though she had never existed. The civilization of this world was merely noise pollution.