A grain of ashes of the times becomes a mountain when it falls on an individual's head.
True maturity is to accept yourself as ordinary and protect your family and peace of mind
"Heavy Rain at 51" is a realistic novel rooted in Nanjing. It takes the ups and downs of Zhang Youwu, a native of the old city, as the main line, and connects real nodes such as the static management of Nanjing from 2022 to 2028, the price reduction of luxury houses in Hexi, and the overhaul of the Yangtze River Bridge. It tells the story of his fall from the bottom of the real estate investment winner and his final return to ordinary life. Zhang Youwu was born into a family of workers at Chenguang Machinery Factory. Taking advantage of the development of Hexi New Town, he went to work with the Construction Engineering Bureau to make building materials and real estate bridge financing. He owned a large flat in Hexi and had assets worth tens of millions. However, due to excessive leverage, the property collapsed after the real estate bubble burst. The funds were depleted, the property was foreclosed, and he became a person subject to execution for breach of trust. He moved from Hexi to the West Tongzi Building in the south gate of the old city. The former "Mr. Zhang" worked as a driver, studied plumbers and electricians, and was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. In the trough of his life, he experienced a "fake divorce" with his wife Lin Xiulan from northern Jiangsu to save the house, and the conflict of intergenerational concepts with his son Zhang Wendao. He also learned the craft from an old electrician, took care of his mother with Alzheimer's disease, and in the process of his father's death, he understood the meaning of family love and a solid life. The novel uses Nanjing's many landmarks as its spatial context, incorporates local dialects and fireworks, and creates a vivid image of the city. It uses "heavy rain" as a metaphor for the disasters of life under the changes of the times, and explores the propositions of the dividends of the times and personal choices. In the end, Zhang Youwu gave up his obsession and settled in Jiangbei with his electrician skills. When receiving inquiries about real estate in Hexi, he calmly responded, "I am not Mr. Zhang," and made a hard landing in ordinary life.
