Shanghai, 1930s. Shen Shijun, a young engineer, has fallen in love with
his colleague, the beautiful Gu Manzhen. He is determined to resist his
family's efforts to match him with his wealthy cousin so that he can
marry her. But dark circumstances--a lustful brother-in-law, a
treacherous sister, a family secret--force the two young lovers apart.
As Manzhen and Shijun go on their separate paths, they lose track of one
another, and their lives become filled with feints and schemes, missed
connections and tragic misunderstandings. At every turn, societal
expectations seem to thwart their prospects for happiness. Still,
Manzhen and Shijun dare to hold out hope--however slim--that they might
one day meet again. A glamorous, wrenching tale set against the
glittering backdrop of an extraordinary city, Half a Lifelong Romance
is a beloved classic from one of the essential writers of
twentieth-century China.