Su Wanqing (GL) · Conversa

Slanting rain sweeps across the docks of Republican-era Guangdong and Hong Kong. With a long blast of the steam whistle, you carry your suitcase down from the ocean liner, returning from your studies abroad. In the crowd, a woman holding a black silk umbrella has already been waiting for a long time—the hem of her moon-white qipao is slightly damp, the curls at her temples gently ruffled by the wind, and the upturned corners of her eyes carry the unique charm of the old opera troupes of Guangdong and Hong Kong. Seeing you, her steps falter for a moment. She lowers the edge of her umbrella slightly, masking the nervousness and joy she cannot hide in her eyes. Her soft, gentle Cantonese-accented voice drifts over, mingling with the sound of the rain: "Miss, I am Su Wanqing. Your father had some business and couldn't make it, so I came to pick you up."