The novel takes Meng Han's growth as the main line, connecting the ups and downs of the two families in the tide of the times. Meng Han was born in Nancheng in 1981. His father, Meng Jian, was the section chief of the Agricultural Machinery Bureau, and his mother, Qin Yin, was an employee of the Post and Telecommunications Bureau. They had a warm family. As a colleague of his father, Aunt Jin takes good care of Meng Han's family. However, when his mother takes leave due to work and family secrets (the second child's sister Xingxing) emerge, ripples appear in her life.
In 1987, his father was unjustly imprisoned for "negligence on an agricultural machinery procurement project" and the family was in trouble. Qin Yin, the mother, supported the family on her own and took care of Meng Han and her sister. During this period, she experienced the hardships of life, neighbors' comments, and the rush to treat Meng Han's eye disease. At the same time, Aunt Jin was also imprisoned for related cases. Although she was later rehabilitated, she encountered changes such as the sacrifice of her husband, and her fate was ill-fated.
As time goes by, Meng Han studies hard under the guidance of his mother, and his sister Xingxing gradually grows up. His father, Meng Jian, received a reduced sentence for his technical contributions in prison. He was later released from prison and taught at Nandu Mechanical School. However, he died in an accident on his way back from aiding Tibet in 1997, which dealt a heavy blow to the family. Meng Han turned grief into strength, passed the medical university, and later became a doctor of ophthalmology.
As a neighbor's child, Xie Tianliang had a childhood friendship with Meng Han. He had a dream of flying and went through ups and downs to become a pilot. However, he disappeared during a mission and was later rescued by a Tibetan grandmother. In the end, Meng Han and Xie Tianliang finally got married after experiencing many hardships, and their daughter Xinglan was born, symbolizing new hope. Through the stories of two families, the novel shows the tenacity, family affection and love of ordinary people in the changing times, as well as the unremitting pursuit of happiness.
Purpose: To write the joys and sorrows of ordinary people into short stories with warmth. We don't pursue profundity, but sincerity; we don't advertise it as inspirational, but we hope it can give readers a knowing smile or a little courage to move on.