In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

Happy times always pass quickly; fulfilling and peaceful days seem to be fast-forwarded.

In the blink of an eye, the scorching July and August have quietly slipped away, and the calendar has turned to the beginning of September, the start of the new school year for primary, secondary, and tertiary schools.

Life in the courtyard house continues to flow slowly along its inherent rhythm.

Yang Guangming's purchase of a bicycle and a camera caused quite a stir in the courtyard, but as he had predicted, as time went by, new topics of conversation gradually replaced the old excitement, and life returned to a superficial calm.

On the first Monday of September, Peking University's campus returned to its usual vibrancy and bustle. Students, who had been away for nearly two months, returned from all directions, bringing with them the dust and stories of their hometowns, and once again filling the dormitories, classrooms, and tree-lined paths.

Laughter and playful shouts replaced the silence of summer vacation, and the air was filled with the restlessness and vitality unique to youth.

Yang Guangming returned to school. Compared to the poverty and eagerness he felt when he left, his state of mind was now completely different.

With ample cash in his pocket, plenty of supplies in his living space, and the fact that his mother has a stable job, his grandmother is in good health, and his younger sister is growing up happily, he has been relieved of his heavy financial burden and is able to devote himself to the new semester with a more relaxed and even slightly detached mindset.

In the first few days after the start of the semester, he attended classes and went to the library as usual, familiarizing himself with the new semester's course schedule. But his mind was no longer on the routine classroom learning.

The fusion of memories from three lifetimes, especially his profound accumulation in the field of computer science in his second lifetime, made the undergraduate course content seem too basic and slow for him.

He longed to move to the next stage more quickly, to have more free time to plan and enjoy the "easy and carefree" life he desired in this lifetime.

Therefore, on the first Friday evening after the start of the semester, after dinner, as dusk fell and the streetlights came on, Yang Guangming, carrying the three papers he had carefully prepared during the summer vacation, calmly knocked on Professor Chang's door.

Professor Chang lives in a relatively quiet faculty dormitory area in Yannan Garden. His house is a small courtyard with blue bricks and gray tiles, exuding the tranquility and solemnity of academia.

Professor Chang is one of the leading authorities in the Chinese mathematics community, especially in the field of pure mathematics. He is known for his rigorous scholarship and extremely high standards, and enjoys a high reputation in Peking University and the national mathematics community. Yang Guangming's choice of him as a breakthrough point was a well-considered one.

"Who is it?" A gentle, slightly aged voice came from inside the door.

"Professor Chang, hello. I am Yang Guangming, a third-year student in the Department of Mathematics. I have some academic questions I would like to ask you." Yang Guangming stood outside the door and said respectfully.

The wooden door creaked open, and Professor Chang appeared in the doorway.

He was about sixty years old, with his hair neatly combed and wearing black-rimmed glasses. He was thin, yet possessed an air of scholarly authority that commanded respect without anger.

He glanced at the young man at the door and seemed to recognize the name.

Yang Guangming had excelled in previous courses in Mathematical Analysis and Higher Algebra, often demonstrating unexpected problem-solving approaches that impressed several of his instructors. Professor Chang also had some impression of him, but not a very deep one.

"Oh, Yang Guangming, come in." Professor Chang stepped aside to make way, his tone calm.

After thanking him, Yang Guangming went inside.

The living room was small and simply furnished, its most notable feature being the abundance of books. Several large bookshelves against the wall were crammed full, and books and manuscripts were scattered on the sofa and coffee table.

"Sit down." Professor Chang gestured to a wicker chair, then sat down on the old sofa opposite him. "You said you had some academic problems?"

Yang Guangming did not sit down immediately, but instead handed over the manuscript of the paper, which was wrapped in a kraft paper envelope, with both hands, his attitude humble:
"Professor Chang, I apologize for disturbing your rest. These are three short articles I tried to write during the summer vacation, which are some preliminary thoughts on several different directions in pure mathematics."

I've revised it several times myself, but I'm still unsure. I'd like to humbly ask for your guidance, to see if it's of any value.

His words were tactful; he didn't directly ask for publication, but rather sought advice and guidance, which was befitting a student seeking instruction from a teacher.

Professor Chang took the envelope; it felt quite heavy. He pulled out a thick stack of manuscript paper inside, the handwriting neat and clear, the formulas and diagrams meticulously drawn. This earnest attitude alone made him feel favorably disposed towards the professor.

