Smoke Billows

Chen Yuqiang is an ordinary civil servant at a municipal government office. He is proud and cares deeply about appearances. His failed pursuit of his college classmate, Zhu Zili, dealt a severe blow to his self-confidence and contributed to his depression. After graduating, Zhu Zili became a secretary at a provincial foreign trade company. Following a scandal, she chose to leave the country. Years later, she returned as an investor. Zhu Zili and her ex-husband, a director, masterminded a scam under the guise of investing in an elderly care project, siphoning off a huge sum of money and transferring it overseas. All the while, Chen Yuqiang was kept in the dark and helped them devise their plans. Li Guo entrusted his daughter, Yunyun, to Chen Yuqiang. Chen Yuqiang introduced Yunyun to Zhu Zili, but Yunyun later became a tool in Zhu Zili’s scam. Under Zhu Zili’s direction, Yunyun made a prominent city leader her godfather. Yunyun knew too much about the project’s “dark dealings” and other secrets, making her a major threat to certain people. After learning that the city leader had gotten into trouble, Zhu Zili’s ex-husband planned a car accident to eliminate the threat once and for all. Yunyun was killed in an explosion amid billowing smoke. Junqiang had struggled to make a living in the city for over twenty years, but to fulfill his childhood dream, he resolutely gave up everything there and returned to his hometown to lead the villagers to prosperity. Yunyun’s death dealt Chen Yuqiang a devastating psychological blow. Overcome by guilt and despair, he jumped to his death.