On registration day in March, a thin mist still lingered on the campus of Shangjing University.
Ji Xiaosong stood before the women's dormitory, holding Zhigang's hand with her left and cradling Nian'an in her right. Behind her, Ji Dan followed, carrying two large bundles, with Zhitie clutching tightly to the corner of his clothes.
She wore a faded, navy-blue Lenin suit, a small red star badge pinned to her collar. Xu Weidong had personally polished it for her from a scrap of special-grade steel.
"Room 302 is this way."
The dorm manager, Aunt Wang, pushed up her reading glasses. Her gaze lingered on the three children for a moment. "School regulations forbid children from living in the dormitories."
Ji Xiaosong was prepared. She took a manila envelope from one of the bundles. "Aunt Wang, this is my application for off-campus housing. The local administrative office has already stamped it."