His gaze swept over the title of the first paper: "Some problems concerning the distribution of prime numbers in arithmetic series".

Professor Chang adjusted his glasses, his gaze sharpening slightly. This topic involved one of the core difficulties in analytic number theory, something that ordinary third-year students wouldn't easily delve into, let alone attempt to write a paper on.

He originally thought it was just some students' reading notes or extended exercises, but it turned out to be quite formal and the topics were very substantial.

"Hmm, please sit down, let me take a look first." Professor Chang pointed to the rattan chair, then lowered his head and immersed himself in the manuscript in his hands.

Yang Guangming sat down quietly, his back straight, his gaze calm as he waited.

He wasn't worried that Professor Chang would notice anything amiss. These three papers were the result of his careful selection.

Using the mathematical journal data stored on his hard drive, and combining it with the level of mathematical development in the early 1960s, he selected three topics that were not yet fully solved at the time, but were not the most advanced world problems.

He ensured that the ideas, methods, and conclusions of the paper were forward-looking and innovative, but kept them within the range that a "genius student" could achieve, without introducing overly advanced theories or symbolic systems.

Time passed slowly in silence, with only the rustling sound of Professor Chang turning the pages of his manuscript and the occasional soft inhale as he pondered.

Professor Chang read it very slowly and carefully.

At first, his expression was the usual serious and cautious. But as he read on, his brow furrowed and relaxed at times, and his fingers unconsciously tapped lightly on the edge of the manuscript.

When he sees something ingenious, he will stop, pick up the pencil next to him, and quickly do some calculations on the draft paper, with a glint of light occasionally flashing in his eyes.

He was particularly surprised to see that Yang Guangming gave a new estimate of the error term of the prime number distribution in the arithmetic series in his paper. His method combined the sieve method and complex function techniques. The idea was ingenious and the result was better than some of the conclusions known at the time.

Yang Guangming observed silently, feeling at ease. He knew that his "testing the waters" had worked.

After about an hour, Professor Chang finally finished reading most of the core content of the first paper.

He let out a long sigh, took off his glasses, rubbed his slightly sore nose, and looked up at Yang Guangming again, his gaze completely different.

It was filled with surprise, admiration, and a touch of disbelief.

"Yang Ming," Professor Chang's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible excitement, "this paper, 'Some Problems Concerning the Distribution of Prime Numbers in Arithmetic Series'... you completed it independently? The method for estimating the error term here demonstrates your skill."

"Yes, Professor Chang."

Yang Guangming met his gaze calmly, "During the summer vacation, which was relatively short, I consulted the works of Vinogradov, Hua Luogeng, and others on the method of circles and trigonometric estimation, and I also pondered them repeatedly for a long time."

I thought perhaps we could try a different combination to optimize it, so I did some calculations. Some of my ideas might still be immature, so please excuse my amateurish attempts.

Professor Chang shook his head, put his glasses back on, and tapped the manuscript paper with his finger: "No, it's not immature. On the contrary, the paper is very cleverly conceived and insightful in its expansion of existing theories."

Especially the part where you combined sieve theory with analytical tools, you handled it quite beautifully.

He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts, his tone clearly approving: "For someone with your level of knowledge as a junior, to be able to independently complete such a paper is truly remarkable. It not only demonstrates your mastery of basic knowledge but also reflects your strong independent research and innovation capabilities."

"Professor, you flatter me. I've only stood on the shoulders of giants and made a small attempt," Yang Guangming continued humbly.

"The greatest innovation is to take a solid step based on the work of predecessors."

Professor Chang waved his hand, clearly disagreeing with his modesty.

He picked up the title pages of two other papers and looked at them: "Automorphisms of a Class of Classical Groups" and "Some Properties of Singular Integrals in the Theory of Several Complex Functions." His gaze became even more serious. "These two... are they also at a similar level? And the range is quite wide, covering number theory, algebra, and analysis."

"I wouldn't presume to boast, but I certainly put a lot of effort into it. I'm very interested in all of these areas, so I did some research during the holiday," Yang Guangming replied.

Professor Chang took a deep breath and weighed the three manuscripts in his hands, as if assessing their true weight.

