21 days

Author: Zhao Dongling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: The story takes place in that unforgettable spring of 2003. In Shunyuan B Block, Jizhou City, it was an ordinary residential building. When a SARS patient was discovered, the building suddenly became the center of attention for the entire city. To prevent the spread of the epidemic and ensure the health of the 100 residents, the entire building was quarantined. Starting from April 21st, an extraordinary day, it was quarantined for a full 21 days. On this day, the building's professor, Zuo Guang, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, while his wife, Zhou Jie, was preparing to take him out for a trip to enjoy the last days of his life. Official Wang Guisheng, who had been advancing smoothly in his career, had just been transferred to this city and moved into the unit next to the patient's. Singer Ni Hong, exhausted both physically and mentally, had fled SARS from Beijing and ended up here, where she met her childhood sweetheart, Li Li, and her laid-off classmate Zhang Yayi. Teacher Chen, whose life was dedicated to the piano, and the wife of the CEO, Guo Zhen, who controlled hundreds of millions of assets, had another argument. Meanwhile, the thief, who had been in prison five times, quietly slipped away from the girl, Su Su, who loved him, and sneaked into the apartment of the retired police officer Gao Daping on the 17th floor just minutes before the building was quarantined. His goal was to rob the paralyzed Gao Daping, leaving him humiliated. Suddenly, the disaster changed everything. Over the 21 days, the residents of the building went from fear, anxiety, panic, and isolation to calmness, composure, mutual care, understanding, and helping each other. They underwent a spiritual and elevation through the disaster. During these 21 days, the corrupt official, through his repeated mistakes, opened a different eye of his soul and came to a new understanding of himself. The boy who never seemed to grow up matured into a man with a sense of responsibility. The old police officer, who had spent his whole life dreaming of being a hero, not only saved the soul and love of the thief Dou Kang but also gained a deeper understanding of the true duty of a police officer. Teacher Chen's family boat, which was on the verge of breaking apart, was reborn with the spirit of shared hardship in the face of the disaster. As his life approached its end, Zuo Guang used the last light of his life to complete a book written in the building. Meanwhile, Great Force and his white-haired wife, Zou Ye, together performed a love story that moved the entire city.