I wrote Our World on and off for three or four years. During that time, I left it untouched for long stretches, then repeatedly proofread and revised it, though I still felt it was only so-so. To be honest, I was just lazy and couldn’t bring myself to sit down and face it. There are still so many stories from the protagonist Wu Mai’s youth, spanning more than twenty years, that I never got around to telling. But I didn’t want to make Wu Mai perfect in every way, because that would defeat the purpose of writing him. He is a kindred spirit who exists in my mind, much like myself. I entrusted Wu Mai with many things I wouldn’t dare imagine doing in real life. In this world, all sorts of strange ideas plague us, but I had just one goal: to make Wu Mai as simple and happy a young man as I could. Fortunately, during his twenty-plus years of youth, Huang Xiaoyue, Liu Yiyi, Hu Tao, and Shen Hanghang were there with him through different stages of his life. In one way or another, these girls helped Wu Mai grow, become stronger, and find his courage.
The first part of Our World tells Wu Mai’s childhood in a light, understated way, using simple words to tell the story. If you think the early chapters are ordinary, then you’re right, because they really are. Think about it: if a person’s life never changes, then no matter how vividly the early story is told, no matter how enchanting and alluring it seems, the story that follows is bound to feel clumsy and drag on. I want to tell this story at some length, letting the plain, uneventful passage of time make us reflect on youth and on what we experienced through the years.
Actually, I thought for a long time about how this story should end. I never found the courage to let Wu Mai meet another girl. His emotional world isn’t as simple as I imagined. I only gave him some of the things I myself wish I could experience.
It writes about the trivial aspects of life and has a good sense of color substitution.