In 2012, Lu Qi left her hometown and headed north to the capital for university, then work, determined to put down roots.
A petite young woman from the south, with a soft voice and a gentle, regional lilt, she could endure hardships in a way that surprised everyone.
During her internship, she was on call 24/7 to secure a permanent position. She never let the phone ring more than three times before picking up, and was still reviewing the team's last contract at three in the morning.
One autumn-winter day, her hair a mess after working through the night, she held her laptop in her arms and ran into a man on campus.
Immaculately dressed in a suit, he looked her over for a moment, his expression cool and detached. Then he took the keys from his silent secretary and asked,
"Where are you going?"
"I'll take you."
-
On the day they broke up, Zhou Xunzhi sat in the car, one hand propping up his temple. His voice was still so calm that she couldn't read his feelings.
He asked her, "Do you love me?"
Lu Qi thought about it, then said, "I guess I do."
But only a little.
Nowhere near as much as I love myself, or my life.
-"Love is a game for the brave, but I'm a coward."
-"That was close. I almost fell in love with you."
Blurb written on December 16, 2024
Theme: "She must break free from her leaky greenhouse and fly toward a wider world."
