Chapter 51 – Epilogues

Author’s Note:

A Small Afterword

Finally finished. On one hand, I breathe a sigh of relief; on the other, like some friends, I also feel a bit lost. A writer friend once said, “Writing a novel with your heart is like falling in love”—even if it’s with yourself, you still pour your whole being into it.

Originally planned for 120,000 words, but by the time I finished the first part about Xiang Lei’s growth, it was already close to 130,000. Of course, I wasn’t done yet—the first draft ended up at 337,000 words! I don’t know whether to admire myself or worry for the friends who followed along. I think reading is harder than writing because the writer always knows what happens next—no agonizing wait.

Answering two questions:

1. Is the author Xiang Lei or He Fei? — The author is neither He Fei nor Xiang Lei. Or rather, Xiang Lei has traces of the author, and so does He Fei—little quirks, thoughts, temperaments.

2. How much of this is real vs. made up? — Many real events are woven together, but their connections are usually fabricated and pieced together. Some scenes you’d swear actually happened might’ve been stolen from other stories, while some you’d assume are fictional might be my own experiences, or things I’ve seen or heard.