This summer, Zhan Chunlan spent every day in the archives. No one came to collect her "homework" like a teacher, but she wrote summaries every day, reviewed the files, and learned something. Every day was very fulfilling.

Meanwhile, in Guangcheng, Fan Hongying and Li Xiuxiu got off the train with their luggage.

Liu Xiuxiu put the two canvas bags on the platform, wiped the sweat from her brow, and grinned at Fan Hongying behind her: "My God, we're finally here! I never knew that sitting for so long could make your legs hurt!"

Fan Hongying leaned against a pillar to rest. It was so hot that her hair was soaked with sweat, but her eyes were frighteningly bright—eyes that looked like she had finally arrived.

Ever since receiving Zhan Chunlan's reply, she couldn't wait to come to Guangcheng to see it. Finally, summer vacation arrived, and she came with Li Xiuxiu.

Although the two girls traveled from Jiangcheng to Guangcheng by train to pursue their dreams, they were self-aware and did not intend to venture out on their own. Before setting off, they contacted Zhan Chunlan's friend.

At the exit, the crowd surged out of the fence like receding waves.

At the end of the fence, someone was holding up a piece of cardboard with the following words written on it in thick calligraphy:

"Jiangcheng, Fan Hongying, Li Xiuxiu"

The signature, however, featured a round, chubby panda, much like the mark Chunlan always liked to draw in her handwritten manuscripts.

The man holding the sign was a short-haired young man, a little over 1.7 meters tall, wearing a white polyester shirt tucked into his army green trousers and plastic sandals. He was standing on tiptoe, peering around. As soon as they approached, he waved the sign, his Cantonese-accented Mandarin drawn out: "Miss Fan? Miss Li? I'm Ah Chan, Senior Sister Chunlan sent me!"

The two came mainly for inspection and learning, so they didn't bring much. Ah-Can carried a bag in each hand and strode forward.

Ah-Can led them across the square. A slightly worn "Forever" brand tricycle was parked by the roadside, with a bamboo mat in the back and two glass bottles of soda on it. He threw his luggage into the back of the vehicle, turned around and winked at the two of them: "A private car, the canopy is sewn by myself, for sun protection! Get in, I'll take you to a 'stopping place,' take a shower first, then have some herbal tea, and we can chat slowly."

Fan Hongying climbed onto the truck bed. A gust of wind blew, and her sweat-soaked shirt clung to her back, yet it felt a hundred times more comfortable than a hard seat on a train. She sized up A-Can's back and whispered, "I heard from Chunlan that you met her at the Canton Fair?"

Ah-Can, with his sharp ears, answered without turning his head, "Yes, she's more capable than me. She's only in college and she can participate in the Canton Fair. I went with my company, and she was a great help to us at the Canton Fair!"

Although he had told others countless times, he was still a little excited when he brought it up again: "Our factory makes small commodities. At the last Canton Fair, we exhibited Christmas porcelain ornaments - Santa Claus, sleigh, and reindeer. The original price was only $1.05 for a set of 12 pieces. Many people looked at them and liked them, but not many people placed orders."

It was Zhan Chunlan who suggested building the scene directly with a Christmas tree. She even drew up design sketches for us. We decorated our stall according to her designs, and as soon as we finished, people placed orders. If our production capacity hadn't been limited, we could have taken on even more orders.

"She also helped us reference international market prices and repriced the price, increasing the unit price by $4. She also taught us how to introduce the product's features to foreign buyers. To this day, the company still talks about her deeds and her suggestions, and most people in the factory can recite them by heart."

Hearing others praise their best friend, the two girls were extremely excited, even happier than when they were praised themselves.

My friend, who has been away from us for so long, has not only taken great care of herself but has also achieved so much. I thought seeing her in the newspaper was already amazing, but it turns out that this is just the tip of the iceberg. In places unseen, she still shines brightly.

The car turned into a narrow alley lined with banyan trees, where cicadas chirped. Ah-Can stopped the car in front of a white three-story building and deftly helped them carry their luggage up to the second floor.

The room was simple, but clean and tidy. What surprised the two girls most was a pot of jasmine flowers on the windowsill, emitting a pleasant fragrance, and a brand-new electric fan on the table.

