“In life, it feels like a dream; in dreams, at last, we find life.”
Cui Heng was gentle by nature and devoted to his studies. Since childhood, he had dreamed of giving everything in service to his country, a lofty ambition that often earned him the secret mockery of his fellow students.
Only Su Kai, an illegitimate son of a humble scholarly family, read his essay and said to him with firm conviction:
“My father often tells me, ‘Hold fast to the ambitions of youth, and pursue them until you reach the farthest shore.’ Now I pass those words on to you.”
Cui Heng, usually shy and reserved, broke into a smile and replied:
“People today fail to recognize a tree that will reach the clouds; only when it towers above them do they praise its height.”
At that moment, the two boys, not yet old enough to tie up their hair, glimpsed each other like distant stars in their lonely, desolate worlds.
“A fantasy novel, not in the traditional style, following the protagonist's personal growth. In essence, it is a romantic fantasy of self-redemption.”