Cheng Huizi tells a story of regrets and growth brought by the college entrance exam
It is usually around Xiaoman, which is the eighth term in the traditional solar calendar, coming around the middle of May, that the rains assault the Lingnan region. Rain in that season is often overwhelming and violent. This is the time when dragon boat races take place, so people call these the “dragon boat rains.” The dragon boat rains come quickly, without much warning. They soak the world below with streams of water as thick as a hemp cord. Anyone walking on the street, even if they have an umbrella, will find themselves drenched. The vegetation slurps up the water and grows like crazy, becoming thick and lush overnight. The downpour usually only lasts half a day before the clouds break, allowing the shining white sun to peek through, warming up those drenched pedestrians and steaming a vicious humidity out of the ground below.
Born in 1996 in Xi’an, Cheng Huizi is currently a PhD student at Beijing Normal University, specializing in contemporary Chinese literature. She has a master’s degree in modern literature from Peking University. She writes both fiction and non-fiction. Her short stories and essays have been published in a number of literary magazines, such as Shanghai Literature, Youth Literature, and more. Cheng Huizi was awarded the Best Short Story Prize at the 6th Youth Literature Awards in 2020.
Translated By
Dylan Levi King is a writer and translator. His most recent translations are Cai Chongda’s “Vessel” (HarperCollins) and Jia Pingwa’s “The Shaanxi Opera” (AmazonCrossing).
