November 16, 2014.
It was a Sunday.
As an employee of Evergreen Liquid, Aunt Gu rarely had a day off. She planned to make something delicious for her daughter at noon to nourish her body.
In the early morning of late autumn, the sky was dimly lit. A row of bungalows was shrouded in a light morning mist, with a gentle breeze carrying the moisture of the Huishui River, adding a hint of chill to the air.
In this tranquility, the alarm clock beside Xue Yuantong's bed went off. The pink clock shook desperately and wouldn't stop until it woke her up.
Despite living in the era of smartphones, where people are used to setting alarms on their phones, Xue Yuantong still adhered to the old tradition and continued using her little alarm clock.
Lying in bed with her eyes closed, Xue Yuantong fumbled with her small hands, found the clock, and turned it off.
