Hokkaido, Japan, the night of August 7th, a brightly lit wooden truck stopped by the street near the coast of Ishikari Bay. Under the rain canopy were a couple of benches, with patrons sitting on them, enjoying ramen. The aroma of rich pork bone broth wafted far and wide.
Xia Pingzhou stood by the railing, gazing into the seascape. The nearby sea was as clear as Liuli, while the distant sea surface was so deep it resembled a black silk cloth.
The waves rose and fell, surging onto the beach in continuous succession, leaving behind silvery white foam and fan-shaped shells. A few crabs crawled with lopsided bodies struggling along; on the other side, the tidal waves crashed violently against the rocks, breaking into meters-high sprays.
Tong Zizhu, having finished her ramen, walked over and interlaced her fingers, stretching her arms forward to stretch the muscles.
