Women are not worried about getting married at thirty

Author: Qin Wuyi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: The story takes place in Los Angeles, a major city in the western United States around 2004, unfolding the complex and moving emotional world among several young Chinese people. He Ru and Wu Xiaotian were once a couple while studying in Shanghai. After graduation, He Ru went to the United States and later earned an MBA, working at a company in Los Angeles. Wu Xiaotian stayed in China to develop his career. Eight years later, Wu Xiaotian came to Los Angeles as a postdoctoral researcher due to career and emotional setbacks, but his old romance with He Ru proved unrequited. By chance, He Ru met Liu Dongqi, a lawyer who had just arrived in Los Angeles for work, and he fell deeply in love with her at first sight. However, He Ru hesitated to accept his proposal, torn between Wu Xiaotian and Liu Dongqi. Liu Dongqi had divorced in Vancouver years earlier, leaving his daughter with his parents in China. Due to his persistent affection for He Ru and his encounter with Chen Qiudi, a Taiwanese woman who had split up with him three years prior and moved to the U.S., Liu Dongqi's feelings for He Ru wavered, gradually leading her to accept his love. Yet, she remained uncertain about Liu Dongqi's past marriage. Jiang Gu, a Ph.D. student in the same lab as Wu Xiaotian, along with his girlfriend Bai Gu, were also He Ru's friends, and they were troubled by wedding preparations. During a hiking trip with He Ru and Bai Gu, Liu Dongqi injured himself while protecting He Ru. While recovering, He Ru took care of him, deepening their bond. Later, under Chen Qiudi's relentless pursuit, Wu Xiaotian finally moved in with her, and she became pregnant. He Ru was deeply disappointed upon learning this. Soon after, He Ru returned to Shanghai for business for a month, coinciding with Liu Dongqi's visit to China for a family reunion, marking a significant step in their relationship. Liu Dongqi had initially returned to pick up his daughter, but his parents and daughter refused to leave with him. Meanwhile, his ex-wife Tang Feifei attempted to remarry him to gain custody of their daughter, but was rejected. He Ru, misunderstanding the situation, grew distant from Liu Dongqi. Their relationship was shadowed by Tang Feifei's interference and Liu Dongqi's daughter's issues. Fortunately, with Bai Gu's mediation, they reconciled. Bai Gu finally convinced Jiang Gu to marry her, planning to tie the knot the day before Thanksgiving, which was also her birthday. However, Bai Gu was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Heartbroken, Jiang Gu regretted his actions and devoted himself to caring for her. Meanwhile, Chen Qiudi's father passed away, and as she rushed back to Taipei for mourning, Wu Xiaotian was involved in a car accident, leaving him unconscious. Both He Ru and Chen Qiudi were plunged into profound grief.
Christmas arrived again, and Liu Dongqi formally proposed to He Ru. After careful consideration, He Ru, unwilling to burden Liu Dongqi's family, painfully decided to leave him and embark on a solo road trip to the eastern United States. The entire novel spans over 220,000 words, with a focus on delicate psychological portrayals of the characters. When serialized on the largest overseas Chinese literature website "Literary City" and the "North American Women" column, it was divided into 75 chapters. The novel garnered over 7 million total visits across both networks, with readers leaving strong feedback and commenting on the characters, making it one of the most influential literary works overseas in recent years. Since last, the novel has been serialized on China's "Sohu Novel World" website, receiving excellent response, with over 5 million visits to date. The novel is now being adapted into 100 chapters, with significant revisions to the first half to maintain the plausibility of character development and the storyline.