Following the address given by the old man, I entered a small alley. The alley twists and turns, eventually leading to the seaside.

The waves hit the reefs. Under the dim yellow light, a girl walks quietly with a backpack on her back.

From a dark corner of the alley, rough laughter can be heard. The girl shrinks and walks towards the side of the road, only to meet several men coming out of the alley.

One of the men reaches out to touch the girl's face. "You look so delicate."

"It's not safe for a young girl to walk alone on the road at this late hour. Let us escort you, little girl," the men say.

Another burst of laughter follows, mixed with an unpleasant smell of alcohol.

Just as they are about to make a move, a loud shout comes from the alley entrance. A plump woman wearing an apron rushes over with a kitchen knife, resembling a dart flying towards its target.

The men are frightened by her imposing manner and quickly run back.

The girl, however, remains standing, a smile in her eyes.

"Mom, you came to pick me up," she says.

The girl runs and throws herself into the arms of the plump woman. They hug each other, and the plump woman kisses the girl's face a few times, then they walk forward, with the woman embracing the girl.

I stand by the street, watching as the elongated shadows approach me. When I can clearly smell the greasy odor from the woman, she looks up, our eyes meet briefly, and quickly look away.

Like meeting any ordinary stranger, it's just a fleeting glance. We may never see each other again.

But what is unusual is that the woman in front of me is also my mother.