City stories from streets of inspiration

Wahed Ahmadzai usually starts his day with a morning run along the Liangma River. The man in his 20s from Afghanistan has lived in Beijing's Chaoyang district for nine years.

"I come here once in a while to chat with my friends," Ahmadzai says. "And then sometimes I might take my computer with me, and sit on those benches in the neighborhood to work.

"Whenever here, you will get a feeling that life doesn't have to be that fast. You can slow down," he adds.

As he finishes the morning routine, he goes to Sanlitun where he runs his business, NHUB Beijing Infinity Port Culture Technology Co, which aims to help Chinese companies faster expand their overseas presence.

"I set up my office in Sanlitun, because within 1 kilometer, there are more than 500 restaurants, where people can enjoy food from all over the world," he says.

When Ahmadzai needs to take a break, he usually goes to the coffee shops.

"Coffee has now become an essential part of my life. For me, it's a button that helps me switch into the work mode, and there are so many coffee shops here with a nice environment," he says.