Although Xu Changqing considered summer her least favorite of the four seasons, she had to admit it had its merits. At the very least, the sun rose early in the summer.
During her morning run, Xu Changqing gave her dad a quick summary of what she had told her mom last night. By the time she bought steamed buns from the canteen and returned, it wasn't even seven o'clock.
If it were winter, the sky would sometimes still be dark at seven in the morning. It was nothing like now, with early risers everywhere, creating a lively atmosphere.
Given all the activity in the family courtyard, not to mention the many families living upstairs coming and going, Xu Changqing figured her mom and younger siblings must be awake by now.
And sure enough, just as she greeted some neighbors on her way in, her mom was placing a basin of plain rice porridge on the table, where pickled vegetables were already set out.
