Single Life Community — An Urban Romance Novel 單身公社
Main Theme of the Story
Unlike popular “youth idol” films, this story focuses on ordinary people living in a major metropolis. The characters have no connection to celebrities or members of the upper class, but they remain optimistic and ambitious, facing each new day with a positive attitude toward life.
The story takes place in a major metropolis. A group of young men and women do not become depressed or indulge in unrealistic fantasies simply because they come from humble backgrounds. They work hard and live practical lives, learning from their setbacks and accumulating the strength to rise again. They care for one another like brothers and sisters, facing all kinds of difficulties and challenges together. This is a film filled with genuine human emotions, laughter, and tears. It reveals the positive and healthy value of life: “Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.”
We look forward to investment from visionary business leaders and collaboration with major film and television companies to produce this project and bring it to audiences throughout the Chinese-speaking world and the international film industry.
A screenplay adaptation of this story is available.
Film Production Rights — Taiwan:
NT$1,000,000
Novel Publishing Rights — Taiwan:
NT$200,000
Film Production Rights — Hong Kong, Macao, Mainland China, and Overseas Markets:
RMB 1,000,000
Novel Publishing Rights — Hong Kong, Macao, Mainland China, and Overseas Markets:
RMB 500,000
Please contact the copyright holder:
Qing-Yang Chen
Email: 54088rabbit@gmail.com
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. A Birthday Gift on April Fools’ Day
Chapter 2. A Blind Date That Turns Out to Be Someone Else’s
Chapter 3. The Absurd and Amusing Revenge Company
Chapter 4. Qiu Chen’s Dream of Making Movies
Chapter 5. I’m Not Here to Make People Laugh
Chapter 6. I Don’t Want to Be a Ghostwriter Behind the Scenes Anymore
Chapter 7. A Stand-In in the Fire
Chapter 8. Money Earned with Flesh and Skin Is Not Easy Money
Chapter 9. Director Qiu Chen Asks Wanhua to Co-Write a Screenplay
Chapter 10. The Troubles Behind the Smile
Chapter 11. The Entrepreneurial Wave of the Single Life Community
Chapter 12. An Unexpected Demolition Notice
Chapter 13. Filming Begins on Urban Nomads
Story Outline
All the residents prepare a birthday cake for “Sister Bao,” Ji Baozhu. As it happens, the day is April 1, April Fool’s Day. Just as everyone is singing “Happy Birthday” to Sister Bao, Ji Laoshi appears carrying a large bunch of calla lilies. He reminds his daughter to her face that she has “two years left,” leaves the calla lilies behind, and mysteriously walks away. After everyone presses her for an explanation, Sister Bao finally reveals the agreement she made with her father. Naturally, no one wants the “Single Residents’ Commune” to be taken back, so everyone starts offering ideas and advice. In the end, they conclude that the residents should take turns accompanying Sister Bao to matchmaking agencies and singles’ social events.
For the first singles’ gathering, Lin Wanhua accompanies Sister Bao. The man they meet is a successful middle-aged businessman, but he unexpectedly takes a liking to Wanhua, who is merely there as Sister Bao’s companion, leaving Sister Bao both amused and exasperated. At the second singles’ gathering, Walisi Yugan accompanies Sister Bao, pretending to be her cousin. The man is a widower who has no interest in Sister Bao. Instead, he is impressed by the handsome and accomplished Yugan and says he would be willing to introduce his own daughter to him, leaving Yugan flattered and overwhelmed. After two unsuccessful matchmaking attempts, Sister Bao still has not found a match. It seems none of the men have noticed her “inner beauty.” Sister Bao loses all motivation, but because of her optimistic personality, she turns around and comforts the enthusiastic residents who have been trying so hard to come up with ideas for her.
One day, Liu Dingtian, known as “Big Guy,” has just finished helping customers move furniture for a moving company. After receiving his wages, he is planning to treat himself to a good meal. As he passes an alley, a stylishly dressed wealthy woman chases after a refined-looking young man, beating him as he runs. The young man takes off running, while the wealthy woman crashes straight into Big Guy. Furious, she repeatedly punches his thick chest with both fists. After several blows, Big Guy grabs both of her hands. The wealthy woman then unexpectedly says she is willing to pay him and asks him to let her beat him up to vent her anger. Big Guy thinks that if he can make money from it, he might as well let her vent her frustration. Sure enough, after the woman calms down, she pays him a sum of money. On his way back, Big Guy suddenly gets an idea: he can make money by working as a “punching bag.”
