Someone beside him asked, "What are you writing?"
The boy smiled. "My youth."
Xinjiekou, Nanjing. A boy wearing Li Fei V basketball shoes stood in line, holding up a sign that read: "Buying Li Fei I–V, all colorways. Price negotiable." Someone beside him asked curiously, "Are you a shoe reseller?"
The boy shook his head. "No. I'm a collector. I have every generation of Li Fei's shoes, in every colorway. But I'm still missing a few limited editions, so I'm looking to buy them."
"What do you collect all these shoes for?"
The boy thought for a moment. "After Li Fei retires, I want to open a Li Fei sneaker museum. I'll put all these shoes in glass cases for everyone to see. Those who never got to watch Li Fei play will still be able to see his shoes. And those who did watch him play can come here and find their youth again."
The line fell silent for a moment. Then someone patted him on the shoulder. "Brother, that's a good dream."
The boy smiled. "It's not a dream. It's a goal."
By West Lake, Hangzhou.
A girl wearing Li Fei IV basketball shoes stood in line, holding an envelope with a photograph inside.
The photo showed a boy wearing Li Fei II basketball shoes, standing on a basketball court with a bright smile.
Someone beside her asked, "Who's in the photo?"
The girl was silent for a moment.
"My boyfriend. He's studying in the USA, so he can't come home to watch the NBA Finals this year. He asked me to buy him a pair in the championship colorway so he could wear them while watching the game. He said that way, he'd feel like he was there."
"Are you two in a long-distance relationship?"
The