The continuously tense work of the past days and nights had left aches in her back, her neck, her shoulders and even her hips. The requirement of her extreme concentration on embroidery with needle after needle, thread after thread, gradually made her eyes worn. As the delivery was due, she automatically woke up before six. Her very fi rst thing was hurrying to fi nish the work for two of the three private bosses - sometimes more, sometimes less, sometimes none. Mei had learned sewing, knitting and embroidery all by herself. In terms of skill and experience, she was a professional embroiderer. The pay, nevertheless, was nasty - three to ten yuan per piece. As a typical housewife in the city, where the food is excellent and women are highly dominated by the men in their relationships, Mei inherently followed the traditions, the rules and regulations. If life means a transition of oneself, like an egg turns into a caterpillar and a caterpillar into a moth, life to her was no more than the folk saying: Marry a chicken, follow the chicken. Marry a dog, follow the dog, as simple as that.