Twelve Years, an Old Friend's Play

Finished reading! Originally, I casually opened "The Story of Friendship in Twelve Years" as a romance novel, but after reading it, I realized that it was never just a love story between a son and a daughter. It is different from other romance novels in that it does not have a dramatic plot. From beginning to end, it carries the unique desolation and tenderness of the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. In troubled times, human life is small, and fate is even rarer. In the twelve years between Fu Tongwen and Shen Xi, separated by mountains and rivers, wars, and partings, their love was hidden in restraint, unobtrusive, but extremely deep. The story takes place during the most turbulent years at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, from the beginning of the troubled times in 1900 to twelve years of ups and downs. The encounter between Fu Tongwen and Shen Xi begins with redemption. Brother Fu, who was in his early twenties, rescued the 11-year-old girl Yangyang, the daughter of an old friend. In order to hide her from others, he kept Yangyang in the fireworks pavilion. Later, he had no choice but to make a marriage contract on a memorial tablet, marrying Yang Yang to the memorial tablet of his late fourth brother Dong, so that he could arrange for Yang Yang to study abroad. A cross-ocean separation started their twelve-year bond. In the past twelve years, there have been no vigorous and frank confessions, only forbearance, restraint and preference hidden in the fireworks of troubled times. What I like most about this book is that it is gentle and thick. Different from ordinary sweet pet articles, its background is the desolation of modern history. After reading this book, I felt like I was revisiting the sad history of modern times. The mountains and rivers are swaying, the current situation is turbulent, and everyone is pushed forward by the times. Just like the Paris Peace Conference that will appear later in the article, the president, delegation, third brother, and even all Chinese people in the article thought that we would successfully recover Shandong's legitimate rights and interests, full of confidence and longing for the future, but only our descendants know what happened to Shandong in the end. The painful truth that all rights and interests were given to Japan was only the pinnacle of modern China's humiliation, and it was a turning point that pushed the entire nation into a deeper and darker abyss. In the future, Japan would invade China and the Chinese people would fall into deeper suffering, but people at the time did not know it. Fu Tongwen's life was divided into two halves. One half was about the righteousness of his family and country, running through troubled times, and caring about the safety of his country; the other half was dedicated to Yang Yang's tenderness, silently guarding him, and caring about him year after year. The phrase "May the mountains and rivers be safe and stay together for a hundred years" is not only a love vow, but also the most sincere wish of the ambitious people of that era. The third brother is really a gentle person. He was living in troubled times, with the heavy responsibility of his family and country on his shoulders, but he always left a place for Wanyang in his heart. He protected her as she grew up and waited for her to return. After twelve years of going around in circles, the old friend was still the old friend. Yangyang has never been a delicate girl who relied on the male protagonist. She grew up from a desperate situation and went overseas to study medicine. She is sober and independent, gentle but strong-willed. The best form of their relationship is not when one side protects the other, but when the two of them stand side by side in troubled times, redeeming each other, and are fellow travelers with the same soul. What moved me most was the sentence in this book: "A play with old friends plays over the years, and you and I are both actors in the play." All of us are trapped in the play of times and years. Some people run for their country and some people stick to love. Deep love in troubled times is more hard-won than in peaceful times. My understanding of Fourth Master Fu Donggui, like Yangyang, all came from other people. At that time, I thought Fourth Master Fu was a very mysterious figure. After I read the extra story about Fourth Master, I really burst into tears. It was so regretful. A doctor of medicine who studied abroad was a Western medicine doctor who devoted himself to helping Chinese people quit smoking after returning to China. However, he was killed by his father and elder brother because of his revolutionary work. He was dually dependent on smoking and morphine, which tortured his body and spirit. Finally chose to commit suicide. "Dong, the underworld is thick and the soil is thick. I hope you can walk slower." "The road of sacrificing your life to serve the country is left to the third brother. May you be reborn as a prosperous and peaceful China." Seeing this, I got goosebumps. The fourth master must have seen the prosperity of the motherland in 2026. Another place that I find particularly touching is Yang Yang's second brother, the second brother of the Shen family. The Shen family in Guangzhou were all righteous people, but in the end they were slaughtered. The second brother of the Shen family, the second brother who threatened to empty out half of Guangzhou in the future and buy it for Yang Yang as a dowry. In the end, the opportunity to live and go to Beijing was left to Yangyang. He walked on the mossy gravel road, rushing for the last way out. This part was so good that I cried. Yang Yang's second brother and Fu's third brother are strikingly similar. If the second brother was still alive, the two would definitely be close friends. And Yangyang and Dongji are also surprisingly similar, but they are both yin and yang separated from them... It is said that love in the Republic of China is 9 out of 10 tragic. When I saw Brother Fu's heart disease worsening later, I thought he would end up being. Fortunately, luckily it was he. When they see each other, they become happy, and the earth and the sky are giddy. Due to fate, we settled in Shenmen. No matter how many lives or deaths, the green mountains remain. The mountains and rivers are safe, and we will be together forever for a hundred years. This book made me understand that the best relationship is not a momentary feeling, but a long-term persistence. After years of ups and downs, I have seen the turmoil in the world. In the end, the old friends are still there, and the mountains and rivers are stable. This is the best ending.

After all these years, it is still my favorite.

Rereading this story, I lament that the third brother and Yangyang cannot live until 2026. Watch the prosperity of the motherland and watch us being the talkers on the UN. They grew up in an era when their country was destroyed and their family was destroyed. If they could see China today, they would be happy.

I felt a little emotional when I saw this. Fortunately, Third Brother and Yang Yang went to live in Macau. If they had been living in the mainland, people like Third Brother would have been severely criticized during the Cultural Revolution.

It's great. The male protagonist has a heart disease, but the female protagonist still grows old with him. I thought it would be a tragedy. Maybe the male protagonist has done so many good deeds in private and accumulated blessings. Maybe my concept is too old-fashioned, but in that era, the male protagonist did such dangerous things. He has a heart disease, the country is gloomy, and the risk of death is very high. It's great to see him live a good old age, live a good life with the heroine, and be loved and cared for by his beloved woman until he is seventy-eight years old. Good people are rewarded, and they should be rewarded while they are alive, even in novels.

The author's writing is amazing The stories and characters written in this book often make people cry. The seemingly HE story is shrouded in a touch of sadness from beginning to end. I feel empty after reading this

Be selfish for a moment and come back with me. Macau returned to China on December 21, 1999. You also returned to Beijing. Goodbye, third brother Yangyang. 2026.5.14

The Shen family in Macau is Grandpa Shen Cezu.

After so many years, this book is still my favorite in bg.

Come to N again, never tire of watching Shen Wanyang and Fu Tongwen in parallel time and space. You must always be happy, looking at the great rivers and mountains of our motherland, the country is peaceful and the people are safe.