Xijuan's 2005 New Work Exhibition: Only Seeking Peace

Author: Xi Juan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-02-01
Features: Only Seeking Peace is an interesting work. Ye An'an, who is aloof and dislikes socializing, and Ren Fangge, who is smooth-talking and has a wide circle of friends, seem to have nothing in common at first glance and would never intersect. However, when they meet for the first time, Ren Fangge is immediately attracted to Ye An'an's dry humor. They do share some similarities, at least their fathers are both remarried after divorce. They both have "stepmothers" and half-siblings! They cross paths again while investigating a business spy. Ren Fangge begins to actively approach Ye An'an and pursues her. During their interactions, Ren Fangge discovers that Ye An'an's coldness is not due to any past misfortune or dissatisfaction with life, but simply her personality. Ye An'an also notices that Ren Fangge's constant smiling is not because his life has been smooth and free of hardship, but because he is naturally optimistic. Ren Fangge's biological mother is a maid: she calculates human affection using a formula like "one or two feelings = how many US dollars." Even using her ex-husband and son as tools, she feels no guilt. Ye An'an's cold exterior but warm interior can not only accommodate Ren Fangge's passionate energy but also transform his inner emptiness into a garden. In this book, Xi Juan portrays a story that could be filled with conspiracies or turn into a tragic ethical drama in a light, humorous, and serene manner. At the same time, she uses subtext to tell readers: whether it comes to family or love, never force the other person to reciprocate in kind. Because some people are born incapable of handling emotions. Forgive those who are "incapable," and to love those who know how to love and cherish those who are loved is a wise and choice. The characters in this book are vivid and distinctive. The tone is healthy.