The orphan Wang Laoer made a living by riding a tricycle in the 1990s. Although it was hard work, he was successful in life. He and his wife Xiaofang, who was also an orphan, got along well with each other and built a warm family.
In the 21st century, tricycles were banned in the city. Wang Laoer borrowed money to buy an electric car and started running Didi. The business was good at first. The couple bought a small house with a loan. The birth of their son Xiaobao made them full of hope.
Five-year-old Xiao Bao died of a sudden high fever that turned into meningitis, and his wife Xiao Fang suffered a mental breakdown. In grief, Wang Lao Er shouldered the burden of the family alone, and a sports car became the only way to escape reality.
Competition in the online ride-hailing industry has intensified, and platform commissions have increased. Wang Laoer still has trouble making ends meet and paying for his wife's medical expenses even though he works 16 hours a day, and his life has fallen into a vicious cycle.
Long-term overload of work and mental depression caused Wang Laoer to gradually lose his ability to perceive emotions. He became mechanically indifferent towards passengers and his wife, and even began to numb himself with alcohol.
Wang Laoer's transformation from a hard-working and optimistic tricycle driver to an insensitive Didi driver shows the mental collapse of a little man under the double blow of the tide of the times and family tragedy.
