The Mysterious Visitor

“How much longer until we get there?”

Sitting in the rattling vehicle on the mountain road toward Kyodo Village in the island nation, Lily was growing increasingly impatient from motion sickness.

“Ms. Li, we’re almost there. See that bare mountain peak up ahead?” Xiao Zhang, the secretary riding shotgun, pointed forward. “Once we go around that mountain, the destination will come into view!”

At that moment, Lily felt a deep sense of puzzlement. Why bother leaving the well-established domestic inns, which were sitting idle, to venture into this island nation’s market? The bosses at headquarters were truly eccentric! And to top it off, they sent her—the head of the PR department—to conduct the inspection. Didn’t they have anyone else in the company?

While inwardly grumbling about the company’s useless higher-ups, Lily struggled to control her queasy stomach, determined to hold off vomiting until they reached the destination.

As a seasoned PR professional, her training compelled her to endure until she arrived.

When the car pulled up at the village entrance, a crowd of villagers had already gathered along the narrow ridges flanking the fields. They stared like extraterrestrial visitors had descended, their eyes a mixture of fear, suspicion, and various other complex emotions.

Xiao Zhang and the driver unloaded Lily’s luggage—seven or eight suitcases in total. The villagers’ surprise was palpable. The old man’s cigarette seemed to have stopped burning, children ceased shaking their rattles, women stared fixedly at Lily’s makeup as if their pupils had frozen, and the men instinctively adjusted their trousers in unison.

But Lily paid no mind to these reactions. The three of them headed straight to the homestay the company had established years ago. Unaware of local conditions before the trip, Lily was still dressed in her usual sharp business suit and high heels.

Each step on the uneven village path was a battle between her stiletto heels and the scattered stones. Already queasy from the ride, Lily staggered like a drunkard with a hangover. The villagers, seeing this, burst into laughter. The tension that had gripped them seemed to ease, though they continued to watch Lily and her party with keen interest.

Lily remained unfazed by the curiosity of these strangers, keeping her chin up and chest out, however unsteady her gait appeared. Years of professional discipline reminded her that wherever she went, her every word and action represented the company’s image. As the head of the PR department at headquarters, she had to embody that responsibility.

Xiao Zhang heard the villagers’ laughter and knew they were mocking the three foreigners, especially Ms. Li. Would Ms. Li be upset? Watching Lily remain indifferent ahead, Xiao Zhang adopted a similar attitude, ignoring the mockery with a furrowed brow as she struggled to drag three heavy suitcases behind her.

The driver was much more irritated. Initially, he had tried to ignore the villagers, but seeing them gawking like monkeys at Ms. Li, he wanted nothing more than to teach these villagers a lesson and stand up for her.

Suddenly, Lily’s heel lost the battle with a small stone. She stumbled and was about to fall when Xiao Zhang reacted swiftly, dropping her luggage and lunging forward to steady her. Because Lily’s suit was so form-fitting, a corner of her black lace lingerie peeked out from under her jacket.

Xiao Zhang quickly covered the exposed edge with her own coat, but that brief glimpse was enough. The villagers erupted into laughter again, with some of the older men joining in the jeers, chanting, “Oh—oh—black, black!”

The driver could no longer contain himself and was about to confront a few troublemakers when Lily stopped him.

“Lao Wang, don’t bother with them. We’re here representing the company to survey the market. Now is not the time to pick fights.”

The driver turned and helped Xiao Zhang steady Lily, then shouted at the villagers, “Fuck off!”

Lily shot him a sharp look. “Let’s get moving quickly. Lao Wang, take the luggage to the homestay first. Xiao Zhang and I will walk a bit slower.”

“Are you alright, Ms. Li? Let me help you—I’m strong!” the driver offered.

Lily declined, determined to keep pace with Xiao Zhang at the rear.

The villagers, silenced by Lao Wang’s outburst, dispersed as if the drama had ended, returning to their daily routines.

Once settled in the homestay, the three finally gathered around a table to rest, sipping tea as they discussed the company’s plans for the area.

As the conversation flowed, Lao Wang began complaining about the local villagers, and Xiao Zhang chimed in. Both held unfavorable impressions of the locals, but Lily mentioned one person—Marina Abramović—and recounted her performance art piece, Rhythm 0.

After sharing this, the three exchanged amused glances before resuming their critique of the headquarters’ plans.