Stories Amid the Fireworks of Jinling

Blue-gray roof tiles and green bricks reflect the golden glow of Jinling, while deep affection lies hidden amid the bustle of daily life. Jiang Hanqing, a young writer orphaned at an early age, lost his parents and watched his older sister marry and move away. He had only his writing and the ancient city for company. Ye Shiling, a policewoman raised in an orphanage, protects the everyday lives of ordinary people in her navy-blue uniform. One year, in an alley, he fought desperately against a gang of thugs to save her. The scars he earned became the mark of their bond. For more than a decade, she gently eased his loneliness: bringing him a hot late-night meal when he worked on his manuscripts and softly reminding him not to hurt his stomach. He made sure she was safe by always being there: bringing her hot food during breaks on duty and quietly waiting for her, come rain or shine. They became each other's salvation, like two stray cats keeping each other warm. Calling each other “family,” surrounded by the warmth of friends and relatives, they made their life together a cozy stretch of time by the Qinhuai River. From shy teenagers to steady adults, the morning mist and old streets of Jinling bore witness to their devotion through life and death. The protagonists in Jiang Hanqing's novels were filled with his concern for her; her police uniform and his writing had long since become the backdrop to each other's lives. When time finally broke down the boundaries of “friendship,” their companionship, steeped in the warmth of everyday life, was destined to ripen into the sweetest confession of love.