Songs of Chang'an

Lu Sheng married Ji Chang'an and became the Mrs. Ji whom others envied, living a materially comfortable yet stifling life. She resists having children and struggles to deal with her domineering husband and relatives who keep urging her to conceive, caught between the confines of marriage and her own inner turmoil. From deliberately avoiding pregnancy to an unexpected conception, from putting her career dreams on hold to shouldering family responsibilities, the two come to understand love and respect anew through friction and compromise. At last, amid the chaotic day-to-day business of raising a child, they discover what marriage really looks like. A solemn disclaimer: This story is “partly fictional.” Any resemblance is probably because I really do have an aunt like this. Half the characters and events in this novel are drawn from real life. The main characters in this work have real-life counterparts, especially the heroine, who was inspired by my aunt. Although the plot has been exaggerated and artistically embellished, her personality, experiences, and some of the dialogue are based on moments from real life. I hope this story will help more people see her resilience, gentleness, and kindness. At the end of certain chapters, I’ll point out which parts really happened. I hope you enjoy my novel.