On September 2nd, with thoughts of selling gold, Chen Zhou got up early. After a simple wash, he informed his mother and went out.
At around six in the morning, the breakfast stalls on the street next to the community were bustling with business. Hot soy milk, fried dough sticks, sticky rice cakes with bean paste, and tofu pudding mingled with the sound of people paying via QR codes, creating a lively atmosphere not found on the island.
Students in uniforms walked in twos and threes, laughing and heading towards school. Seeing them, Chen Zhou was reminded of the children from the island's school.
Sitting at an outdoor table in front of a breakfast stall, thinking about the island's bleak prospects after his departure, he felt a bit melancholic.
He ordered a bowl of sweetened soy milk, four fried dough sticks, four sticky rice cakes, a bowl of tofu pudding, and two meat buns. As he chewed his food, Chen Zhou couldn't help but think about the future—