He didn't continue reading immediately, but instead looked intently at Yang Guangming: "Okay, Guangming, I'll look at the rest of the content carefully later."

Now, I'd like to hear your own understanding of these papers.

Could you explain to me the core estimation idea behind this number theory paper, and how you came up with the idea of ​​combining sieve methods with tools from complex analysis?

This is a crucial test, intended to confirm whether the paper was truly written by him and to gain a deeper understanding of his thought process.

Yang Guangming was prepared for this. He remained calm and began to explain.

He began by discussing the overall background of Dirichlet's theorem and the distribution of prime numbers, and then analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of several existing main methods.

Then, the core ideas of the paper were clearly explained: why a specific sieve function was chosen, how to cleverly construct a complex integral to relate it to the distribution function, and finally, through refined asymptotic analysis, an improved error term estimate was obtained.

He explained in detail the motivation and possible difficulties of each step of the derivation, and how he cleverly chose parameters to circumvent the complex zero-point problem.

His presentation was clear, logical, and well-organized. He not only fully understood his own paper but also demonstrated a profound and unique understanding of analytic number theory.

In some details, he even proposed several possible alternative approaches or directions for further exploration in the future, demonstrating his masterful control.

Professor Chang listened attentively, occasionally interjecting with a sharp question or two, such as a rigorous proof of the convergence of a certain integral, or the possibility of replacing it with another sieve function. Yang Guangming answered fluently, and sometimes even extended the discussion to offer insights that impressed Professor Chang.

Next, Professor Chang quickly browsed the abstracts and main conclusions of two other papers, and raised questions about the characterization of the automorphism of orthogonal groups over a specific field in "Automorphisms of a Class of Typical Groups" and the kernel function estimation techniques involved in "Some Properties of Singular Integrals in the Theory of Several Complex Functions".

Yang Guangming handled the situation with ease, demonstrating a solid foundation and active thinking that spans multiple fields including number theory, algebra, and analysis.

Under the dim light of the living room, the two engaged in a question-and-answer session, and the atmosphere grew increasingly lively. It was less of a teacher-student dialogue and more of a small academic discussion.

The "defense" lasted for nearly an hour.

After Yang Guangming answered Professor Chang's last question about the paper on several complex variables, Professor Chang leaned back on the sofa and remained silent for a long time. A complex expression appeared on his face, showing surprise, relief, and a touch of emotion.

"The next generation is to be feared, the next generation is to be feared!"

Professor Chang finally murmured, looking at Yang Guangming with burning eyes, "Yang Guangming, I knew you had good talent before, but I really didn't expect you to have reached this level."

These three papers—"Arithmetic Series," "Classical Groups," and "Singular Integrals"—each delve into profound problems within their respective fields, and their methods and conclusions are highly innovative.

He paused, then said with certainty, "Any one of these papers, in terms of depth and innovation, would be a good master's thesis. For many lecturers and associate professors, tackling such a problem would be considered a remarkable achievement."

"You've made progress on three high-quality papers simultaneously; that's simply...unbelievable."

He looked at the manuscript in his hand again, shook his head, as if digesting the fact: "With your current level of performance, it would be a complete waste of time to continue taking junior and senior year courses in a step-by-step manner."

Yang Guangming's heart stirred, knowing the time was ripe. He timely revealed a hint of confusion and expectation: "Professor Chang, do you think... these three rudimentary articles of mine, is it possible... to try submitting them? For example, to the school's journal?"

"The school newspaper?" Upon hearing this, Professor Chang shook his head almost without hesitation, his tone carrying an undeniable certainty. "The quality of your three papers far exceeds the school newspaper's acceptance criteria. Submitting them to the school newspaper would be like casting pearls before swine; it would be such a waste."

He picked up the stack of manuscripts and patted it gently: "I think they are fully qualified and should be published in the Journal of Mathematics!"

Acta Mathematica Sinica!
The flagship journal of the Chinese Mathematical Society, and the most authoritative and influential comprehensive academic journal in the Chinese mathematics community.

Being able to publish a paper in this journal means that the research work has been recognized by the highest level of the domestic mathematics community. For any mathematician, this is an extremely high honor and an important cornerstone of their academic career.

Although Yang Guangming had expected this, hearing Professor Chang's clear and affirmative words still stirred a ripple in his heart.

This went even more smoothly than he had expected!

