After Nannan's mother hurriedly left on a summer night when Nannan was six, Nannan never saw her again. The very next day, her nanny Aunt Mei and the housekeeper Uncle Qiang, a married couple, drove Nannan away from their townhouse in downtown Yongning City to the family's country villa in neighboring Yunxi City.
When Nannan asked in confusion from the back seat, "Aren't we waiting for Mommy to come back?"
Aunt Mei merely replied gently, "Be good, Nannan. Mommy and Daddy will come to find you very soon."
Six-year-old Nannan was delicate and pitiable, like a porcelain doll of jade and powder. Everyone said she had inherited her father's looks and was far more beautiful than her mother. Aunt Mei and Uncle Qiang often praised her exceptional intelligence, saying she spoke like an adult rather than a child who understood nothing.
Both Aunt Mei and Uncle Qiang were in their early forties. Before Nannan was born, her mother had offered a high salary to hire a nanny. Uncle Qiang, who had worked for the Chu family for many years and was known to be honest and reliable, recommended his newlywed wife, Aunt Mei, to take the position.
Both had grown up in an orphanage and were childhood sweethearts. Neither was particularly well educated. After they married, they had no children of their own. Uncle Qiang was of average height but powerfully built, living up to his name. His left leg had a slight disability, causing him to limp when he walked. In contrast, Aunt Mei was slender and delicate. She was attentive and gentle toward Nannan, who relied on her deeply.
The country villa in Yunxi was a place Nannan visited every summer with her mother. The house was large, with an open courtyard and no surrounding walls. When the family was away, gardeners were hired to maintain the grounds, which were filled with various flowers and plants. From Uncle Qiang, Nannan had learned the names of hydrangeas, peonies, gladiolus, lilies, oleander, hostas, coneflowers, irises, daisies, and phlox.
After arriving at the villa, Aunt Mei carefully attended to Nannan's daily life, while Uncle Qiang dismissed the regular gardener and began studying horticulture himself. Aunt Mei often helped him prune shrubs and flowers.
Sometimes, when the couple was busy, Nannan would sneak out on her own. Though Aunt Mei always rushed after her once she realized Nannan was out of sight—warning her that it was dangerous for a child to go out alone—Nannan never truly learned her lesson. She especially wanted to catch small fish in the river, just as her mother used to do in summer. She had asked Aunt Mei when they could go fishing, but Aunt Mei always said they would do so once things were less busy.
One June afternoon that year, after lunch, Uncle Qiang drove out to shop, and Aunt Mei put Nannan down for her usual nap before resting herself. Nannan decided it was the perfect opportunity to slip out. She tiptoed out of her bedroom and opened the front door. To her delight, this time Aunt Mei did not immediately notice and come rushing after her. She felt a secret thrill of success.
She recognized the path to the river—it was one her mother had taken her on before. It took about ten minutes to walk there. Across the river lay a small nearby town.
The river water was crystal clear, bordered by a green lawn and a rural road along which cars could pass. The water was generally waist-deep for an average adult man, though some spots ran deeper. Large, rounded stones were arranged in a line across the river, forming a simple stone crossing used by locals to reach the other side. When Uncle Qiang drove to town, he took a bridge further downstream on the rural road.
At the riverbank, Nannan spotted fish in the water and grew excited. She stood on a large stone in the middle of the river, bending down to scoop some fish with her hands. Suddenly, she heard someone shout from behind, "Move aside—let me through!"
She felt someone rush past her from behind. From the voice, she recognized Xiao He, a mischievous boy her age from a neighboring family. There was no time to dodge. Before she understood what was happening, she was knocked off the stone and plunged headfirst into the water.
The water immediately covered her forehead. She tried to cry for help, but water rushed into her mouth. Instinctively, she shut her mouth and struggled desperately in the water.
The light above her wavered across the surface. She reached out blindly, trying to grasp anything that might pull her ashore—but caught nothing. Just as her consciousness began to fade, a hand suddenly seized her arm and pulled her out of the water. She felt herself being lifted and soon laid down on the grass.
The person who saved her supported her shoulders and gently patted her back, asking in a voice full of concern, "Little sister, are you all right?"
This was the voice of a young boy. Nannan felt that the voice sounded very distant, yet extremely pleasant. She gasped for air, coughing violently, bringing up the water she had swallowed. Her chest still felt tight, but gradually she was able to breathe.
Only then did Nannan start to observe the person who had saved her. Squatting before her was a stranger, a boy she had never seen before. Behind him stood a young man dressed in a black suit.
The boy wore a white linen shirt, black suit shorts, and black leather shoes, completely out of place in the rural surroundings. Both his suit pants and shoes were soaked.
Nannan noticed that the boy had bright, slanted eyes that seemed to reflect the ripples of the river. The drops of water on his forehead sparkled in the afternoon sunlight. Looking into his eyes made Nannan feel even more dizzy.
Just as she was about to say something, she heard Aunt Mei and Uncle Qiang shouting from afar, "Nannan, Nannan!"
Nannan turned toward the voice and saw Aunt Mei running over, out of breath. Before she could respond, Aunt Mei scooped her into her arms and covered her head with a dry handkerchief.
After that, Nannan vaguely heard Aunt Mei and Uncle Qiang expressing their thanks to the boy, with Uncle Qiang adding that they would pay a formal visit another day. She wanted to hear more, but before she could, Aunt Mei carried her away.