This novel traces the emotional struggles, life choices, and pursuit of dreams shared by Xiaoyue — a young woman who ferries boats in a secluded mountain hollow — and two village youths, Menmen and Caicai, all set against the backdrop of a remote borderland community. At its heart, it captures the yearning for renewal and change among those living on China's frontier during the early years of the nation's reform and opening-up.

Overflowing with the fresh, unvarnished beauty reminiscent of Shen Congwen's Border Town, the novel's elegant, luminous prose vividly evokes the rhythms of rustic mountain life.

With its rich, immersive portrayal of the rural landscape and the quiet yet powerful emotional undercurrents of village existence, the work radiates an earthy poignancy that lingers in the mind. Jia Pingwa's distinctive voice — blending precise, almost lyrical descriptions of the countryside with subtle reflections on sweeping social change — affirms his standing as one of contemporary China's most vital literary figures.