Liu Dingtian tells his friends at the commune about his idea, but only Zhu Erdong supports him. The two establish an “Online Anger-Relief Company.” Zhao Guanghua helps them set up a website. As word spreads about their service, they gradually become known, and business begins pouring in. These two fools get beaten black and blue by customers every day while counting stacks of crisp bills in their hands, yet they are perfectly willing to keep doing it. Sister Bao feels terrible watching them. Every day after the two finish work, she massages them and applies medicine to their injuries, repeatedly urging them to find a way to transform the company instead of continuing to make money with their own bodies.
Qiu Chen has just returned from studying in the United States. His father, Qiu Dazhan, wants him to take over the family’s small hotel business, but Qiu Chen has no interest in that. He insists on going to a major city to make his way in the world and find work where he can put what he has learned to use. The father and son have a serious argument. Qiu Chen leaves home after writing a note and heads for the big city. With only a few dozen dollars left on him, he wanders around a park, worrying about where he will spend the night. Walisi Yugan, who is setting up a portrait-drawing stall in the park, notices Qiu Chen’s lonely figure and strikes up a conversation with him. After learning about Qiu Chen’s situation, Yugan buys him a noodle dinner and takes him back to the “Single Residents’ Commune,” where he entrusts him to Sister Bao. Warmhearted as always, Sister Bao learns about Qiu Chen’s circumstances from Yugan and immediately arranges a room for him, waiving his rent for the time being.
Yugan sets up his portrait-drawing stall in the park. Wanhua is on her way to the television station, and Sister Bao asks her to stop by the park and bring Yugan a boxed lunch. Wanhua does not understand. Yugan can make money himself, so why does Sister Bao still have to bring him food? Sister Bao explains that Yugan lives frugally and sends most of the money he earns from his stall back to his tribe every month, so the children there can have books, stationery, drawing books, and art supplies to use. Wanhua is deeply moved. She wonders whether there really is such a selfless and caring young man in the world.
Carrying the sushi lunch Sister Bao made herself, Lin Wanhua goes to the park and gives it to Yugan. She takes the opportunity to chat with him, and the two begin to understand each other better. Yugan mentions Qiu Chen and asks whether Wanhua can help Qiu Chen find a job at a film company or television station. Wanhua remembers that “Huaxia Film Company” is currently hiring. One of her university club classmates, Tony, works there as a lighting technician. She calls Tony on her cell phone. Tony says the company still has openings for production assistants and other odd jobs. That evening, Wanhua writes down the address and phone number for Qiu Chen and tells him to go see Tony.
Qiu Chen goes to the film company, and Tony takes him to meet Director Pei Lingxian. After looking at Qiu Chen’s résumé, Director Pei deliberately gives him a warning, saying sarcastically, “Just because you’ve studied abroad doesn’t mean you know how to do the job.” He agrees to let Qiu Chen start only as a general errand boy, while also serving as a stunt double and extra. He will not even give him a script supervisor position. Although Qiu Chen feels humiliated, he swallows his pride and accepts it. Later, Tony complains on Qiu Chen’s behalf, but Qiu Chen says he urgently needs the job and does not care what the work is. On his first day, Qiu Chen is ordered around by every department on the production, becoming completely exhausted and covered in dirt. At lunch, he hurriedly stuffs down two pieces of bread with bottled water to fill his stomach.
After work, Qiu Chen passes through the park and is called over by Yugan. Yugan asks about his job. Qiu Chen briefly tells him what happened, and Yugan encourages him. Qiu Chen gives a bitter smile and says he was mentally prepared to endure hardship. When he returns to the commune, everyone sees that he is exhausted and filthy. Sister Bao asks about him with concern. Qiu Chen honestly tells them that he has been treated like an errand boy. Wanhua frowns deeply as she listens. Big Guy is furious on his behalf. Sun Qing hands him a wet towel to wipe himself down. Qiu Chen himself remains quite open-minded and tells everyone not to worry about him.
Zhang Ningjing works as a cosmetics sales associate at a department store. With her delicate features and model-like figure, she naturally becomes the center of attention. Her female coworkers envy her and are also jealous of her, while quite a few male coworkers admire her. However, because of their concern for the lecherous general manager, Xu Tianzhu, none of them dare openly compete with him for Ningjing’s attention.
One afternoon, with few customers around, Zhang Ningjing is busy taking inventory of the cosmetics at her counter. Xu Tianzhu saunters over to her, looking sleazy. Ningjing treats him as if he were invisible and continues working. Tianzhu asks whether Ningjing can accompany him to an important dinner with a client. Ningjing cannot be bothered to respond. Without even looking up, she pretends she did not hear him.
