Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 2020complete | Page 487

The city was one of the many economic hubs like Hong Kong. Inventors, entrepreneurs and investors from
across the globe flocked to the Greater Bay Area for economic deals and collaboration, benefiting both sides.
Glancing at the surroundings to ensure that my identity was not exposed, I made myself comfortable on a glass
bench embedded with mini solar panels, eavesdropping on the spirited people of this region, taking notes on my
memory pad inbuilt into my jacket sleeve.
How strange that despondent humans come together in this place, as if they were fragmented shards of a mirror,
forming a whole.
I could barely keep track of the tremendous amount of “Thank you”s and “You’re welcome”s I heard in the
afternoon. The people filled in each other’s shortcomings like puzzle pieces by following the traditional Chinese
value of helping others. They were extremely united and worked diligently like ants towards the same goal – to
ameliorate the Greater Bay Area region.
Being one of the top spies in my agency, it was quite demeaning to fail to complete a mission. Disguising myself
as a university student, I pretended to be conducting a survey among the citizens of the Greater Bay Area region,
hoping to gain some inside information on the shortcomings of living in the Greater Bay Area.
“Hi, I’m H, a university student. Would you mind answering some questions?” I babbled to a young man who
looked as if he was in his mid-twenties.
“I don’t mind, H.” the man, whom I later knew as Bennett replied, his eyes twinkling with enthusiasm.
The Greater Bay Area is a land of surprises. Bennett who was a farmer was evidently highly educated, which was
shown by his fluency in English. Shock was written all over my face, as Bennett had fair skin unlike the farmers
in Russia.
Perhaps noting my astonishment, Bennett explained to me that the Greater Bay Area farmers grow all types of
crops in the middle of the sea using aquaponics. This was how they conserved land for building housing so as to
keep up with demands due to the proliferating population.
The Greater Bay Area is a place of perfection.
“That’s the end of my story, sir” I reported, anxious of what he would say. I mentally prepared myself to be
scolded, squinting my eyes.
A sigh escaped the official’s dry lips, as if his brain needed that time to process what he had just heard. “H, I…I
believe you. Maybe the Greater Bay Area does not have deficiencies as I expected. You have finished your
mission and you may leave.”
“Wait, sir. I think I still deserve my payment.” I muttered under my breath.
“You think? But I think…” his voice trailed off, laced with a slight tinge of laughter.
“…You deserve it too.” The man smiled, showcasing his brilliant white teeth.
“Thank you sir. I’ll use the money to ride the flying cars in the Greater Bay Area next time.” I gushed, imagining
my next trip to the Greater Bay Area, which definitely would be soon.
-
Whistling a merry tune while leaving the agency, I ran my hands along the red-clay bricks with the hue varying
from russet to autumnal browns. The warmth and roughness reminded me of the rocks on beach on a hot
summer day, burning with heat.