Lane 23, Xinkangli

Ah Suo's writing always leaves a lasting impression on me. From Bai Jichuan, Lu Yiran, and Jiang Cheng in *You're Always the Best in the World*, to Jiang Lin, Xia Yun'en/Meng You, and Liang Chen in *The Secret of High Heels*, and then to Guo Xudong, Tang Jiao/Lin Xicheng, Wen Wen/Tang Yao, Xu Qin/Lin Guoqing, Wang Meili/Tang Zhiming, and Yao Yufen in *New Kangli Lane 23*, every character is…

💖💝Ah Suo's articles are always thought-provoking! So relatable! ^O^ The first work I read was "The World Will Always Be the Best," then "The Secret of High Heels," where characters made cameo appearances, which felt very familiar. Love doesn't discriminate based on who came first; when fate brings you together, everything is the best choice. Trust is essential for communication between people.

I feel so sorry for Wenwen. She has an irresponsible father and a mother who doesn't love her. Her mother might be ill due to bankruptcy, otherwise, no mother would treat her child that way. Fortunately, she has friends who treat her well, and an aunt who loves her unconditionally. Some scenes are heartwarming, while others make me realize I didn't have a childhood or neighbors like that.

The first book by A-Suo I read was *The Secret of High Heels*, which I didn't finish because I thought it was just okay (I didn't really like that style of book at the time). The second was *You're Always the Best in the World*, which I finished and couldn't help but admire the author's writing style and thought process.

The author portrays the ordinary emotional lives of common people with great delicacy; it's a very enjoyable read. I previously read (You're Always the Best in the World) and really liked it; that one is about Bai Jichuan and Yi Ran. This one is about Bai Jichuan's friend. I'm planning to read (The Secret of High Heels), which is about Yi Ran's chief designer, Ms. Xia.

Because of my lingering regret over Yi Ran and Jiang Cheng, and wanting to find traces of them, I read this article. It depicts a series of events triggered by the relocation of Xinkangli Hutong, including the resolution of conflicts among neighbors, couples, lovers, siblings, parents and children, friends, and colleagues; mutual help and love during difficulties; and young people's views on…

The Lu Yiran series was good, this one was just so-so, even though I finished watching both. Actually, there were very few mentions of Lu Yiran, Bai Jichuan, and Jiang Cheng, just two or three scenes. Jiang Cheng has twins, and Lu Yiran has another son, yet Jiang Cheng still loves Lu Yiran very much. This is really unnecessary, since they already have a child.

I finished reading it in two days. As a Shanghainese, I could feel the familiar alleyway life depicted by the author. It evoked nostalgia and a sense of (gǎnkǎi, mixed feelings of nostalgia and reflection). However, the book as a whole was too bland. While blandness is fine, it's better suited to shorter stories. The book is too long, with many unnecessary parts in the later sections.

The book doesn't have any dramatic ups and downs, but it's subtle and touching, depicting the atmosphere of Shanghai's alleyways and metropolis in a particularly vivid way, making readers yearn for Shanghai and almost want to visit Xinkangli!

It's so good! All three books in the author's series are great!