At that moment, Manager Cao Charlie walks over and angrily reprimands Ningjing. He says Chairman Xu intends to cultivate her and that she does not know how to appreciate a good opportunity. Ningjing retorts that she came there to sell cosmetics, not to accompany men to dinner and put on a smiling face. She then heads straight for the women’s restroom.
The employees who witness the scene secretly snicker as they watch General Manager Xu and Manager Cao standing there awkwardly after Ningjing has verbally humiliated them. Supervisor Zhou Ying quickly signals to everyone with her eyes, telling them to concentrate on their work.
At the filming location, Qiu Chen works up a sweat alongside the set construction crew, helping put up the scenery. Director Pei walks over and stands there for a while. He deliberately teams up with Assistant Director Zhou Ding, and the two loudly mock Qiu Chen in tandem. They say that this Hollywood film master’s degree holder who studied abroad is not even as useful as a carpenter who can barely read. Qiu Chen pretends not to hear them and continues working.
That afternoon, Assistant Director Zhou Ding assigns Qiu Chen to serve as the male lead’s stunt double. In a scene where the male lead is supposed to be lowered from the third floor on a wire, the wire suddenly snaps just as Qiu Chen begins sliding downward. Qiu Chen falls, fortunately landing first on a canopy on the first floor before tumbling to the ground. His hands and feet are scraped and injured. Tony brings over the first-aid kit and helps apply medicine and bandage his wounds.
Xing Zheng, the stunt-team master, examines the wire and immediately suspects that someone has tampered with it. Xing Zheng reports the matter to Director Pei and says that someone could have been killed. Zhou Ding, unwilling to be indirectly accused by Xing Zheng, immediately gets into an argument with him.
That evening, Zhang Ningjing goes to McDonald’s and waits in line to order food. Zhao Guanghua notices her grim expression and reminds her that she should keep a pleasant mood while eating so it will not affect her digestion. Ningjing responds with a bitter smile, takes her meal, turns around, finds a corner seat, and sits down to eat dinner.
After Guanghua finishes his shift at McDonald’s, he walks into a convenience store and buys a loaf of white bread and a bottle of mineral water. He does not notice that Zhang Ningjing is standing behind him, watching him. Guanghua sits down in the store’s seating area, takes out a book, and begins studying while eating bread with mineral water. Ningjing carries a paper bag over to him and sits down. She takes out a sushi box and a bottle of fresh milk and pushes them toward Guanghua. At first, Guanghua is embarrassed to accept them, but Ningjing encourages him with a smile. Guanghua eats the sushi and drinks the milk while Zhang Ningjing quietly keeps him company.
Guanghua and Ningjing stroll along a pedestrian path in the park. Ningjing asks whether he is under financial pressure because she often sees him eating bread with mineral water. Guanghua slowly explains that he comes from a poor family. During his years in college and graduate school, he paid for his tuition and living expenses by working part-time. He has recently been preparing to apply to study fashion design in Paris, France.
Ningjing expresses her support and admiration for Guanghua’s determination to improve himself. Guanghua gives a bitter smile and says that if his application is successful, he will first have to defer his enrollment and work for two years to save enough money before he can go to France for further study. Ningjing thinks to herself that this is something she can discuss with the warmhearted Sister Bao.
Qiu Chen returns to the commune after work. When everyone sees the numerous scrapes and injuries on his hands and feet, they gather around him with concern. Big Guy takes the opportunity to tease Qiu Chen, saying that he and Zhu Erdong endure being beaten up by customers every day, and the money they make from selling their own bodies is still more than Qiu Chen earns. Yet they are not injured as badly as he is. He suggests that Qiu Chen join their anger-relief company instead. Lin Wanhua finds the remark offensive and tells Big Guy to shut up. Big Guy wisely walks away.
Late at night, Sun Qing personally cooks a bowl of mixed noodle soup and brings it into Qiu Chen’s room as a late-night snack. She advises him to find another film company or change jobs, or perhaps become a real estate agent together with her. Qiu Chen says that if it is for the sake of making movies, he can endure hardship. Sun Qing feels deeply sorry for him, but she is also deeply moved by Qiu Chen’s determination to pursue his dream and his refusal to give up.
Zhang Ningjing comes to Sister Bao’s room, saying she wants to chat. After only a few words, Ningjing turns the conversation toward Zhao Guanghua, talking about his circumstances and his ambitions for the future. Sister Bao says she already knows all about them. Guanghua is like her own younger brother. From the day he came from the countryside to the city to attend college, he had lived at the “commune,” so he always tells her about his life and studies.
