In 1982, Lin Jianjun is reborn in Wutong Lane, by the Qingxi River, carrying the searing regrets of his previous life.
Back then, swept along by the times and manipulated by petty schemers, he lost Su Wanqing, a gentle yet resilient woman. The person he loved suffered one indignity after another, while his elderly parents died with regrets.
Reborn at the point when he and Su Wanqing have just started their life together, he wants nothing more than to protect the happiness they have this time around.
Drawing on the technical expertise he built up over two lifetimes, he starts as a newcomer technician under constant pressure, poring over blueprints, repairing lathes, solving difficult problems, and taking on the unscrupulous. In a state-owned enterprise where seniority rules, he fights his way forward. From a cramped thirteen-square-meter room in a workers' apartment block to earning a steady wage and getting a new home, he turns hardship into a warm, lived-in life. And as he and Su Wanqing grow from young lovers into partners weathering every storm, he transforms all the things he failed to give her in his past life into unwavering devotion in this one.
Just when he thinks the worst is over and a peaceful life is within reach, a sudden storm shatters their calm:
A schemer bears a grudge and frames him, a key project grinds to a halt, his father is rushed to the hospital with an acute illness, and their funding dries up completely. The hope that had just begun to burn plunges into despair.
This isn't a breezy comeback fueled by a golden finger. It's the most authentic slice of everyday life and workplace ups and downs in the 1980s.
This isn't empty, saccharine romance. It's a couple standing side by side, neighbors helping one another, and coworkers supporting each other with all their hearts.
Through the slow simmer of the years come heartbreaking twists, tear-jerking perseverance, and the confidence to turn things around.
This time, he holds Su Wanqing's hand tight, keeps his family safe and well, makes his way through hard work, and earns lasting love through sincerity. In the turbulent 1980s, he takes one step at a time and becomes the very best
