Whenever she walked past here before, she couldn’t help but take photos of the blooming flowers in the yard and share them with friends, family, and followers online.
She couldn’t believe her luck this ti—the dormitory was assigned to her.
So, once the school assigned her this dorm, she eagerly moved in.
She plans to tidy up the yard and add so flowers and plants when she gets a chance these days, to make the yard even more beautiful.
By sumr, when they grow, her little yard will be even more lovely.
...
Waking up at six in the morning, Ning Youguang opened her eyes and heard the pattering rain outside the window.
An inexplicable wave of emotion suddenly touched her heart.
She lay lazily in bed, quietly listening to the rain for nearly ten minutes before she got up.
After washing up, she went to the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee, toasted two slices of bread, plated them, and carried them to the living room to have a al.
Before eating, she suddenly thought of the child in the United States, wondering what he was doing.
She casually snapped a photo and sent it over.
[Sister: [Image] Good morning, what are you doing?]
Soon, she received a reply from the other side.
[Child: [Image] Busy at the office, getting ready to get off work.]
[Sister: Go ho early to rest. Let know when you get ho.]
[Child: Okay, smiley face jpg.]
[Sister: Good jpg.]
2023, April 15th, Weibo.
[A Lover of Ordinary Life: The moon hangs high in the night sky; it’s springti. I thought of you, and my heart feels complete.]
...
After sending a WeChat ssage to Shi Wangyue, Ning Youguang turned on the Bluetooth speaker in the room, and cheerful, harmonious classical music began to play gently inside.
Such a beautiful morning calls for Mozart.
He embodies Orpheus’s joy, peace, auspiciousness, and brightness.
Everything was ready.
Ning Youguang was about to sit on the single sofa chair by the living room window to enjoy breakfast, listen to Mozart, and watch the rain, when there was a sound of "knock, knock, knock..." at the door.
The knocking was rhythmic and gentle.
She turned around to open the door. Standing outside was a familiar, friendly-looking middle-aged lady with a gentle appearance, Mrs. Li, the wife of Professor Chen from next door.
She held a plate with a floral pattern, on which were four steaming, plump, and soft buns.
Their purpose was clear.
"Mrs. Li, please co in." She smiled softly.
A girl in her early twenties, dressed simply, with delicate and clean features, beautiful like an orchid in a secluded valley, exuding a tranquil, scholarly air.
Seeing such a lovely girl early in the morning was truly a delightful sight.
Mrs. Li’s smile beca even more pronounced.
She cheerfully brought the buns inside, "Ms. Ning, I just made these buns this morning and brought you a few to try. If you like them, I’ll bring you so next ti I make them."
"Wow, they sll amazing. Thank you, Mrs. Li."
Ning Youguang happily accepted the plate and buns, carried them to the kitchen.
After transferring the buns onto her own plate and washing Mrs. Li’s plate clean in the kitchen, she returned to the living room with both Mrs. Li’s plate and the buns.
Ms. Ning had beco quite famous at the University of Science and Technology. Mrs. Li had known her for several years now.
But today was the first ti she had visited her place.
While she was arranging the buns, Mrs. Li took a quick look around the environnt and was amazed:
"Ms. Ning, you really don’t have much stuff in your room."
Such a small dorm, even placing a few items would make it look cramped.
Mrs. Li had visited many teachers’ hos, including her own, and while the layout and size were the sa, most were packed with things, unlike this spacious and comfortable simplicity.
"Desire invites disturbance; the more possessions, the more burdenso. As few as possible, is as free as possible."
The girl stood with the buns in front of her, her deanor relaxed yet inexplicably elegant, her delicate face brimming with a smile, radiant and soothing voice, everything she said resonated perfectly.
Mrs. Li nodded repeatedly as she took the plate Ning handed back: "That’s true, that’s true. Nowadays, material abundance makes everything so convenient. There’s no need to store so much—just having the necessities is sufficient. It’s comndable how you’ve understood this principle at such a young age."
Ning Youguang smiled, "Has Mrs. Li had breakfast yet?"
"I just had two buns. The plate I gave you was from my second batch. Now that I’m older, I wake up early. When the first batch was done, I didn’t want to disturb your sleep, so our family finished them. Just now, I ca over to knock because I slled the coffee from your ho."
Mrs. Li was quite charming herself, around fifty and nearing retirent. Besides her work and academics, she loved cooking at ho.
She often made more than her family could eat, and shared it with neighbors upstairs and downstairs.
The building they lived in was quite old.
All the residents were faculty and family mbers from the school, with old tirs like Professor Chen and Mrs. Li living there for a decade or two.
It’s rare for soone as young as Ms. Ning to move in.
However, the teachers upstairs and downstairs had known her for years. After all, she was once a student here, a sensational figure who remained an icon at the University of Science and Technology.
In recent years, few at UST—from faculty to students—didn’t recognize her.
Living in the sa building among highly educated people, they were close yet maintained a comfortable balance and independence with one another.
This was one of the reasons why Ning Youguang liked living here.
"They’re really delicious." She took a bite from the buns in front of Mrs. Li confidently.
The bun’s skin was soft yet chewy, and the filling was delicious—vegetarian, with wood ear mushrooms, carrots, and vermicelli, plus so chili powder, just perfectly seasoned.
"Mrs. Li, do you often eat vegetarian too?"
"Indeed, our family prefers light food, we don’t like greasy als. What does Ms. Ning usually eat? If our taste suits you, you’re welco to join us for als in the future," Mrs. Li warmly invited.
She couldn’t tear her eyes away from Ms. Ning’s beautiful face, liking her more and more each mont.
"I enjoy light dishes."
"Great, light is best."
"Would you like so coffee, Mrs. Li?"
"Yes, I’d love so. I haven’t had much this morning." Mrs. Li graciously settled down in the living room.
...
After Mrs. Li finished her cup of coffee and left happily with the plate.
Ning Youguang took advantage of the ti left before morning classes to scroll through her Weibo.
Her Weibo account had nearly ten million followers.
Since starting university, in addition to sharing professional psychological content and case insights on Weibo, she also answered questions from her followers—a kind of public service consultation.
Today.
She chose a question from the comnts section by a Weibo user nad "Wo Hao": [Wo Hao: Teacher, how can one beco gentle?]
[An Ordinary Person: Half of gentleness is knowledge. Wishing you well! @Wo Hao]
After posting, netizens quickly began to share, comnt, and like it.
Through the mobile screen, the distance between hearts surprisingly shrank.
Because they remain anonymous, what is seen is soon forgotten.
Emotions difficult to express directly, like sadness, love, passion, and sorrow, could be openly shared with strangers.
This is why she had managed her Weibo earnestly over the years.
She understood:
Many people harbor unspoken sadness deep inside, sorrow that cannot be disclosed to those around them.
Even if explained, they won’t understand.
If without the help of the internet, this virtual space for exposure, and without encountering soone like her who’s able to provide answers and help.
They would remain unchanged forever, like a windless night, snowflakes quietly accumulating in the heart. 1314
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