Sister Bao also reveals that for the past seven years, she has saved all the rent Guanghua has paid her. She plans to give the money back to him someday so he can use it to start a business or study abroad. Guanghua is ambitious and determined to improve himself, so she believes he is worth making this investment in. Ningjing deeply admires Sister Bao’s loyalty and kindness and decides to help Guanghua as well.
Late at night, while everyone else is asleep, Lin Wanhua is still sitting at her desk in her messy bedroom, racking her brain. A cockroach crawls across the desk and climbs onto her laptop keyboard. Wanhua quickly pins it down with three fingers, picks it up, opens the window, and flicks the cockroach outside with her finger. She immediately grabs a tissue and wipes her fingers, then continues typing and working on her screenplay.
In the television station’s production office, head writer Chai Xin has just finished reading the screenplay written by Lin Wanhua. She calls Wanhua through the internal phone and asks her to come in. Chai Xin says with satisfaction that the ratings for the drama Wanhua has been writing keep getting higher. She is willing to increase her payment by 1,000 yuan per episode and tells Wanhua to keep up the good work.
Wanhua cautiously asks whether she can have her name added to the end credits as an “assistant writer.” Chai Xin calmly rejects the request outright. She reassures Wanhua that she will not treat her unfairly, but tells her to continue working as her “ghostwriter” and help maintain her image as a highly popular head writer. Wanhua feels deeply frustrated. She is becoming increasingly certain that Chai Xin only wants to exploit her rather than fulfill her original promise to develop her as a writer.
At dusk, Lin Wanhua goes to the park and sits on a bench, drinking beer unhappily. A bag of canned beer sits beside her, and she opens one can after another and drinks. She gradually becomes somewhat drunk. She gets up and staggers toward the park exit. Two slick-looking street punks approach her. Seeing that the drunken Wanhua is quite attractive, the two exchange glances and suddenly grab her from both sides.
Startled, Wanhua screams, attracting the attention of passersby. At that moment, Yugan happens to be riding his bicycle past the scene. Hearing the cries for help and the curses, he finds the voice familiar. Looking closely, he realizes that it is Lin Wanhua being held by the two punks. He immediately turns his bicycle around and crashes into the two men from behind.
He jumps off the bicycle and uses a spinning kick from taekwondo to take down one of them, then follows with a jumping downward kick that knocks the other man backward, sending him sprawling. His movements are clean and decisive. The surrounding pedestrians cheer and applaud enthusiastically. Yugan takes the shaken Wanhua by the hand, and the two ride away together on his bicycle, leaving the scene in a heroic and carefree manner.
The bicycle reaches a bridge. Dizzy and nauseated, Lin Wanhua feels like vomiting and asks Yugan to stop. Wanhua leans over the bridge railing and vomits while Yugan concernedly pats her back. When they return to the commune, Yugan helps Wanhua back to her room.
Wanhua sits dazed on the wooden floor, mumbling that she cannot accept being deceived by Chai Xin and does not want to continue working as her ghostwriter and being exploited by her. Seeing the chaotic state of the room, Yugan is surprised. It is difficult for him to associate such a mess with Wanhua’s elegant appearance.
Yugan takes a bottle of cold water from the small refrigerator, pours a glass, and gives it to Wanhua. He helps her onto the bed to rest, tidies up some of the room, and takes the garbage away.
At the film studio, Qiu Chen is summoned by Assistant Director Zhou Ding to serve as the male lead’s stunt double. In a scene, the male lead rides a horse into a burning mansion, pulls the female lead onto the front of the horse, and the two ride out of the flames. The movements are clearly executed correctly, yet Zhou Ding repeatedly calls “Cut!,” saying the scene is not good enough.
The clothes worn by Qiu Chen and the female lead’s stunt double, Cui Xiaofen, are burned through in several places by the flames. When the two stunt doubles fall from the horse, martial arts director Li Mingli finally loses his patience and accuses Zhou Ding of deliberately nitpicking. The two begin arguing. Only then does Director Pei step in as a mediator and agree that the part they have already filmed is good enough to pass.
Tony and Xing Zheng, watching from the side, understand perfectly well that Assistant Director Zhou Ding is deliberately making things difficult for Qiu Chen. Qiu Chen gets the first-aid kit and helps the two of them treat their wounds. He warns Qiu Chen to be careful around Zhou Ding, saying that the man is narrow-minded and holds grudges.
Li Mingli examines the injuries to Qiu Chen’s chest and believes he should be taken to a hospital for treatment, but Qiu Chen is proud and stubbornly endures the pain.
