Summary

In “Sealed Off,” the narration focuses on a group of people caught together on a tram on the streets of Shanghai when these streets were sealed off. Lu Zongzhen, an accountant, was among those people. He was carrying a paper full of steamed spinach rolls that his wife made him buy. He was embarrassed because he believed the package of rolls made him look ridiculous.

Wu Cuiyuan, an unmarried English instructor who was ordinary looking, made use of the time by grading papers. She felt she was not respected by either the staff or students at the school where she worked because she was a woman. Cuiyuan also felt she was abused at home. Though her parents had pushed her to achieve academically and were proud of her, they wished they had pushed her harder to marry a wealthy man.

Zongzhen was eating...