A love that spans ten years, this is a heart-wrenching urban tale of regret and growth. Their first meeting beneath a pagoda tree in an ancient town at eighteen, their farewell at a city crossroads at twenty-eight: the story of Lin Yan and Su Wan slowly unfolds across two timelines, one in the present and one in memory.
Born into poverty, Lin Yan shoulders the burden of his gravely ill mother and his family’s debts. Again and again, he chooses to sacrifice himself, caught between love and responsibility. Bright as sunshine, Su Wan captures the most unforgettable love of her youth with her camera, yet she can never bridge the divide of class differences and family opposition. From awkward high school desk mates to a reunion in the workplace, a deal worth five hundred thousand, carefully orchestrated misunderstandings, and countless moments when words go unspoken all keep the two lovers passing each other by.
Using the pagoda tree as a symbol, the novel threads keepsakes such as an old camera, a hair tie, and a diary throughout its story, delicately portraying the struggles and choices young people face under the pressures of real life. Not every love story gets a happy ending, but the deep affection left unspoken and buried by the years will remain an indelible mark on a life. When the truth finally comes to light ten years later, can they reclaim the time they lost?
With delicate prose, this work explores self-respect and sacrifice in love, and the collision between reality and ideals. It is ideal for readers who enjoy deeply emotional storytelling and social realism. If you were moved by the seven years of waiting in Silent Separation, or wept over the quiet devotion in Fifteen Years of Waiting for Migratory Birds, this story will surely show you love in its most honest form, through tears.
