Walls Within and Walls Without

The sky was overcast, like a giant lead plate pressing down on the city of Beiping, suffocating its inhabitants. At the entrance of the old street's alleyway stood a newly built wall, gray bricks and cement, exuding a sense of rigidity and finality.

The wall had been erected last month. At first, it was just a few bricks, crookedly blocking the entrance. The neighbors were puzzled, but didn't think much of it, continuing to come and go as usual, perhaps taking a slight detour. Who would have thought that these bricks would grow taller and thicker day by day, until they completely sealed off the entire alleyway entrance?

Inside the wall lived the old neighbors of decades. The Zhang family sold breakfast, the Li family ran a grocery store, the Wang family pulled rickshaws... Life wasn't wealthy, but it was lively. Outside the wall were the newly arrived "foreign-style" figures, driving cars, wearing suits, and speaking unintelligible "bird language."

After the wall was built, the lives of the old neighbors took a different turn. The Zhang family's breakfast stall lost business; the newcomers found their fried dough sticks and soy milk "unhygienic." The Li family's grocery store also became deserted; the foreigners had their own "shopping centers." Wang's rickshaw was completely ignored; the honking of cars made him anxious.

But who could they blame? The neighbors felt憋屈 (a feeling of being stifled and wronged), but could only sigh. After all, those people were from the "top," with power and influence. Ordinary folks like them couldn't afford to offend them.

The people inside the wall envied those outside. They peered through the cracks in the doors, looking at the shiny cars and polished leather shoes, their hearts itching. Some began to try wearing suits and ties, although they couldn't quite pull off the look, they enjoyed it nonetheless. Some began to ponder how to make their own businesses "foreign-style" as well.

Those outside the wall occasionally glanced inside. They felt that inside the wall was a symbol of "backwardness" and a representation of "ignorance." They wanted to "transform" everything inside the wall, to make them "civilized" as well.

But this "transformation" was easier said than done. The people inside the wall adhered to their old rules and habits, feeling both curious about and resistant to the "new things" from outside the wall.

Days passed, and the wall remained the same wall, and the people remained the same people. However, something indescribable had grown between the inside and outside of the wall. It was like a barrier, like a misunderstanding, and also like... a deep sense of helplessness.

One day, Old Man Liu from the old street sat at the entrance of the alley, gazing at the high wall, and sighed deeply. He remembered when he was young, there was no wall in this alley, everyone was like family, talking and laughing, sharing hardships together.

"The world has changed..." Old Man Liu murmured, his voice filled with endless desolation.

He raised his head and looked at the sky. The lead-gray sky seemed to be telling a story as well.

Yes, the world had changed. But was this change for better or for worse? Who could say for sure?

Perhaps, like this wall, it separated not only physical spaces, but also hearts. People inside the wall gazed outside, while those outside pondered what's within. Everyone, in their own position, makes what they believe to be the right choice, unaware that their choice has already been quietly circumscribed by the wall of fate.