Chapter 1: Steaming Heat
In 1952, at Harbin Railway Station, coal dust mingled with the whistle of the trains, like the rhythm of winter smog. Mother Liang pulled Lin Jing out of the crowd, brushing the dust off her clothes; coal residue still clung to her blue cotton jacket. The warmth of her palms was unexpectedly steady — strangers could feel safe.
Her fingers brushed against the dust, like touching the piercing chill of a winter night. She crouched to pick up the fallen ticket, wiping off the grime. The expired ticket’s date, yesterday’s date, echoed in her mind, tightening her chest slightly. Amid the gray world, she found a flicker of light.
A faint rustle came from a crack in the wall. She put on gloves and prepared a mix of calcium cyanamide and quicklime; pain shot into her bones like countless needles. She gritted her teeth and muttered, “Damn it.”
Bedbugs wriggled in the corner. She carefully sprinkled the powder and covered them with bits of cloth. The sound was like sesame seeds being roasted, blending with the pain in her fingers. Mother Liang muttered, “What a curse.” Lin Jing smiled, stubbornly.
The 1952 notice of permanent employment was folded four times and tucked into her sock. Her fingers felt the creases. The Parker pen’s dragon pattern felt cold and rigid, reminding her of…
