Giant Koi Above Community Listening Sign

Muted projector light washes the dark gymnasium walls in a soft blue hue, illuminating a hand-painted sign mounted on a folding table. The sign reads 'Budget Listening Session' in bold Chinese characters and English text, its paint texture rough and uneven under the beam. Behind the table, empty bleachers recede into shadow, their metal frames barely visible. Suspended high above the center of the room, a massive koi fish hangs motionless, its scales rendered in iridescent silver and orange, defying gravity like a living parade balloon. The fish's shadow stretches long across the polished concrete floor, merging with the faint reflections of the projector glow. The scene remains still, anchored by the quiet determination of the empty civic space waiting for the night's attendees.