Listen to You
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Summary
Young writer Zhang Haochen's only epistolary short story collection in ten years of writing, a classic reissued with 5 new pieces totaling nearly 30,000 words.
One book in two volumes, including the companion volume A Life Journey.
Includes 80 creative photos of handwritten memorable lines taken around the world, a brand-new visual experience.
For every one of you suffering from severe internal friction, warm and healing.
Everyone will see their own reflection in Zhang Haochen's writing.
The 25 letters in the book correspond to 25 characters speaking,
their innermost words, and also slices of each of our own lives.
Zhang Haochen says: "If you have many hesitant questions, 'Follow your heart' is the answer."
Editor's review
From an editorial perspective, the book's value lies in its sincere posture of "listening." Zhang Haochen does not attempt to offer ultimate answers about love; instead, through each letter, he builds narrative spaces where readers can pause and reflect on themselves. The writing sheds the ornate flourishes of his early work and appears more refined and composed, while emotional density has increased. The book's observations on interpersonal alienation in the digital age and its perplexity over the confirmation of self-worth both demonstrate the author's sensitive grasp of social sentiment.
However, this is not an easy, lighthearted healing sketch. The intimacy of the epistolary form and the跳跃 narrative logic demand greater concentration and empathy from the reader. It is more like a prism refracting different facets of love—sometimes warm companionship, sometimes sharp scrutiny. Readers accustomed to linear stories may need to adjust their expectations. Overall, Follow Your Heart marks Zhang Haochen's shift from "storyteller" to "observer and questioner," and the courage of his literary exploration deserves attention.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Young readers interested in contemporary emotional relationships and inner exploration
- Literary enthusiasts who prefer non-fiction narrative and intimate writing
- Thinkers going through a transition in self-understanding or interpersonal relationships
- Readers who appreciate concise, introspective prose
Not a good fit for
- Entertainment-oriented readers seeking strong plot and fast pacing
- Loyal fans expecting the author to continue his early youth romance style
Reading tips
- Read in a loose, immersive mood; don't rush to find a coherent plot—treat it as a series of emotional slices
- Pair with a quiet environment; best read slowly at night or in solitude to better enter the whispered atmosphere of the letters
- Pause after each letter to reflect on your own related experiences; much of the book's value emerges in afterthought
About the publisher
Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House is a publisher known for its literary titles, with a catalogue spanning foreign literature, world classics, classical Chinese literature, essays and miscellaneous writings, and mystery and detective fiction. Judging from the more than 1,100 books in the database, the press publishes foreign classics such as Crime and Punishment, Snow Country, The Complete Sherlock Holmes and Letter from an Unknown Woman, as well as Chinese classical and modern literary works including Lu Xun's Wandering and A Madman's Diary and Wu Jingzi's The Scholars. In terms of translators and authors, translations by Cao Guowei and Tan Jinghua appear in its foreign literature titles, and the authors involved include Dostoevsky, Kawabata Yasunari, Conan Doyle and Zweig. Its publishing character lies in introducing Chinese and foreign literary classics side by side, balancing popular and serious works and attending to both readability and literary value. Public information is limited; the above is a brief overview based solely on the books in the database.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 前言
- 晚安，另一个我
- 白日老梦想家
- 想飞的候鸟
- 相见恨早
- 你的世界雪停了
- 软柿子的告白
- 单身的快乐你不懂
- 小船
- 偷声音的人
- 公主斗恶龙
- 没有第三者的分手
- 人生假发店
- 人类不懂我们的浪漫
- 冥王星被开除的那一刻
- 下面是机长广播
- 退休函
- 青春滞留中
- 请来打扰
- 暗恋时代
- 跑着去远方
- 再见啦，读者们
- 我们别来无恙
- 广岛信号之恋
- 老模特
- 记忆清除系统的通知
- 手册
FAQ
Is this book very different in style from Zhang Haochen's previous works?
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Does the epistolary form reduce reading coherence?
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About the author
Zhang Haochen is a young author who has drawn considerable attention in the Chinese book market. Available public information about him is limited, and details such as his nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background remain unconfirmed. The library holds five of his works, including Listen to You, Look Up at the Moon Twenty-Nine Times, Later, Time Is All About You, and Let's Talk About It in Spring, as well as a two-volume collection titled Zhang Haochen: Written for You Who Are Disturbed by This Noisy World. These works mostly fall into the categories of personal essays and social fiction, often exploring everyday emotions, human connections, and the confusions of growing up. His writing tends to be gentle and delicate, drawing on small details of life and using short pieces or essay-like structures to convey feelings and reflections, which has resonated with many young readers. Overall, his work is distinguished by emotional companionship and observation of life, in a style that is approachable and easy to read.
