In the summer of 2016, Xu Qingyi arrived in her father's city with a suitcase in tow.
The news called it the shortest summer on record.
Her older brother, Xu Kuo, came to pick her up. Someone else was in the back seat.
He leaned against the window and looked at her, a faint, carefree smile on his lips.
He held out a mint and said, "Jiang Xing. Jiang as in the Yangtze River, Xing as in walking."
She took it and said, "Thanks."
She didn't even get a good look at him.
Xu Qingyi thought Jiang Xing talked too much, was too laid-back, and never slept at night.
He said the city was so big that the wind on the rooftop was just right for letting out a breath.
He said she spoke so little that he'd speak for her.
At first, he just thought she was interesting.
Later, he thought she was too quiet and wanted to see more of her.
That summer had been so short that it even made the news.
But afterward, it took her a very, very long time to finally live through it.
Theme: Take neither joy in external things nor sorrow for yourself.
