For a Better Life

Set in contemporary times, this novel explores the effective transition from poverty alleviation to rural revitalization. Against the backdrop of a great era, an imbalanced population, the preference for sons over daughters, and a mass influx of migrant workers into the cities have left many young men in the countryside unable to find partners. Sun Jiawei is one of them. Hoping to find a girlfriend, he goes to Shanghai for work, only to suffer the miserable ordeal of having his engagement broken off while being denied the return of the bride price. To build a better life, he and his neighbor Ma Xiaoran open a clothing store together. After overcoming one difficulty and obstacle after another, just as the business gets on track, a fire causes devastating losses. Later, they return home to recuperate, intending to leave again for work, when the village Party secretary asks Sun Jiawei to join the village's rural revitalization efforts.

In his work, Sun Jiawei is guided by the principle of "thinking what the people think and rushing to address what they need." He focuses on changing outdated customs and revitalizing local industries. He forcefully challenges the harmful practices of exorbitant bride prices and neglecting parents in life only to lavishly bury them after death, while throwing himself into industrial development. He creates jobs close to home for the young men and women of the village.

Although Sun Jiawei encounters all kinds of difficulties in his work, he stays true to his original purpose and never wavers. In the end, his efforts to transform local customs achieve remarkable results, the village industries flourish, neighbors stay instead of leaving, and people across the region prosper.