The River of My Youth

Lin Yan crawls out of the mud, covered in wounds.

His mother calls him a good-for-nothing, and his father treats him like he isn’t there. He works himself to the bone to get into university, thinking he can finally live like a person. As he grows up, he meets three boys who shape his life. Each gives him a different life experience and teaches him what love is and how to love.

Tender healing moments intertwine with heartbreaking regrets. Through delicate emotional storytelling, the novel focuses on the male protagonist’s journey of self-redemption and personal growth. It tells of a love that is overwhelmingly tender yet ultimately tinged with regret, and of the warmth and strength friendship brings. The ending leaves a faint sense of melancholy while highlighting the protagonist’s complete transformation.