The steps of time are hurried, never pausing for anyone.
In the blink of an eye, the last day of 2012 had arrived.
At sunset, Wang Chen pedaled his old bicycle away from Shangma Old Village, riding toward the city.
There was no other way—he was still under eighteen and couldn't get a driver's license, so his bicycle was his only means of transportation.
As the city lights began to glow, Wang Chen stopped by the roadside near a residential neighborhood.
He sent a text message, and within just a few minutes, a lively and charming figure appeared beside him.
Tian Tian jumped onto the back seat of the bicycle with practiced ease, naturally wrapping her arms around Wang Chen's waist. "Let's go," she said.
The two had agreed earlier to spend this New Year's Eve together.
Curious, Wang Chen asked, "What did you tell your family?"
