This novel explores young people’s uncertainty about the future, their loss of self, and their confusion about love. It examines the sacrifices and gains of love, asks what love really is, and reveals its true meaning. As the protagonist, Lu Hequan, struggles through the tangled emotions of loving and being loved, he thinks he has finally grasped the truth about love, only for everything to become confusing once again. The love he once believed in proves so fragile in the face of money and materialism. Growing up is a slow process, and somewhere along the way, life becomes more and more complicated. The world is always imperfect. Only after Lu Hequan keeps running into obstacles does he realize what this era demands of him. He begins searching for a mask of his own, changing it again and again. Then, one day, he looks back and is startled to find himself a stranger. He feels helpless, yet strangely calm, as he watches himself sink further into ruin.