"This was specially instructed by Senior Sister Chunlan," A-Can said, pointing to the electric fan. "She said you came from Jiangcheng, and she was worried you wouldn't be used to the summers in Guangcheng."

Fan Hongying's eyes welled up slightly. Even while interning far away in Beijing, Zhan Chunlan remained so thoughtful and considerate.

After showering, the three sat in a herbal tea shop at the alley entrance. Li Xiuxiu sipped the bitter herbal tea, frowning involuntarily.

"You'll get used to it eventually," Ah-Can laughed. "In Guangcheng's summer, you can't stand it without herbal tea. When Senior Sister Chunlan first came, she couldn't get used to it either, but now she can tell the difference between the different shops."

Fan Hongying looked at the lively introduction, with many vendors setting up stalls and offering a wide variety of products, and she was somewhat surprised.

There are still some street vendors in Jiangcheng now, but only a few here and there. On the one hand, people don't think much of street vending, considering it a lowly profession that only people without skills would do; on the other hand, most people are just too afraid to do it. Apart from a very small number of people who like to scheme, most people only set up stalls as a last resort.

Unlike Guangcheng, where flowers bloom everywhere.

Looking at the bustling scene before her, Fan Hongying was filled with emotion. In the streets and alleys of Guangcheng, vendors beamed with confidence, loudly hawking their wares and enthusiastically soliciting customers, showing no sign that their business was "unskilled."

"Hey beautiful, look at this scarf! It's the latest style!" A woman with curly hair greeted Fan Hongying warmly. "It's imported from Hong Kong, the only one of its kind in the whole city!"

Li Xiuxiu curiously touched the fabric of the silk scarf and whispered to Fan Hongying, "This fabric is indeed quite good, better than the ones in Jiangcheng."

Ah-Can explained from the side, "Guangcheng is close to Hong Kong and Macau, so many new styles first become popular here. Now that the policies have been relaxed, everyone is looking for ways to do business."

Just then, a young man pushing a bicycle stopped in front of them. A glass cabinet was mounted on the back of the bike, neatly displaying various electronic watches. "Imported electronic watches, from Hong Kong. Want to take a look?"

Fan Hongying noticed that most of these young people setting up stalls were wearing fashionable polyester shirts and plastic sandals, and their demeanor exuded a pioneering spirit. Unlike those in Jiangcheng who were forced to set up stalls and were timid and hesitant, they carried a sense of pride in "I am starting my own business."

"Actually," Ah-Can lowered his voice, "many of these vendors are former factory workers, and some are even college graduates!"

These words shocked the two girls. In Jiangcheng, university graduates were the pride of the nation; how could they possibly be out here selling goods on the street?

"Why?" Li Xiuxiu asked, puzzled.

"They make money!" Ah-Can laughed. "Do you know how much they earn in a month? Some earn a hundred or two, some can earn over a thousand!"

"Over a thousand?" Fan Hongying gasped. That's more than ten times their salary in Jiangcheng!

The three continued browsing, and at a clothing stall, Fan Hongying was drawn to a modified cheongsam. This cheongsam retained the traditional stand-up collar and frog buttons, but the hem was changed to an A-line shape, and the fabric was also made of lighter silk.

"This dress suits you very well." The stall owner, a young woman in her early twenties with fashionable curly hair, said, "I designed it myself, combining traditional cheongsam with modern fashion."

"You designed it yourself?" Fan Hongying asked in surprise.

"Yes," the girl readily replied, "I studied fashion design at an art academy, but working a regular job meant apprenticing under a master tailor. I didn't want to slowly grind through that, so now that the policies have been relaxed, I've started my own business."

Fan Hongying stroked the exquisite embroidery on her cheongsam; the silk threads shimmered delicately in the sunlight. At that moment, the fog in her heart seemed to be dispelled by the warm sunshine of Guangzhou.

She was actually a college student, but she hadn't decided what to do before. Now she understands that whether you're a college student or illiterate, the important thing is to dare to think and act.

As a college student, she could understand what this policy adjustment meant, which is why she wrote to Zhan Chunlan so eagerly. But she was still unsure until she came here and saw these brave people. It seemed that her heart was filled with boundless courage and confidence!