Tony drives Qiu Chen back to the commune. When Lin Wanhua sees that Qiu Chen is injured again, she cannot help blaming Tony for failing to take good care of him. Everyone gathers around to ask about Qiu Chen’s injuries. Tony explains helplessly that he is only the lighting technician and has very little influence.
Sun Qing quickly examines Qiu Chen’s injuries and insists that he must go to the hospital for X-rays to determine whether any ribs are broken and whether hospitalization is necessary. Wanhua tells Tony to accompany them. Unable to argue with her, Tony drives the three of them to the hospital.
After Qiu Chen has an X-ray, the doctor confirms that he has two fractured ribs and recommends hospitalization. Wanhua gives the medical certificate to Tony and asks him to help Qiu Chen apply for workers’ compensation leave from the company and have the company cover his medical expenses and living allowance. Tony takes the document.
Sun Qing immediately completes Qiu Chen’s hospitalization procedures. When Sister Bao hears from Wanhua that Qiu Chen has been injured and hospitalized, she goes to the hospital with several residents of the commune to visit him. They see Sun Qing taking care of Qiu Chen in the hospital room. Everyone actually understands what is going on, but Qiu Chen seems afraid that Wanhua will misunderstand, so he hurriedly explains the situation to her. Sun Qing also does not want to put Qiu Chen in a difficult position, so she deliberately says that she happened to pass by after work and stopped in to visit him.
At the cosmetics department of the department store, Zhang Ningjing has just finished arranging the cosmetics at her counter and is preparing to begin her day when Manager Cao Charlie summons her. He tells her that General Manager Xu Tianzhu wants to keep her as his mistress, offering her a villa, jewelry, a luxury car, and 100,000 yuan in monthly living expenses. He tells her to think carefully about it. To his surprise, Ningjing rejects the proposal outright. Charlie becomes furious and angrily scolds Zhang Ningjing for not knowing what is good for her. He decides to make trouble for her.
After Zhang Ningjing finishes serving a wealthy female customer at the counter, Supervisor Zhou Ying approaches and asks Ningjing what happened to anger Manager Cao. She says the manager wants to transfer her to the warehouse. Zhang Ningjing is resentful, so she tells Zhou Ying the whole story. Zhou Ying cannot help cursing General Manager Xu and Manager Cao as two shameless old foxes and gently comforts Ningjing.
Ningjing says that the work environment has left her frustrated and that perhaps she should resign. Zhou Ying says she will go talk to Manager Cao and seek justice for Ningjing.
Inside the manager’s office, Zhou Ying is furious. She puts her hands on her hips, points her finger at Cao Charlie, and angrily scolds him. Outside the glass office, a group of female sales associates gathers to watch the spectacle. Charlie does not want to alarm the employees, so he forces a smile and tells Zhou Ying that he was only trying to scare Zhang Ningjing a little.
Tony brings Qiu Chen’s medical certificate to a production meeting and explains the situation to producer Wang Gang, making his request on Qiu Chen’s behalf. Assistant Director Zhou Ding, however, coldly mocks Qiu Chen, saying that he is pretending to be sick and pretending to be weak, and that he is only an errand boy rather than an official member of the production crew.
This angers Xing Zheng, Li Mingli, and Tony. The three take turns criticizing Zhou Ding for repeatedly making trouble for Qiu Chen. Wang Gang does not want the internal conflict to escalate, so he agrees to all of Tony’s requests.
Zhang Ningjing carries a bag of snacks through the park and sees Zhao Guanghua sitting beneath a mercury-vapor streetlamp in a corner, eating bread with plain water while reading a book. Ningjing walks over and sits beside him. She takes out the snacks, and the two eat together.
Ningjing says she does not want to go to work starting tomorrow. Guanghua asks what happened. Only then does Ningjing slowly tell him the whole story. After listening, Guanghua suggests that she find another job. He also tells her that he has just quit his part-time job at McDonald’s because his application to study abroad has been accepted. He plans to find a regular job tomorrow and start working hard to save money.
Ningjing envies Guanghua for having ideals and goals, saying that her own life feels like that of a drifting water plant with no roots. Guanghua suggests that the two of them look for jobs together. Ningjing gladly agrees.
The two return to the commune. Sister Bao is delighted to see Guanghua looking so happy and asks him what happened. He tells her that he and Ningjing are going to look for jobs together tomorrow. Sister Bao is relieved and says that Guanghua has finally come through the difficult times and is now enjoying better days. In her heart, she has already decided how she will help this couple. That night, Sister Bao goes into Zhang Ningjing’s bedroom and suggests that she resume her former work in jewelry design and have Ningjing help her with advertising and marketing. Zhang Ningjing happily agrees and thanks Sister Bao for reaching out to help her at just the right time.
