Chapter 1 Starting Point

  Foreword: I, 21 years old this year, don't know how much longer I'll have to reminisce about my past here. Those irretrievable youth, people who come and go like clouds and flowing water, maybe you'll remember me, maybe you won't remember me at all. But while I still can, I want to write down these memories of you, leave them for the future, and savor them. I hope each reader can find their own shadow.

  In Ou Yang's memory, the word "father" was somewhat unfamiliar to him. The only thing he remembered was when he was two years old, his father took him to the park and he accidentally fell down. Before Ou Yang could cry, his father took a photo of him. Apart from that, Ou Yang thought his father was a very busy person who left for work when Ou Yang was four years old.

  Ou Yang's mother, Feng Hongyan, was the most loved person in his life. According to what adults said, when Ou Yang was born, his mother almost died and was saved by wolf blood. Elders always told Ou Yang that he must be filial to his mother because she had a hard time.

  Since his father's family was from a rural village, Ou Yang grew up at his maternal grandparents' home. The Feng family was not particularly wealthy, but Ou Yang remembered the three-story red building where his grandparents lived. His grandfather, Feng Decheng, was not an amiable old man and had a temper, but he was very good to his daughter, Feng Hongyan.

  Ou Yang's grandmother, Feng Qinglian, was a kind-hearted person who raised Ou Yang's cousin, Feng Maishi. She treated Ou Yang well, and he liked her too. Every evening, Ou Yang would go with his mother to visit his grandparents' home, which was not far from school.

  When they arrived at the grandparents' home, Ou Yang's mother would take off her shoes and rush into the bathroom. Feng Maishi whispered to Ou Yang that his mother had drunk two bottles of soda while in the bathroom. The bathroom in the grandparents' home was a bit far from the living room, and there were no lights on the way.

  Ou Yang's grandmother called out from the kitchen, "Welcome back! Ou Yang, Maishi, hurry up and wash your hands for dinner!" Ou Yang and Feng Maishi went into the kitchen, washed their hands, and sat down at the round table to prepare for dinner. Ou Yang's mother asked his grandmother where his grandfather was, and she replied that he had gone to Old Zhang's house to play mahjong.

  Ou Yang's mother then turned to him and said, "Morning Dew, have you thought about whether you want to stay in District D or go to the city for middle school?" This was a serious question, and Ou Yang knew it. He didn't know what to say because he had received some news that day that made him unsure of what to do.