Lend Me a Ray of Light

The first time Lin Nian realized that he was different from others was in the summer when he was five years old. That evening, she squatted on the bluestone at the entrance of the alley to watch the ants move. The shadow of the locust tree slanted over, covering her whole body in the shade. The cicadas screamed in annoyance. Her mother, Lin Xiaohui, was cooking in the house. The smell of oil smoke drifted out from the crack in the door, causing her to sneeze. "Nian Nian." Someone called her.