Morning Dew: Chapter 5 - Preparation: Morning Dew, #5

By Aojie Long

Xiaolu begins to make her plans on how she will escape the suffocating hold her family has placed on it. She longs for the freedom to make her own choices in life, wanting to break free from the constrictions of 'social norms.' Yet to reject all of that, to go against the grain, creates internal conflict that she struggles to contain.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Skeletons and Coffee
• Release date: May 17, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224594436

Book preview

Chapter 5 Preparation

Xiaolu got up early, not wanting to deal with her parents. She grabbed an old backpack from her closet and packed a few days worth of clothes into it, as well as a few bits of makeup. After getting dressed quickly, she went to the balcony to feed her birds, but kept them in their cages. She left in a rush, closing the front door quietly. Walking to her car, not even the first rays of sunlight were peaking over the horizon.

Buzz buzz

A message from her boyfriend. She ignored it.

As she drove, the clouds turned a bright pink, the sky a dull blue. She parked outside the company, walking to the front door.

Buzz buzz

It was still locked. She looked around and saw a nearby chain restaurant was open. She went inside and ordered herself some breakfast with a large cup of coffee.

She took a seat by the window and watched quietly as the city woke up while she ate, the clouds fading from fuchsia to white, the sky from a tranquil blue to a bright cerulean.

A calm washed over her as she sat there, sipping on her coffee. A tiny whisper of guilt lingered at the back of her mind, questioning if she had been overreacting. She knew it was normal for her parents to want grandchildren at their age, but Xiaolu had never been a normal girl. It seemed like this would just end up being another instance of her disappointing them.

Buzz buzz

Buzz buzz

Her peace was interrupted by a call. It was her mom.

Where are you? Her mom sounded a bit annoyed.

"I