"Xiannan Erfen" means "heading towards the south (knowing the south) and returning home (fennel)", implying that each other is the destination of the other, which is high-class and affectionate.
Seventeen-year-old Xia Hui feels like she is living in a grand "performance". In the eyes of her parents, she is a candidate who needs to work harder; in the eyes of her teachers and classmates, she is a quiet and introverted ordinary girl. Only in the scribblings in her notebook and the tree hole APP called "Xinghai" did she dare to release her confusion and doubts about the future: "Study hard and get into college, and then what? Is this the only standard answer to the meaning of life?"
Twenty-one-year-old Zhinan, his world consists of code, KPIs and never-ending overtime. As a migrant worker who has just entered the workplace, "Xinghai" is the only breather for his tired soul. Until he saw a user named "Xia Hui" who issued an angular question. He replied with a calmness and pragmatism that had been polished by society: "A degree is a stepping stone. It gives you the right to choose."
A rational response unexpectedly became the connection point between two lonely planets. He went online when she was studying in the evening, and she left messages on the subway where he commuted. From unpopular music to trivial life, soul resonance grows in the intertwined time and space.
However, when the online tacit understanding shines into reality, there is no way to hide the differences. She is sensitive, independent, and full of rebellion against the mainstream path; he is silent, tired, and uses actions to replace all words. When Xia Hui resolutely chose to drop out of school to pursue her elusive dream of being a painter, a huge reality gap loomed before her.
This is an encounter that begins in the "sea of stars", but has to undergo the most severe test in the "human world".
Reader comments
At the intersection of youth literature and realistic themes, "Anise to the South" is like a clear stream. With its unique "realistic gravity" narrative, it profoundly depicts the moving story of two sensitive souls groping in their own maze of life, and finally lighting the way forward for each other. This is not only a love novel, but also a growth epic of a generation of young people searching for the value of their own existence in the pull between ideals and reality.
The most touching core of the novel lies in its precise portrayal and deep empathy of the trait of "sensitivity". The sensitivity of the heroine Xia Hui points to the call of inner art and the rebellion against external discipline; the sensitivity of the hero Zhinan is reflected in the dependence on the logical world and the alienation from external emotions. The author does not romanticize this sensitivity, but truly shows how it can become a sharp blade to stab each other, and how it can also become the most accurate tentacles for sensing each other's temperature. Their love is not redemption, but a long exercise - practicing bravery, practicing communication, and practicing finding a position in each other's coordinate system where you can stand and dance with them.
The pattern of the story is not limited to the world of two people. The setting of best friend Lin Eucalyptus and her "180-person army of handsome men" is by no means a simple eye-catcher, but rather creates a broader portrait of young people. Lin Yu's "strategic dropout" and Xia Hui's "idealized dropout" form a sharp and interesting contrast, and together they explore the diverse possibilities for young people to break through a single path to success in the current era. This story line brings not only a sense of refreshment, but also in-depth questioning and speculation on mainstream values, which greatly enriches the connotation of the work.
As the starting point of the story, the "Xinghai" APP is a wonderful metaphor. It symbolizes contemporary people's deep desire to be "seen", as well as the contradictions and demands for finding true resonance in anonymous social interactions. From the virtual resonance of the "Sea of Stars" to the clumsy running-in of the "human world" to the joint creation of the brand "Land of the Stars South", the author skillfully completes the closed loop from spiritual comfort to realistic co-creation, giving this relationship the power to solidly ground itself.
All in all, "Southern Fennel" successfully tells a good story about love, growth and choice with its delicate writing, real characters and profound realistic concerns. It tells us that love is not about finding a perfect partner, but using your imperfect selves to learn companionship and respect, and ultimately draw a unique map of life together. In Xia Hui and Zhinan's "Going South" journey, each of us may be able to see the confusion and persistence about the future that we have experienced or are currently experiencing.
At the intersection of youth literature and realistic themes, "Anise to the South" is like a clear stream. With its unique "realistic gravity" narrative, it profoundly depicts the moving story of two sensitive souls groping in their own maze of life, and finally lighting the way forward for each other. This is not only a love novel, but also a growth epic of a generation of young people searching for the value of their own existence in the pull between ideals and reality. The most touching core of the novel lies in its precise portrayal and deep empathy of the trait of "sensitivity". The sensitivity of the heroine Xia Hui points to the call of inner art and the rebellion against external discipline; the sensitivity of the hero Zhinan is reflected in the dependence on the logical world and the alienation from external emotions. The author does not romanticize this sensitivity, but truly shows how it can become a sharp blade to stab each other, and how it can also become the most accurate tentacles for sensing each other's temperature. Their love is not redemption, but a long exercise - practicing bravery, practicing communication, and practicing finding a position in each other's coordinate system where you can stand and dance with them. The pattern of the story is not limited to the world of two people. The setting of best friend Lin Eucalyptus and her "180-person army of handsome men" is by no means a simple eye-catcher, but rather creates a broader portrait of young people. Lin Yu's "strategic dropout" and Xia Hui's "idealized dropout" form a sharp and interesting contrast, and together they explore the diverse possibilities for young people to break through a single path to success in the current era. This story line brings not only a sense of refreshment, but also in-depth questioning and speculation on mainstream values, which greatly enriches the connotation of the work. As the starting point of the story, the "Xinghai" APP is a wonderful metaphor. It symbolizes contemporary people's deep desire to be "seen", as well as the contradictions and demands for finding true resonance in anonymous social interactions. From the virtual resonance of the "Sea of Stars" to the clumsy running-in of the "human world" to the joint creation of the brand "Land of the Stars South", the author skillfully completes the closed loop from spiritual comfort to realistic co-creation, giving this relationship the power to solidly ground itself. All in all, "Southern Fennel" successfully tells a good story about love, growth and choice with its delicate writing, real characters and profound realistic concerns. It tells us that love is not about finding a perfect partner, but using your imperfect selves to learn companionship and respect, and ultimately draw a unique map of life together. In Xia Hui and Zhinan's "Going South" journey, each of us may be able to see the confusion and persistence about the future that we have experienced or are currently experiencing.