After twenty years of marriage, Chen Yuhui has long been accustomed to the ordinary life where he and his wife treat each other as guests. Until I met Su Jianing, an intangible cultural heritage curator, at an industry forum.
The moment their eyes met, he seemed to see another version of himself in the world - those persistences about career ideals and confusion about the value of life all found answers in the conversation with the other person.
The tacit understanding when discussing plans late at night, and the forbearing and restrained micro-expressions when they met... Rekindled the passion that had long been dormant in the marriage in this "soulmate".
But when he dreamed back in the middle of the night, he found his sleeping wife beside him and his son's fear of his parents' divorce beside him. He was confused.
Su Jianing also faces the wholehearted care of her husband overseas and the enlightenment of her adolescent daughter and best friend.
Heartbeat is instinct, but in the adult world, after instinct, you have to face the torture of thousands of real problems.
This is not a story about betrayal, but an exploration of "My heart is moved, and then what?"
See how they maintain their decency in the emotional quagmire, learn restraint on the edge of impulse, and find the wisdom not to hurt each other and those around them before they are about to face the abyss.
Reader comments
This book is suitable for reading slowly. Those who like bloody plots may not be able to finish it. There are not many characters in it, but everyone is very wise. For example, the male protagonist's friends and the female protagonist's friends are sober in their lives. The male protagonist's son and the female protagonist's daughter also have mature and rational sides. Middle-aged people face many challenges, and there are not many people who can use reason and wisdom to solve problems like them. If we were all like them, there would be many more happy families in the world.
The first chapter of the novel is a bit cliche, but I really like the characters and plot later on, as they seem to be stories about people around me. It's helpful to read other people's stories and refer to your own life.
This book is suitable for reading slowly. Those who like bloody plots may not be able to finish it. There are not many characters in it, but everyone is very wise. For example, the male protagonist's friends and the female protagonist's friends are sober in their lives. The male protagonist's son and the female protagonist's daughter also have mature and rational sides. Middle-aged people face many challenges, and there are not many people who can use reason and wisdom to solve problems like them. If we were all like them, there would be many more happy families in the world.
The first chapter of the novel is a bit cliche, but I really like the characters and plot later on, as they seem to be stories about people around me. It's helpful to read other people's stories and refer to your own life.