A humble illegitimate son’s story of saving himself. A happy ending, with everyone together!
A brutal father, a short-lived mother, a vicious older brother, and him, the one who was always beneath them.
The protagonist doesn’t come back to life, but everyone else does.
Setting: Modern city life and school.
Character profiles:
Xu Zhewei/Xu Zewei: Once an illegitimate son scraping by, he endures “death” and escapes, transforming into a resilient, clear-eyed top student who makes his own success.
Xu Qingchuan: Cold and domineering, he embarks on a long, clumsy road to atonement after being reborn.
Xu Zhewen: An arrogant, cutting eldest son who falls into painful self-reflection after being reborn.
Gu Wanlin: Xu Zewei’s wife, gentle and steadfast, the light of his new life.
Chen Zeming: An honest, kind-hearted firefighter whose fate becomes entwined with Xu Zewei’s during a rescue, marking a pivotal turning point.
Themes:
The irreconcilable rift between victimhood, hatred, and blood ties.
The conflict between belated remorse and a victim’s desire to escape.
The dilemma between professional duty and humanitarian rescue in extreme circumstances.
The story begins with Xu Zhewei, the illegitimate son of a wealthy family, who, after years of physical and emotional abuse, stages his death by jumping into a river after the college entrance exam and escapes under the name Xu Zewei. In their grief, his biological father Xu Qingchuan and older brother Xu Zhewen realize they have both been reborn, consumed by remorse over witnessing his horrific death in their previous lives. Meanwhile, firefighter Chen Zeming saves Xu Zewei, changing his own fate as well... The story will go on to explore escape and pursuit, atonement and growth, trauma and healing, and the possibilities of family bonds, forgiveness, and self-redemption.
I finally finished reading it and it was very well written. Seen earlier, Xu Pingwei was abused, beaten, and scolded by his father. He was rejected and despised by his brother. Xu Pingwei was pitiful, weak, and helpless. Later, Xiaowei jumped into the river and faked his death to escape from the Xu family. He worked hard while studying, and changed his destiny to find a beautiful and kind-hearted wife. Xu's father and brother were reborn, always wanting to make up for their sins and apologize. In the end, Xu Zewei forgot the past and forgave his father and brother for their mistakes. The family is reunited happily.
I finally finished reading it. In the first book review, the author really pays attention to details. Even the formula for factory explosives is listed clearly 🤦 The logic is so rigorous. Another thing is that the male protagonist has a good character, he is not just a masochist, he is always fighting for opportunities for himself, he is patient and strategic, and he is decisive at critical moments. (I feel like the author has quite a broad range of knowledge, or he has spent a lot of time researching information, and the descriptions in many places look like documentary literature)