An Inch Too High

Silver is cold, but people’s hearts are warm. When he was six, his grandmother put a silver bangle on his wrist. “You weighed four jin and three liang when you were born. Your fate is frail, so this should weigh it down.” At fourteen, he took the bangle and went to Shenzhen’s Shuibei district alone. He Ma has only one real talent: his eye is a cut above everyone else’s. By weighing an item, he can tell if it’s real; by watching someone’s eyes, he can read their heart. In the world of silver jewelry, rife with counterfeits and scams, this talent can keep him alive, or get him killed. Someone taught him: “In Shuibei, reading people is ten times more important than reading merchandise.” Someone told him: “You’re not frail. You’re tough as nails.” And someone is waiting for him to return. In the rain in Meilong, his grandmother has been waiting and hoping all along. This is the story of a boy who uses his keen eyes to hold on to his conscience and live with warmth in a world where truth and lies are hard to tell apart. Silver is cold, but people’s hearts are warm.