Amniotic Fluid         
From: Zeyu Li 
                                                       
“This is the bathtub I used as a newborn, and my family still has photos of me bathing in it. When I was young, I enjoyed bathing because being in the water felt as safe as being in my mother's amniotic fluid. This bathtub is still kept to this day. I believe it holds my earliest memories of connecting with the world and my parents' affection and care for me from the moment I was born. It was my first transition from my mother's womb to the world, and my initial testing ground.

Earlier this year, during the Chinese New Year, someone brought us three live carp. Since we didn't have a large enough container, my parents decided to keep the fish in my long-unused bathtub. They didn't intend to keep the fish permanently but wanted to keep them alive for the New Year's Eve dinner. Somehow, I felt a magical connection with these fish as they were placed in the bathtub I once bathed in as a child. I tried everything I could to keep them alive. I pleaded with my parents, fed the fish bread, and used a faucet to drip water to ensure they had enough oxygen. They survived the first day.

On the second day, one of the fish died, likely because the bathtub was too small, and it might have thought the outside world was more expansive, causing it to jump out and suffocate. To ensure the remaining two fish stayed alive, I spent the whole day watching for any attempts to jump out. However, on the third morning, I found only one fish left in the bathtub. My parents had given one of the fish as a gift to someone, due to social obligations.

I became very anxious about the last fish, hoping it would live a little longer, just as I wished for more time to breathe. I changed its water, used flowing water to ensure it had enough oxygen, and even kept the bathroom light on, fearing it might be afraid of the dark. That night, I slept exceptionally well and didn't wake up until noon the next day. But when I checked the bathtub, I was alarmed to find the last fish had disappeared as well. Lunch was served, and a plate of steaming braised carp was brought to the table.“