The Hearth of the Mortal World

Amber Days tells the story of Chen Jianping, a middle-aged chef whose life hits rock bottom after a spinal cord injury leaves him paralyzed. He divorces his wife, Lin Xiaowei, and is saddled with debt. An accident sends him to a parallel world, where he regains a healthy body and learns new ideas about the food industry. After choosing to return to reality, Chen Jianping draws on innovative recipes he remembers to open Home Kitchen with Lin Xiaowei, a restaurant serving the elderly and people with limited mobility. As he rebuilds his career, he perseveres with rehabilitation, wins back his family's trust, and remarries Lin Xiaowei. Through its contrast between parallel worlds, the novel movingly depicts the protagonist's journey to rediscover his self-worth and mend his family relationships amid adversity, revealing the true meaning of love and responsibility.