#2: Hope and Aspiration on the streets

Moving forward, is a series of photos depicting street characters on the lake-green wall. We may never know who these people are, where they come from, or where they're headed, but their expressions radiate joy; everyone seems brimming with energy and hope for the future. For instance, a young man jubilantly raises his fist upon seeing a soaring stock market update in one photo. On the Bund, Robert encountered three boys dressed in fur coats, with the one wearing sunglasses proudly introducing to Robert in English, "You know what, sir? We made these suits and fur coats ourselves." And at the corner of Tianjin Road, two gentlemen in tailored suits exuded the aura of successful businessmen straight out of a Hong Kong or Taiwanese TV series. However, according to one of the protagonists in the photo, he only dressed up in his finest suit that day because Robert, who frequented his noodle shop, suddenly said, "Let me take a photo of you." This was perhaps the utmost "dignity" that Shanghainese cherished.