Love or Leave (The Most Popular Chinese Novel of 2003 on Global Chinese Forums)

Author: Wang Xiaogun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: In this honest novel, Wang Xiaogun restrained his urge to narrate, and this inner tranquility made every plot as sturdy as a root carving. At the same time, this tranquility turned the entire novel into a piece of cruel glass shards, brutally reflecting the hypocrisy and deceit of life, leaving it torn and ragged. Perhaps there are only three types of people in the world: The first type struggles tirelessly for their dreams amidst the hardships of reality, living a life full of hardship but genuine, and they won’t feel ashamed of their insignificance when they look back years later. The second type, unable to endure the harsh reality, abandons their dreams and keeps falling into decline, appearing carefree and unrestrained on the surface but tormented by wasted years in their hearts. The third type falls between the first two—on one side is a dreamlike, beautiful temptation, and on the other is a nightmare of agonizing suffering, perfectly capturing Wang Shuo’s line, “On one side is the sea, on the other is the fire.” Whether () or (), it’s a choice. Among these three types, the third lives the most despairing, and thus the most painful. The protagonist of this book is the third type. This despairing story unfolds in Beijing. It’s a cruel tale of “burying youth.” The protagonist, Han Xiao, is a true white-collar worker, clinging to the city with the dreams and impulses of his youth. He cherishes love, remains loyal to friendship, craves passion, but reality, like sharp knives, slowly tears apart his life, leaving hope shattered. Among those who love him, those he loves, those who don’t love him, and those he doesn’t love, he is lost and helpless. When love no longer remains pure and beautiful in the face of reality’s changes, and when friendship becomes less sincere and simple under the drive of interests, what can the remaining “me” do? Desire shatters dreams, life becomes meaningless, and he dare not die.