Shanghai's underground

As the speaker announces “next station, Chengshan Road…”, the doors swing into each other almost immediately with a metallic jolt, the sudden wave of pressure sending a shiver through the entire subway as if it were flinching from the sight of a predator. Then, the subway embarks its journey brusquely, its unseen hand jerking everyone in one direction.

Most of the gang hang onto some iron columns or squeeze into the fully packed seats. But I’m a brave girl, both of my hands dancing free. It’s such a game balancing myself here - such an ideal practice for perfect body control. Even feels like surfing!

I struggle to fight back my giggles when realising how basically everyone is glued to their phones as the speaker’s solemn voice articulates “no phone” again and again. Well, tech era!