He recounted two heartwarming stories. One rainy evening in Taipei, when he was stranded outside the campus without an umbrella, a passing couple noticed and kindly offered theirs, refusing to take it back. They simply said, "Pass it on to someone in need." Another time, Zhou wanted to have one last meal of soup dumplings before leaving Taipei, but the restaurant had already closed. Recognizing him as a regular, the owners reopened the kitchen and prepared a fresh batch just for him.

During my studies at Hunan University in Changsha, Hunan province, from 2020 to 2024, I was often touched by the small, thoughtful gestures of my friends from the mainland.

My roommates, who came from Hubei, Shanghai, and Zhejiang, frequently shared homemade snacks that gave me a taste of their hometowns: Hubei's fragrant rice wine cakes, Zhejiang's crispy Jinhua ham pastries, and Shanghai's iconic crab shell pies.

One especially memorable moment was during the Mid-Autumn Festival when a professor invited me to her home to gaze at the moon and enjoy mooncakes.

It reminded me of similar family gatherings back in Taiwan, where we would sit together in the courtyard, also savoring mooncakes and admiring the full moon. The shared traditions across the Strait reflected our deep cultural bond. That evening, surrounded by such warmth, I felt truly at home, even though I was miles away from my own family.

I believe it's these subtle emotional connections — whether it's a Taiwan mother cheering for Ma Long or a mainland student being enchanted by Taiwan's gentle human touch — that form the most precious bonds across the Taiwan Strait. They don't rely on grand speeches or elaborate rituals; instead, they arise naturally from genuine interactions and heartfelt experiences, drawing us closer together.

Written by Zheng Yaling, a student at Chengchi University in Taiwan.