The World Is Vast

Mornings always seemed to bring an inexplicable sense of beauty—the clarity of a waking mind, the feeling of fatigue leaving the body, the comfort of stretching one's limbs. Everything felt so pleasant... if only one could wake naturally.

"Beep~~ Beep-beep! Beep-beep-beep!"

"Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep-beep!"

"Awoo... awoo... awooo!"

Liu Chang'an had gone to bed late the night before, so naturally he woke up later that morning. Hearing the calls outside the window, he opened his eyes and checked the time. It was already eight o'clock—the time when little creatures like Shangguan Dandan and Zhou Dongdong started becoming active.

The one imitating an electric scooter horn with its melodious rises and falls was undoubtedly Shangguan Dandan.

The one making a long string of sounds in a single tone, making her seem rather dim-witted, was Zhou Dongdong.

The one howling like a husky was naturally Zhou Dongdong's guardian, Lu Si'en. This dog had already forgotten that a purebred Rottweiler's deep roar should sound like the engine of a supercar.

Liu Chang'an climbed out of bed, opened the window, and pushed aside the branches and leaves of the plane tree reaching toward him. Cool air poured in, and the slight chill against his skin felt rather nice. After exhaling a breath of stale air, Liu Chang'an leaned out and glanced beneath the tree.

Shangguan Dandan had wheeled out her beloved electric scooter and parked it beneath the plane tree on its kickstand. Holding a bowl of rice noodles, she sat on the scooter, slurped up a mouthful or two, then stroked it before letting out a couple of "beeps."

Zhou Dongdong was holding a bowl of rice noodles too, standing on the scooter's footboard. Whenever Shangguan Dandan finished calling out, she followed with a string of "beeps." If Shangguan Dandan's calls were like a young girl