"The Acta Mathematica Sinica?" He appropriately feigned surprise and a hint of uncertainty. "Professor Chang, this... I'm just an undergraduate student, and I have no prior publication experience. Submitting directly to the Acta Mathematica Sinica... will that be...?"

"Experience is not the issue; competence is the key."

Professor Chang interrupted him, his tone resolute, "Ultimately, the mathematics community is judged by its results. The quality of your three papers speaks for itself, and I believe the journal's editors and reviewers will make a fair judgment."

He hesitated for a moment, then continued, "How about this, if you agree, I can recommend these three papers to the *Journal of Mathematics*. With my recommendation, the process will be much smoother, and it will also attract sufficient attention from the editorial department. What do you think?" This was undoubtedly a timely help.

As an undergraduate student, Yang Guangming would face a significantly greater challenge in publishing in a journal of the caliber of *Acta Mathematica Sinica* without the recommendation of an authoritative figure in the field. Professor Chang's suggestion addressed his biggest concern.

"This... thank you so much, Professor Chang! It's an honor for me to receive your recommendation! But isn't this going too much trouble for you?"

Professor Chang waved his hand, a rare gentle smile appearing on his face. "Seeing outstanding students stand out is the greatest satisfaction for us teachers. Recommending promising juniors is simply our duty."

He gestured for Yang Guangming to sit down again, then changed the subject and made a more significant suggestion:

"Guangming, now that your academic abilities have reached this level, I think you don't need to waste any more time following the regular academic system. I suggest you apply to take the graduation exam early."

Yang Guangming was certain that this was his ultimate purpose in coming to see Professor Chang tonight.

Professor Chang continued his analysis: "Any one of these three papers you submitted is sufficient in depth and breadth to qualify as an excellent undergraduate thesis. As long as you pass your basic course exams, graduating early will be no problem at all. What do you think?"

Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, Yang Guangming nodded earnestly: "Professor Chang, thank you for your affirmation and guidance. I am very willing to try to graduate early, hoping to devote myself to more in-depth research work as soon as possible, or to gain experience in a job. I just don't know if the school and department support this, and what the specific procedures are..."

"You don't need to worry about that," Professor Chang said confidently. "As long as you pass your graduation exams and thesis defense, I'll handle the communication with the department and the university. The university has always encouraged exceptionally outstanding students to graduate early."

He glanced at the paper on the table, then at the student before him who was so composed he didn't seem like a young man, and the more he looked, the more satisfied he became.
"Here's what we'll do: keep these three manuscripts with me for now. I'll carefully consider them so I can be more targeted when writing my recommendation letter. As for you, go back and prepare for your graduation exams. I'll contact the department as soon as possible to arrange your graduation assessments."

"Yes! Thank you, Professor Chang!" Yang Guangming stood up again and expressed his heartfelt gratitude.

"Work hard, there's a long road ahead." Professor Chang patted him on the shoulder and encouraged him, "With your talent and diligence, you will surely achieve great things in the field of mathematics in the future."

It was late when I left Professor Chang's house. The September evening breeze carried a hint of coolness, which felt particularly refreshing on my face. The moonlight, like quicksilver, illuminated the path in Yannan Garden with a clear glow.

Yang Guangming walked briskly along the quiet path. Things were progressing even more smoothly than he had anticipated. Professor Chang's approval and strong support paved the way for his early graduation.

Once he graduates and gets a job, he will have more free time.

In the days that followed, Yang Guangming attended classes as usual while also beginning to review all the core undergraduate courses in a targeted manner to prepare for his graduation exams.

This was no challenge for him; it was just a formality.

Professor Chang acted swiftly and decisively. Within a few days, the department leaders spoke with Yang Guangming, and after confirming his wishes and conducting a preliminary assessment of his knowledge, they officially approved his application to take the graduation exam early.

A graduation examination committee specifically organized for him was quickly established, and Professor Chang was naturally a core member of it.

The exam was held on a Friday afternoon in a small conference room in the department.

Several senior professors served as examiners, covering all major professional courses such as mathematical analysis, higher algebra, analytic geometry, differential equations, and probability theory.

The exam consisted of both written and oral components. Yang Guangming handled it with ease, writing with remarkable fluency and answering questions with remarkable ease. His solid foundation, clear and rigorous logic, and occasional flashes of insightful observations drew frequent nods of approval from the professors present.

