The Promise Under the Dandelion

In the summer when he was twelve years old, Xu Nian met a girl by the river. The girl's name is Wan Wan. She comes from the city. She has very fair skin, speaks softly, and her eyes turn into crescents when she smiles. She taught Xu Nian how to read, read her storybooks, and showed her dandelions. They pulled the hook and agreed to go see the sea together and see dandelions again. Later Wanwan left. Xu Nian waited for a long, long time. Wait until you grow up, wait until you leave the village, wait until you open a flower shop selling only dandelions in the city. She guards the store every day, guarding two old glass bottles, guarding a promise that will never be fulfilled. She knew that when the dandelions flew away, they would not miss home. Because where they are is home. And where she is, there will always be Wanwan's place. A story about summer, about friendship, about long waiting.