A Guide to Taking Action for Cowards

Jiang Yan was transferred back to her hometown from Shencheng to take charge of a project.

"We hope this project will fully showcase the modern history of G City and awaken people's historical memories." As she read from the project proposal, she glanced a few times at Shan Siheng, seated to her left.

After they graduated from college, she and Shan Siheng had broken up. She'd imagined meeting him again, perhaps at a school reunion, at his wedding, or at a classmate's wedding. The last place she'd expected to see him was on a miserable rainy night when she was working late and couldn't get a taxi.

The umbrella that had arrived years too late, and an introduction as if they were meeting for the first time: "Hello, I'm Shan Siheng, one of the architectural restoration specialists in charge of this project."

On the first night after their reunion years later, a colleague spotted a blog section on Shan Siheng's car and clicked on it without a second thought.

"Even if he's listening, it doesn't matter. We're both pragmatists. What we had in the past was enough."

Not long afterward, the speaker gave Shan Siheng's invitation a simple, casual reply: "Okay."

That day, Shan Siheng had asked, "Shall we get married? You and me."

Architectural restoration specialist x curator

A lifetime of East Asians being awkward about love

Next book starts May 5

"Fish Breathing on the Shore"

Figure skater x swimmer | Mutual pining

Someone in the stands at the men's 200-meter individual medley at the Olympics took a photo of Zhong Wuyou wearing a mask.

She was sitting with the swimmers. Even with her mask on, people recognized her.

"Holy crap, the queen of figure skating actually came to visit the swimming team?!"

"Above, I think she's a swimmer's wife."

A month later, during an open swimming-team practice, the media photographed Zhong Wuyou standing beside He Zhishu's coach.

When practice ended, He Zhishu naturally headed over. He playfully pressed his cold drink against Zhong Wuyou's cheek. She laughed and dodged it. As she took the drink, the faint mark of a ring on her left ring finger flashed before everyone's eyes.

At fifteen, all of Zhong Wuyou's pain revolved around whether she should continue pursuing a professional career.

As luck would have it, that year's National Games were held right in her hometown, so she bought a ticket just to see what the fuss was about.

She'd picked a ticket at random, but it turned out to be near the provincial team.

Zhong Wuyou guessed that the athlete sitting behind her was about her age.

After a senior athlete from the same province won gold, Zhong Wuyou saw emotion and ambition in his eyes.

After she got home, she started following swimming and found out his name.

National-team swimmer He Zhishu.

/What a joy to share in your good fortune, and what an honor.

*Many liberties taken with the setting.

Theme: May your future stretch for a thousand miles