Ultimately, he passed all his graduation exams with near-perfect scores, without any doubt.

At the same time, with Professor Chang's strong recommendation, Yang Guangming's three papers—"Some Problems on the Distribution of Prime Numbers in Arithmetic Series", "Automorphism Groups of a Class of Typical Groups", and "Some Properties of Singular Integrals in the Theory of Several Complex Functions"—were officially submitted to the editorial department of the Journal of Mathematics.

The quality of the paper itself was highly convincing, and with the strong recommendation of Professor Chang, an authoritative scholar, the review process went exceptionally smoothly.

Both anonymous reviewers gave it high praise, believing that the paper was highly innovative, rigorously argued, and of significant academic value.

The editorial board quickly made the decision to accept the papers. Considering that all three papers were written by an undergraduate student who had not yet graduated, and that the quality of all of them was so high, this was extremely rare in the history of the *Acta Mathematica Sinica*, and it attracted considerable attention.

To ensure fairness and to demonstrate respect for talent, the Department of Mathematics at Peking University and the editorial department of the Journal of Mathematical Sciences jointly decided to hold a small academic seminar for Yang Guangming, which would also serve as his undergraduate thesis defense.

The seminar and defense session were held in a conference room.

The classroom was packed with people that day.

In addition to members of the graduation examination committee, many professors, lecturers and senior students from the mathematics department also attended, and even leaders from the school's academic affairs office were invited to attend.

Everyone wanted to see for themselves who this undergraduate graduate, who was about to shock the domestic mathematics community with three high-level papers, really was.

Yang Guangming, dressed in a slightly worn Zhongshan suit, stood on the podium, his posture upright and his face calm. He first gave a brief report on the main results of his three papers, his thinking clear and his language precise.

Then, they answered questions from the teachers and students present.

The Q&A session was quite lively.

Some professors questioned the choice of sieve parameters in the paper "Arithmetic Series", some lecturers asked whether the automorphism characterization in the paper "Classical Groups" is applicable to more general cases, and some students were curious about how he was able to master three very different fields at the undergraduate level.

Faced with all sorts of questions, even some rather sharp academic criticisms, Yang Guangming has always remained calm and humble.

He cited numerous sources and analyzed the issues meticulously, not only perfectly defending the viewpoints of his paper but also demonstrating a broad knowledge base and profound theoretical foundation by drawing inferences from one instance to another.

His performance completely won over everyone present. Those who initially looked at him with scrutiny or skepticism gradually turned to admiration and praise.

Professor Chang sat in the audience, watching his students perform with ease on the academic stage, and a gratified smile appeared on his face.

The defense was ultimately a complete success.

The dissertation defense committee unanimously agreed that Yang Guangming's three papers were of excellent quality and fully met the standards for undergraduate graduation, and passed his dissertation defense with a unanimous vote.

The news quickly spread across campus.

The name "Yang Guangming" quickly became a legend on the Peking University campus. A third-year student graduating early with three papers published simultaneously in the "Journal of Mathematics" is an extremely rare occurrence in the history of Peking University.

His classmates looked at him with admiration and envy. His roommates were even more proud and congratulated him one after another.

Yang Guangming remained calm and humble in the face of this situation.

After graduating successfully, the next issue is job placement.

Because Yang Guangming had already achieved remarkable results in pure mathematics and demonstrated extremely strong research potential, in order to give full play to his professional expertise, and after recommendation from the school and overall consideration by higher authorities, his work assignment was quickly determined:

Institute of Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

This is a research institution that is considered a temple of science by countless science students. Being able to work there means standing at the forefront of mathematical research in China.

On the day he received his job assignment notice, Yang Guangming had mixed feelings. There was a little anticipation for the new phase that was about to begin, a touch of nostalgia for his life on the Peking University campus, but more than anything, there was a sense of security that everything was going according to plan.

Going to a mathematics research institute to engage in pure mathematical research offers a relatively simple environment and more freedom of time, which aligns with his vision of a "relaxed and carefree" life.

Moreover, the Institute of Mathematics is located in Zhongguancun, not far from his home, which makes it convenient for him to take care of his family and manage his small home in the courtyard.

He packed his luggage, said goodbye to his roommates and familiar classmates, and calmly left the Peking University campus amidst many envious and blessing glances.

