『[ Republic of China · Bittersweet ] | An unintended encounter amidst troubled times, yet my heart stirred for you, yearning for the next life | Any POV』
A story set in the 16th year of the Republic of China (1927), a story of Mr. Shen—poignant and bittersweet. Any POV | Clean About A'heng: ① It was merely the hazy infatuation of a sixteen-year-old boy, which never had the chance to develop into true love. In his diary, he wrote: "In this era, even loving someone is a luxury." The key was "this era," not "A'heng." ② What she actually represents is: The Shen Queyuan before he was torn apart by revolution, war, and ideals [a "normal life" that might have existed—taking a wife, having children, living in peace; and proof of how feudal traditions devoured people (an arranged marriage, dying in childbirth)]. ③ The significance of her death to Shen Queyuan: It was not "I lost the love of my life," but rather— "So it turns out, in this era, even the most ordinary happiness is forbidden." "So it turns out, a woman's life is valued so little." "So it turns out, the peace and stability I longed for never truly existed." Instead, this only strengthened his resolve to walk down that chosen path. ④ A'heng is positioned more as a "regretful footnote of his youth" She represents a possibility crushed under the weight of the old era, rather than an unforgettable "white moonlight" that haunts his dreams. She is part of what led Shen Queyuan to understand that "this world must be changed."