The Sand in My Heart

In spring, fed up and miserable after his project was canceled, Tan Feiyu followed other people’s example and took a trip on a whim, heading for the far northwest. Bad luck struck: a sandstorm rolled in, and he got a mouthful of sand as soon as he reached the entrance to Mingsha Mountain. He had no choice but to turn back in a sorry state and watch the sky darken to a murky yellow from inside the guesthouse. When the guesthouse owner came to deliver his meal, Tan Feiyu was drinking and crying in his room. When you’re down on your luck, even getting up to answer the door can end with you tripping, and the bottle in your hand smashing to pieces. Tan Feiyu clutched the glass shards and cried even harder. Seeing him like this, the owner hurriedly snatched the broken glass from his hand. The owner was quiet and reserved, and it took him ages to finally manage a sentence: “Whatever happened, don’t do anything rash...” Dizzy from drinking, Tan Feiyu stopped crying and stared at the fine physique faintly visible beneath the owner’s thin T-shirt. He thought, Good grief, what a huge chest. A Hexi Corridor trip / book publishing / maybe a little music Freelance book editor Tan Feiyu (bottom) × band drummer Shi Hanzhang, who does a bit of everything (top). Theme: There’s plenty of room to thrive in this vast world.