Liu Dingtian and Zhu Erdong take on a new job, and the client offers to pay them three times their usual fee. The two arrive excitedly at the client’s luxurious mansion, only to realize that the job is quite difficult. After hesitating for a while, they finally decide to grit their teeth and take it. It turns out that the client, Wang Qiang, is a retired national boxing champion. After having a major argument with his wife, who has gone back to her parents’ home in anger, he wants to vent his frustration. Wang Qiang tells Liu Dingtian to put on boxing gloves and fight him in the boxing ring in the mansion’s gym.
Wang Qiang and Liu Dingtian are about the same size, but Dingtian has never received any boxing training. Within a short time, Wang Qiang beats him until his face is swollen and bruised, with blood and saliva streaming from his mouth and nose. Dingtian takes dozens of punches without going down, and Wang Qiang finally gets his anger out and stops. Zhu Erdong collects the money and helps the battered and utterly disheveled Liu Dingtian leave the Wang family mansion. In the motorhome, Big Guy suddenly passes out. Erdong is shocked and immediately drives the motorhome to the hospital emergency room. After examining him, the doctor diagnoses him with a concussion and says he must stay in the hospital for observation.
Sister Bao and several residents of the commune come to the hospital to visit Big Guy. Sister Bao urges Zhu Erdong to shut down the anger-relief company, or else transform the business. Erdong says that he will discuss it with Big Guy after he wakes up. At that moment, Big Guy’s cell phone rings. Erdong answers it. It is Wang Qiang. Wang apologizes for hitting Dingtian too hard. Erdong tells Wang Qiang that Dingtian suffered a concussion and has been hospitalized. Wang Qiang immediately feels that he should come to the hospital to visit Liu Dingtian.
Wang Qiang arrives at the hospital carrying a fruit gift box. As he enters the hospital room, he hears Liu Dingtian and Zhu Erdong arguing about whether they should shut down the “anger-relief company.” Wang Qiang steps forward, first apologizes to Liu Dingtian, and then says that he really admires Dingtian. He sincerely proposes that the three of them go into business together and establish a “Sports and Leisure Equipment Company.” With Zhu Erdong’s encouragement, Dingtian accepts Wang Qiang’s proposal.
Assistant Director Zhou Ding gets into a serious car accident after driving drunk and is taken to the hospital with severe injuries. The costume comedy film that is about to begin shooting suddenly has a vacancy for an assistant director. At a production meeting, the two veteran craftsmen Xing Zheng and Li Mingli strongly recommend Qiu Chen, and the company owner, Guo Wuyong, personally makes the final decision. Tony comes to the hospital to tell Qiu Chen the good news in person and takes him out of the hospital at the same time. Tony brings Qiu Chen back to the studio, and Qiu Chen immediately throws himself into the work.
After first reading the screenplay, Qiu Chen realizes that the jokes in it are actually quite ordinary. He instinctively thinks of the talented writer Lin Wanhua. He suggests to Boss Guo that they find someone to rewrite the screenplay, and Boss Guo agrees.
Qiu Chen excitedly brings the screenplay back to the commune to find Lin Wanhua. Wanhua is curled up in her room, not writing but staring blankly into space. A layer of dust has accumulated on the surface of the laptop on her desk. Qiu Chen asks whether she has not touched the laptop for some time. Wanhua speaks from the heart and says that she no longer wants to do the work for someone else while receiving none of the credit. She has already quit her job as a television screenwriter.
Qiu Chen shows Wanhua the screenplay he is holding. Wanhua reads the first few pages, then throws it into a corner of the room, saying that she does not want to write this kind of shallow slapstick comedy. Qiu Chen earnestly tries to persuade her to face reality. He also tells her that he was the one who personally asked the boss to find a master writer to rewrite it. How could Wanhua possibly stand by and watch him fail? His desperate, almost pitiful appeal finally moves Wanhua, and she agrees to take on the assignment.
Under a solitary lamp, Wanhua’s fingers fly rapidly across the keyboard. Sun Qing cooks a bowl of mixed noodle soup for Qiu Chen as a late-night snack, but Qiu Chen takes the bowl to Wanhua instead. Sun Qing notices what has happened and becomes quietly upset.
Lin Wanhua does not eat the bowl of noodles. Once she becomes absorbed in her work, she is completely focused and forgets everyone and everything around her, except when she needs to drink water or use the bathroom. Qiu Chen does not dare disturb Wanhua while she is writing. He carefully tidies up her room instead. Sun Qing happens to see him doing this as she walks past, and her mood immediately sinks.
