[Republican Era] [Two female leads]
Shen Wanqing has often asked herself whether she has lived a good life. The answer is yes. As a wife, she has a considerate husband; as a mother, she has a pair of sensible, well-behaved children. Is she happy? Often, she is. But is she fulfilled? She cannot answer. The first half of her life may not have gone smoothly, but she came through it without disaster. The second half has been peaceful enough. Though she cannot have everything her way, she can only do her best. Does she have regrets? Perhaps, she thinks. She often gazes out the window, lost in thought, year after year, season after season, waiting for the crabapple blossoms in the courtyard to bloom. For one brief moment, the flowers open, their petals bright as a young woman’s flowing skirt. It is just like childhood, just like the return of someone long missed.
