“Sis”
“Could you please lend me some money?”
“You plan to buy an apartment?”
“I could have said yes”
“Unfortunately,”
“I plan to buy an apartment too”
In Shanghai people’s life
House is an important topic
I started to write Life is A Long Quite River in 2018
It presents the panorama of Shanghai people’s life
I know Dwelling Narrowness is set in the period when house prices soared
If you fail to buy one, then you’ll miss many later
In recent years, house prices have been stable
People tend to replace their current house with another one not for investment
As far as I’m concerned
Shanghai people become less anxious faced with houses
There are two heroines in Life is A Long Quite River
One is Feng Xiaoqin, who was born in another place and married to a Shanghai native
She was unemployed at first
She was supported by her husband
“We need an apartment”
“You’d better not drop the ball this time”
“Did you hear me?”
And Gu Qingyu, a Shanghai native
She’s got a nice job
And she’s independent
The two women seem totally different, but they have similarities inside
They’re both very smart and show no signs of weakness
“So in your eyes”
“I go to court”
“Just for money”
The conflicts between the sisters-in-law were caused
By their different values
“You don’t need to pay me the left rent”
“Just move out of the apartment right now”
“Move out”
Zhanxiang got rich through house trades
Houses were very cheap in Shanghai 20 years ago
No more than 10,000 yuan per square meters
People bought houses with bank loans
And their houses became bigger and bigger
Shi Yuan was born in a Zhiqing family
He was an underdog
“I need dignity”
“I want to live nobly”
And he didn’t buy an apartment when he should
“Is this my home?”
“It doesn’t belong to me”
House only plays as a medium
The drama is still more about the interpersonal relationship in a big family
It pays attention to Shanghai people’s life philosophy
In big family gatherings
You may see big problems
But as least over the past years, they got along well with each other
They tried to be restrained and polite
They also attached importance to family connections
I was also born in a Zhiqing family
Although I was born in Shanghai
I’m still not the same with the natives
Who have never left Shanghai
I haven’t fully integrated into the community
Probably because of that
When I write about Shanghai
I cherish the city more
And I wish from the two heroines
The audience can feel Shanghai is an inclusive city
“Qingyu”
“I have a crush on you”
To Gu Qingyu
She experienced a short-gun marriage and got divorced soon
She had fallen in love with someone
She hurt someone and she got hurt too
She could understand how rare it is
For Feng Xiaoqin
To not lose faith in a plight
“I’m willing to give up everything”
“To keep Gu Lei alive”
As for Fei Xiaoqin
She was no longer like what she had used to be
Seeing an apartment as the only goal of life
There’re so many things out there to do
She ran an old people’s home with Zhanxiang
From the senior’s stories
She understood life
In a deeper way
No matter in the past or now
People can eventually find a residence for their soul in Shanghai
Shanghai is a city which embraces diversity
It’s both modern and traditional
It’s big and delicate
It affords much food for thought
Every character in the drama is not easy while striving for a better life
But what I want to say is
While the audience feel the hardship of life
They shouldn’t lose faith
And still be kind to the world
They should treat themselves and the people around them
With compassion