In only three days, Wanhua completes a screenplay. Qiu Chen receives it and reads several scenes. He is extremely satisfied, but Wanhua, with dark circles under her eyes, orders him out of her bedroom, saying that she needs to catch up on sleep.
Qiu Chen takes the screenplay written by Wanhua back to the studio, full of confidence and ready to begin production. However, Director Pei Lingxian feels that Qiu Chen has stolen the spotlight from him and is deeply unhappy about it. At the production meeting, he deliberately takes the opposite position from Qiu Chen.
Boss Guo personally reads the screenplay and immediately senses that it contains many clever jokes and is sure to generate strong box-office results. He does his best to calm Director Pei and agrees to let him take an extended leave to rest for a while. He also promises that Director Pei will still receive the director credit after the film is completed. After this compromise, the film finally begins production smoothly.
Every day, Lin Wanhua goes to the park to keep Yugan company at his portrait-drawing stall. When Yugan is concentrating on his work, Wanhua reads some newly published translated novels. The two do not talk much, but they have a strong understanding of each other. Yugan knows that Wanhua has quit her television job and needs some time to adjust emotionally. During their free moments, Yugan plays the guitar and harmonica and asks Wanhua to hum along with him to help relieve her gloomy mood.
The film shoot goes very smoothly. Qiu Chen’s approachable manner makes everyone on the production feel respected. As a result, the work environment is relaxed, pleasant, and full of energy. Everyone also gets to experience a Hollywood-style approach to making commercial American films, emphasizing professionalism, efficiency, and visual appeal.
The costume comedy film The Four Talented Scholars of Jiangnan quickly wraps production and enters post-production and promotional work. Several funny scenes in the trailer attract extensive media coverage, generating buzz even before the film is released. Qiu Chen asks Lin Wanhua to join the production team for promotional events, but Wanhua politely refuses. She even says that this is the most ridiculous, lousy screenplay she has ever written. Fortunately, Qiu Chen does not take her comment personally.
After The Four Talented Scholars of Jiangnan is released, it indeed achieves strong box-office results, and Boss Guo is extremely satisfied. At a company business meeting, Boss Guo accepts Qiu Chen’s suggestion to shift toward a series of contemporary comedies.
At this point, Pei Lingxian can no longer tolerate the change. He openly confronts Boss Guo and Qiu Chen, demanding that Boss Guo choose between them. The old and new factions immediately split into opposing camps, each supporting its own side. Boss Guo finds himself caught in the middle, and the meeting ends hastily.
Qiu Chen returns to the commune. Everyone prepares a cake to celebrate his birthday and congratulate him on the success of his first film. Qiu Chen forces a smile and accepts everyone’s good intentions, but only Sun Qing notices that something is wrong.
After the celebration, Qiu Chen retreats to his room and sits there lost in thought. Sun Qing enters and asks what is troubling him. Qiu Chen tells her that the company has become divided because of him, leaving him deeply conflicted.
Qiu Chen arranges to meet Lin Wanhua and introduces her to Chairman Guo. Chairman Guo greatly values talented people and sincerely invites Wanhua to write a series of contemporary films for the company. Wanhua agrees, but insists that the films must be serious contemporary dramas and that she will no longer follow the comedy route or rely on gimmicks.
Chairman Guo proposes a compromise. He asks Wanhua to write at least one costume comedy every two years. Wanhua reluctantly agrees.
When Director Pei hears that Chairman Guo plans to make greater use of Qiu Chen and Lin Wanhua, he realizes that his own position may be threatened. He therefore takes the initiative to contact several directors on the board and asks them to pressure Chairman Guo to reverse his decision.
Because of their more than ten years of shared history with Director Pei, the directors agree to come forward and discuss the company’s future direction with Chairman Guo.
Several directors and Director Pei argue with Chairman Guo in the chairman’s office. In the end, Chairman Guo gives in and agrees that the company will alternate between contemporary productions and costume productions. However, he insists that the screenplays must be written by Lin Wanhua, whom he personally selected.
Chairman Guo informs Qiu Chen of the decision and tells him to “put up with it for a while.” Qiu Chen worries that Wanhua will not agree to devote half of her creative energy to writing costume comedies.
Sure enough, in Wanhua’s room, Qiu Chen repeatedly pleads with her, but Wanhua remains unmoved. Their argument and Qiu Chen’s pleas are overheard by Sister Bao and Sun Qing in the room next door.
Sister Bao says that since Qiu Chen and Wanhua’s writer-director partnership has produced such good results, perhaps they should be encouraged to start their own business and establish a film studio. She is willing to provide the initial investment.
