They asked me to play Lin Cheng’s dead idealized first love.
So I practiced smiling in front of the mirror.
As it happens, I was her all along.
Just not the person I used to be.
Back then, he personally sacrificed me as a pawn to secure his business empire.
Now I climb the steps they offer me and return to his hunting ground.
He watches me with cool appraisal; I move carefully, one step at a time.
He finally sees the truth; I watch with indifference.
No one steps into the same river twice.
[Does a kiss mean love?]
[If it does, why can’t I feel any warmth?]
This is the story of a woman going from merely “being alive” to “choosing how to live.”
She is not saved; she becomes her own salvation.
A note for readers:
1. This is not a story of a broken couple getting back together. There is plenty of angst early on, and a little melodrama.
2. This is not a revenge story about an all-powerful heroine. It is simply the story of a woman examining society and rebuilding herself from within.
3. The heroine has suffered greatly and has some self-destructive tendencies.
4. Thank you for reading and commenting. I’ll read every comment carefully. Thank you!
I hope every woman who has endured systemic betrayal and trauma can rebuild herself and achieve spiritual independence.
