Chapter 01: Xia Mi September 21st marked the tail end of summer. The night finally offered a hint of coolness, so Xia Mi switched off her energy-inefficient air conditioner and opened the window. A wave of humid, sweltering air, laced with a faint cool breeze, pressed against her face. Xia Mi would have preferred to keep the AC running, but the electricity at her rented apartment was simply too expensive. At 1.5 yuan per kilowatt-hour for commercial-rate electricity, it was a burden she could hardly…