He didn't go to the mathematics institute immediately; instead, he went home first. He needed to tell his mother and grandmother the news and put their minds at ease.

When he stepped into that familiar courtyard house again, the afterglow of the setting sun was shining on the blue bricks and gray tiles, creating a warm and peaceful atmosphere.

Grandpa Tong was watering the flowers in the front yard. When he saw him come back, he greeted him with a smile: "Guangming is back. It's not Sunday today, how come you have time to come home?"

"Uncle Tong, I've been assigned a job after graduation, and I'll be working in Kyoto from now on," Yang Guangming replied with a smile, his tone calm.

"Oh! That's great news! Which unit have you been assigned to?" Grandpa Tong put down his kettle and asked with concern.

"Academy of Sciences, Institute of Mathematics".

"Academy of Sciences!"

Grandpa Tong gasped. Although he wasn't quite sure what it was all about, the words "Academy of Sciences" represented an extremely high status and honor in those days. "Incredible! Incredible! Guangming, you've really made something of yourself! Our academy has truly produced a dragon!"

Grandpa Tong had a loud voice, and his words immediately attracted the attention of the other neighbors in the courtyard. Soon, the news that Yang Guangming had been assigned to the Institute of Mathematics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences spread like wildfire throughout the entire courtyard.

Upon hearing the news, Deputy Director Li from the Intermediate People's Court's main office came out, patted Yang Guangming on the shoulder, and repeatedly said "good," his eyes full of approval.

Even the door to the west wing of the front yard belonging to the Ma family was quietly opened a crack. Ma Youcai poked half his head out, glanced at Yang Guangming with a complicated look, and then quickly shrank back and closed the door tightly.

Yang Guangming pushed the cart through the moon gate and returned to the east courtyard.

Mother Tian Yufen was picking vegetables at the entrance of the main room, Grandma was doing needlework on a small stool next to her, and younger sister Yang Shanshan was playing hopscotch in the yard.

"Mom, Grandma, Shanshan, I'm back!" Yang Guangming shouted as soon as he entered the courtyard.

"Brother!" Yang Shanshan was the first to rush over.

Tian Yufen and the old lady also looked up, their faces beaming with smiles.

They had already learned from their son about graduating early and possibly being assigned to a unit in Beijing, and they were always thinking about which unit they would eventually be assigned to.

"Has the allocation been decided?" Tian Yufen put down the vegetables in her hand, stood up, and asked somewhat nervously.

"It's settled, the Institute of Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences," Yang Guangming replied calmly.

"The Chinese Academy of Sciences... Great, a great institution!"

Although Tian Yufen didn't quite understand, she knew from the name that it was extraordinary, and her face immediately lit up with a smile, her eyes even becoming a little moist.

She recalled the days when she worried about her son's tuition fees in the countryside, and looking at herself now, she felt like she was dreaming.

The old woman put down her needlework, clasped her hands together, and murmured, "Ancestors bless me, ancestors bless me... My eldest grandson has made something of himself, he's got a stable job with the government..."

Seeing his family's joyful expressions, Yang Guangming felt a surge of warmth in his heart. Wasn't everything he had done simply to ensure his family could live a stable and respected life?
Dinner was exceptionally lavish; Tian Yufen specially cooked two extra dishes and also sliced ​​a small plate of cured meat.

At the dinner table, the family enthusiastically discussed Yang Guangming's new job and their future life.

"We'll settle down in Kyoto from now on, and our family won't be separated. That's wonderful," Tian Yufen said contentedly, placing a piece of food on her son's plate.

"Brother, does that mean you can come home every day from now on?" Yang Shanshan asked, blinking her big eyes.

"Okay, I'll come home every day from now on." Yang Guangming nodded. The location of the Institute of Mathematics wasn't far from the courtyard house, making it very convenient to come and go.

"Great, great..." The old lady smiled from ear to ear, "A family reunion is better than anything else."

After dinner, Yang Guangming helped his mother clear the dishes, then moved a small stool and sat in the yard, watching the stars gradually brighten in the night sky.

My younger sister chattered away about the funny things that happened at school, while my mother and grandmother continued doing their needlework under the lamp, occasionally exchanging a few words in hushed tones.

The evening breeze rustled softly through the old pomegranate tree in the courtyard.

The courtyard house was quiet and peaceful at night. (End of Chapter)