In 1970, on the banks of the Jialing River in Chongqing, an orphan girl Lin Wanxing and a farm boy Chen Qingshan fell in love at first sight, but they were forced to separate due to barriers in life. Qingshan contracted an illness and died young, and Wanxing, who was far away from home, had no idea about it. Time passed to 1999, and she finally learned the truth when she was dying. On her deathbed, she wept and made a wish: only love each other in the next life, not get married. The whole book is set against the background of rural and urban changes in Chongqing, spanning thirty years, and describes the obsession and regret under the shackles of the times. The writing is melancholy and gentle, hiding the joys and sorrows of half a life.
