In the early 21st century, Lin Xiaomeng, a working-class student from a small inland city, earns admission to a prestigious university in the Pearl River Delta through hard work. To pay for her gravely ill father's medical treatment, she is forced to step into the dazzling, chaotic world of the city's nightlife, beginning a life of “playing roles.” From innocent student to career professional, then to a social butterfly moving among competing factions, she navigates the protection of her childhood sweetheart, the temptations of wealthy and handsome men, the schemes of successful businessmen, and the betrayals and warmth of her companions from the bottom of society. The “actor's ledger” in her hands records not only the men who changed her fate, but also the story of how she went from passively playing a part on society's grand stage to taking control and ultimately directing her own life. Spanning nearly twenty years and closely tied to changes in Chinese society, especially the economic development and shifting attitudes of the Pearl River Delta, the story paints a sweeping portrait of life across every social class.
