Ever since the founding of the new nation, the land of China has been developing at a dizzying pace.
Then came the 1990s, a peculiar era when economic growth was the sole priority. A group of laid-off workers and poor farmers barely scraping by struggled through confusion and hardship, throwing themselves into the game and using brutal methods to gamble on a dream of a better future.
And so, one after another, gangs and groups of lowlifes and hooligans came into being.
They grew amid blood and tears, struggling through cries of anguish.
Some lived, some died, some made fortunes, and some went to prison...
Perhaps the hardships of this life were the fate set for them in a past life. Perhaps the hardships of this life were the path laid out for them in the next.
They charged forward amid violence and shrank back before blades.
They were obsessed with fighting for fame and fortune through passion and intrigue.
They were obsessed with sinking into decadence amid a life of luxury.
Ask them: Does any of this mean anything?
They say:
We are trying to live, and only trying to live well.
Don't talk to us about the meaning of life. We know neither where we came from nor where we are going. So what meaning is there in talking about life at all?
The most important thing is to live in the present and make the most of it. As the saying goes, “Things may not go as you wish, but at least have a clear conscience.” Don't spend your life worrying about what comes next, only to be full of regret on your deathbed. That would be a life wasted.
