Su Nian spent twenty-eight years living up to other people’s expectations. At work, she was used to being the accommodating nice girl, taking the blame for colleagues while they repeatedly took credit for her achievements. In relationships, she gave way at every turn, mistaking people-pleasing for tenderness and constantly backing down in a draining relationship. With her family, she always reported the good news and hid the bad, swallowing every grievance alone. She thought that being sensible would make people treat her well, but reality dealt her a crushing blow: after taking the blame for someone else, she was fired, and her boyfriend of many years walked away.
Just as she hit rock bottom, curled up alone in her rented apartment, Lu Xun entered her life.
Lu Xun was a decisive industry veteran, cool-headed and restrained, with plenty of experience in the ways of the world. When they first met, he offered no cheap comfort. He simply pointed out the trap she was in: “You’re always making things right for other people, but you never let yourself become stronger.”
He didn’t treat her like a weak person who needed saving. He respected her struggle and watched as she gradually broke free of her people-pleasing habits. Su Nian began learning to refuse unreasonable demands, stand up for her rights, and hone her skills anew as she restarted her career from scratch.
The road was full of bumps. She faced criticism and self-doubt, and sometimes found herself lost in the middle of the night. Lu Xun supported her when she stumbled, but never cleared every obstacle from her path. He understood that true growth meant she had to find her own footing.
Their relationship wasn’t a romantic fairy tale about salvation from above, but a mutual attraction between two independent souls. Su Nian slowly came to understand that love wasn’t dependence, and that she didn’t need someone else’s favor to prove her worth. She didn’t have to be gentle all the time or yield at every turn. She could be sharp, ambitious, and open about her vulnerabilities, while allowing herself to grow stronger.
Only when she stopped entrusting her life to other people and learned to be her own support did she find an equal, fulfilling love.
Su Nian, who had always tried to please others, hit rock bottom after setbacks in both her career and love life. The cool-headed, clear-eyed Lu Xun entered her life, not as her savior but as her companion on the road ahead. Su Nian breaks free of self-doubt, learns to refuse and stand up for herself, and gradually strengthens her resolve. She learns to let herself grow stronger, ultimately transforming herself and finding a love between equals.
Author’s Note: An urban story of healing.
