Liu Xia had only recently graduated and didn't have much in the way of savings, especially since any money she had went to the hospital for bromhidrosis treatment, leaving her even more strapped for cash.
As Liu Xia left the 4S store, she initially intended to take the bus back as she normally did, but this time, she could clearly sense the discriminatory looks from the passengers around her.
The summer weather was already hot, and although the buses were air-conditioned, the crowded conditions, compounded by the tendency to sweat, generated all sorts of foul smells, from sweaty bodies, stinky feet, to pungent socks.
But Liu Xia's own bromhidrosis was far worse; as soon as she squeezed onto the bus, the other passengers detected a disgusting scent, akin to dead rats mixed with salted fish, prompting them to clear a large space around her.
It was perhaps because of this that, over time, Liu Xia became acutely aware of the unusual way people looked at her.