The life story of the protagonist, Zong Ze, follows his personal growth from a difficult childhood in the 1980s to his first steps into the wider world as a teenager. Driven by poverty, he heads south to find work, encountering all kinds of unusual lives as a boss, a laborer, a craftsman, and a street vendor. His experiences reveal the many flavors of life and inspire reflections that range from complex to carefree. The contrast between the close-knit rural community of his childhood and the vast world of city life is stark. Behind the countless hardships of ordinary people, we see lives unlike one another. Why must everyone strive to rise above their station and bring honor to their family? Is there anything wrong with being an ordinary person? Wouldn't it be better for everyone to live a meaningful life in their own way? Choosing an ordinary life is also a way to pursue life.
This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.
