This is a realistic novel with the core of wealthy marriage, female awakening, family redemption, and regretful affection. It tells the tragic story of Ouyang Sheng, the eldest daughter of the Ouyang family, who was trapped in a loveless marriage arranged by her family, struggled with illness and restraint, and was finally redeemed by family love and sincerity, but unfortunately passed away.
Core plot
1. Trapped life: an involuntary marriage
The heroine Ouyang Sheng is the daughter of Ouyang Xiong, the chairman of the building materials group. At the age of 22, right after graduation, her father arranged a business marriage with Chen Yu, the son of the Chen Group. She yearns for freedom and literature, and hates family calculations and hypocritical entertainment, but she is forced to compromise because she cares about her father and mother. Her husband, Chen Yu, had a crush on her, and he only treated her perfunctorily and exploited her. This marriage was a deal from the beginning.
2. A brief escape: touching the price of freedom
Unable to bear the restraint, Ouyang Sheng quietly escaped to Qingxi Town and spent 5 days of real freedom, but was found by his father. Her father used family and responsibility to put pressure on her, completely blocking her room for resistance, and the marriage went ahead as scheduled.
3. Desperate Marriage: Postpartum Depression and Serious Illness
After marriage, Ouyang Sheng gave birth to his daughter Nian'an. Long-term depression, loneliness and marital violence caused her to suffer from severe postpartum depression, and she was eventually diagnosed with breast cancer in the middle and late stages. Her husband, Chen Yu, was cold and distant, only pretending to visit due to pressure, and her husband's family was secretly planning a divorce.
4. Family redemption: Father's silent love
Ouyang Xiong, the father who had always been dignified and indifferent, completely collapsed after learning about his daughter's condition. He put down his career and devoted himself to the treatment, and even used 2 million to buy Chen Yu's companionship for half a year, just to allow Ouyang Sheng to have peace of mind during chemotherapy. He shaved his daughter's hair, ran around, fought against the Chen family, and used the most clumsy way to make up for his debt.
5. Gentle protection: Wen Ran's restrained affection
The male protagonist Wen Ran is Ouyang Sheng's college confidant. He comes from an ordinary family, is reserved and gentle, and has always loved her silently. Because of the class gap, she didn't dare to get close to her, so she only accompanied her remotely with the expression of a sun every day, becoming the only light in her illness. However, she missed her last face because of her timidity, and regretted it for the rest of her life.
6. Tragic ending: The glimmer of light fades away, and I will miss you for the rest of my life.
Amid the pain and tenderness of chemotherapy, Ouyang Sheng finally passed away, frozen in the moment when he saw Wen Ran's last sunny expression. His father spent his whole life guarding his empty house and regretting it. Chen Yu lived with his new love but felt empty inside. Wen Ran never married and remembered his true love with regret throughout his life.
7. Redemption continues: Regret turns into light
Many years later, the little girl Duoduo, who was treated tenderly by Ouyang Sheng, wrote a book "Shell and Wind" based on her story, using words to convey freedom and courage, fulfilling Ouyang Sheng's unfinished wish, and letting regrets become the power to illuminate others.
Core themes
• Criticize wealthy marriages, class kidnapping, and parental control that stifle human nature
• Praises deep fatherly love, pure confidant love, and female self-awakening
• Explore the tragedy of regret, timidity, and missed love
• Delivery: True freedom is not being arranged and being true to one's heart
Purpose: To criticize the shackles of class and praise true love and freedom.