North, South, East, West

The print edition is now available on all major platforms. Thank you for your support. In 2023, Wang Luxi got into her dream university in Beijing. She went a month early, planning to see every tourist attraction in the city. What could she do? As an ancient capital and the nation’s capital, Beijing had far too many things that interested her. The spring at Taoranting, summer at Shichahai, autumn at the Temple of Heaven, and winter snow swirling around the Forbidden City’s corner towers. Oh, right! She also wanted to visit the filming locations of Home with Kids, stop by Liu Xing’s neighborhood, and shout, “I want to dye this thing green!” - Beijing has no off-season for tourism. His buddy who runs a travel agency was so busy he was about to drop, so Yuan Bei got roped into leading tours for a few days. He’d grown up wandering the hutongs, so he knew these places well. An old folks’ tour group crowded around him. The little mic clipped to his shirt had run out of battery, and Yuan Bei’s throat was parched. He ducked into the shade for a break and accidentally overheard someone’s conversation. The only young woman in the group was standing with her back to him, talking on the phone. “...Don’t even get me started. What bad luck! The guide I got must be a beginner. His explanations are all halting and awkward. I’m going to complain.” Yuan Bei scratched his head and choked on his ice-cold cola. “...But he’s not completely hopeless, I guess. At least he’s easy on the eyes. Hey, he’s really handsome.” Yuan Bei nodded. Yeah, that’s more like it. He walked back to the vending machine and bought another can. He hooked a finger under the tab and snapped it open. The fizz bubbled up. He raised an eyebrow at the stunned young woman. “After all that talking, aren’t you thirsty?” Wang Luxi still didn’t dare take the can of ice-cold cola Yuan Bei offered her. But its chilly presence arrived at just the right time. Surrounding her, seeping through her, filling the summer of 2023 in Beijing. - Flashy Rich Guy × Straightforward College Girl 100,000 words, a short story - (I was chatting last night with a close high school friend who now leads tour groups in Beijing. She told me so many fun stories that I couldn’t wait to start a new project. I’ll do my best to write it!) Theme: Cherish the people in front of you