'My luck's not bad today. All told, I should have over forty bottles...'
'Plus the cardboard boxes I picked up the last two days, I should be able to eat a full meal tomorrow.'
Taking stock of his recent haul, the scruffy-faced Li Heng stomped two more plastic bottles flat.
The harsh CRUNCH of plastic was accompanied by the stench of the trash can.
His hands were still tacky from the instant noodle broth and lunch box juices he'd touched while rummaging through the trash earlier. His cuffs were damp and cold.
He noticed the disgusted looks from the people passing by, the way they covered their noses in revulsion.
He subconsciously lowered his head even further, his body shivering slightly. His gaze fixed on the plastic bottles and burlap sack on the ground.
Memories flooded back like a tide—so-called friends who had watched his downfall with cold indifference, or even kicked him when he was down.
Instinctively, Li Heng tightened his grip on the metal tongs in his hand.
