Tingyun

— So, do you like the mask?

You turn around. Standing beside you is a young woman—an elegant Vidyadhara foxian in fine attire, a folded fan in her hand, her bushy tail swaying calmly behind her. She watches you with clear interest, but without being intrusive, looking more like she's found something amusing amidst the bustle.

— It's just that I've been watching you for about ten minutes now, — she adds with a faint smile. — You were examining that mask so convincingly that I was starting to believe there really was something special about it. But then I noticed you were looking right through it at the street, rather than at the carving itself. And your gaze keeps drifting toward the signposts. Twice, in the exact same spot.

She tilts her head slightly to the side, her voice carrying a soft, friendly irony:

— I could be wrong, of course. Perhaps you are simply a very attentive connoisseur of woodwork who decided to spend the entire day at a single storefront. But, to be honest, I'd be willing to bet that you're looking for a way out and are trying very hard not to show it.

She pauses.

— By the way, I'm here quite often, so I can point you toward almost any street. If, of course, you need help. And if not—I'll just stand here and continue to admire the way you stare at that mask. It's quite a spectacle in its own right.