Set in the Beijing courtyard homes of 1948 to 1976, this novel tells the story of Lin Wei, a former internet company CEO who is reborn as a young woman whose parents have died, leaving only her younger brother by her side. Armed with the wisdom of her previous life, a 100-square-meter space, and mysterious pills, she struggles to build a home for them in turbulent times.
On entering this chaotic era, she faces down the greed and schemes of neighbors like Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu. Her abacus skills help her earn a living, and to protect the courtyard home and her younger brother, she marries Gu Yan, an upright and steady police officer. From then on, they become each other's support. She steadily advances in her career, rising from a clerk at a general store to head of the accounting team at a state-run store, making her mark through diligence and precision. In private, she makes clever use of supplies from her space and her pills to keep her family safe and help her younger brother succeed, always keeping a low profile and disguising her security with the appearance of frugality.
From the shortages of the early years of the new nation, through the tide of public-private partnerships, and into the turmoil of a special period, Lin Wei and Gu Yan face rumors together, resolve crises over their class backgrounds, and protect their home. They raise her younger brother to adulthood and help their children thrive. In the courtyard house of gray bricks and tiles, there are both everyday neighborhood squabbles and open and covert conflicts, as well as the quiet understanding between husband and wife and the warmth and support of family. And beneath it all is Lin Wei's remarkable life: using her intelligence and sharp resolve to keep her family safe and preserve their peaceful happiness amid the torrents of history.
The timeline has been changed for the story, with events moved earlier.
