Watching the Tide

[A web novel contracted by the Shanghai Writers' Association in 2026]

[First-round 2026 grant project of the Shanghai Cultural Development Foundation]

The story of a group of childhood friends from the same village.

Some settle into downtown Shanghai, while others stay behind in their old homes in the suburbs. Some become new stars in finance, while others slide into the depths of parasitism... The years widen the gap between their stations in life, but one thing never changes: they grew up together.

The times surge forward like a tide, nowhere more so than in Shanghai. Looking back from a crossroads ten years later, they realize that their generation's journey has coincided with the urbanization of Shanghai's suburban villages. Their paths from the past have become a small footnote in history.