Sun Qing thinks Sister Bao’s idea is quite feasible, so she asks Sister Bao to invite Qiu Chen and Wanhua over for a serious discussion.
Sister Bao invites the two of them to discuss the proposal. Wanhua happily agrees, while Qiu Chen hesitates. Wanhua finally uses reverse psychology to get Qiu Chen to agree.
Wanhua proposes her first film project as independent filmmakers: she will use the “Single Residents’ Commune” as the blueprint for the story and write every resident into the screenplay as a character. Sister Bao thinks the idea is very creative, and the three of them settle the matter.
Qiu Chen immediately resigns from Huaxia Film Company. Boss Guo and several of the veteran craftsmen repeatedly try to persuade him to stay, but Qiu Chen explains that he cannot bear to see the company divided because of him.
The “Dingqiang Sports and Leisure Equipment Company,” founded by Wang Qiang, Liu Dingtian, and Zhu Erdong, opens first, on the shopping street beside the commune. Next, the “Ji Baozhu Jewelry Design Studio” begins operations. Then the “Commune Film Studio” also starts operating. The entire Single Residents’ Commune becomes an entrepreneurial base, and every one of the residents is full of energy and determination.
Zhao Guanghua completes his application to defer his enrollment and leaves it on the table. Zhang Ningjing happens to discover it. Although she cannot understand the French on the document, she secretly takes a picture of it with her phone and asks Sister Bao, who once studied in France, to explain it.
After looking at the document, Sister Bao says that Guanghua plans to postpone his studies in Paris for two years. Zhang Ningjing says she is willing to use her savings from all these years so Guanghua will not have to waste two years waiting. Sister Bao also says she is willing to use the rent money she has saved for Guanghua to help pay for his airfare and part of his living expenses.
The two women discuss everything and reach an agreement. They call Zhao Guanghua over to talk with him. Deeply touched by Ningjing’s love and generosity, Guanghua proposes to Ningjing on the spot. Sister Bao happily witnesses the beginning of their marriage.
Boss Guo Wuyong of Huaxia Film Company comes to the commune looking for Qiu Chen. Qiu Chen is not there, so Boss Guo chats with Sister Bao instead. Chairman Guo says that he greatly admires the writer-director partnership of Qiu Chen and Lin Wanhua and very much hopes to keep the two of them.
Sister Bao says that if that is the case, Chairman Guo could consider investing in their film studio. Chairman Guo boldly agrees on the spot. He writes five checks, each made out for ten million yuan, and hands them to Sister Bao, leaving her overjoyed.
Just as the “Commune Film Studio” begins operations and the film Single Residents’ Commune is preparing to begin shooting, the Single Residents’ Commune suddenly receives a government demolition notice for a road-widening project. The entire street is included in the acquisition area, and the old commune cannot escape demolition.
Everyone is stunned when they hear the news because the old house has long since become a home where they live together and support one another. Qiu Chen worries that the demolition will not only affect everyone’s lives but may also interfere with the filming of the movie, so he calls Guo Wuyong.
After arriving at the commune and seeing everyone’s dejected expressions, Guo Wuyong proposes an unexpected idea: the old commune can be demolished, but the “Single Residents’ Commune” cannot disappear. He is willing to pay for another piece of land and rebuild a new commune.
After Guo Wuyong proposes rebuilding the commune, Sun Qing actively searches for a suitable new location. She eventually finds a piece of land not far from the original commune, with convenient transportation and a park and shopping street nearby. Most importantly, there are no problems with the land contract or its permitted use.
When everyone hears the news, their hope returns. Liu Dingtian even realizes that his “Dingqiang Sports and Leisure Equipment Company” can continue developing nearby.
Walisi Yugan also volunteers to help design the new commune and presents the drawings he has created himself. The new commune retains the old building’s red-brick exterior walls and long-corridor structure while adding floor-to-ceiling windows, shared activity spaces, and a central courtyard. A place is even reserved for a large tree.
Looking at the design drawings, Lin Wanhua says that this does not look like merely a building, but rather “a place where people can start over.” In the end, Sister Bao decides to adopt the design.
As the commune faces demolition, Qiu Chen continues leading the production team in filming Single Residents’ Commune. Lin Wanhua, meanwhile, incorporates the commune’s real-life experience of facing demolition into the movie screenplay.
At first, Qiu Chen worries that this is a real source of pain for everyone. But Wanhua believes that precisely because it is a real experience, it is worth putting into the movie.
After three months, the new commune is finally completed. The four words “Single Residents’ Commune” are once again mounted on the new building.
Standing at the entrance to her new home and looking at everything before her, Sister Bao is moved to tears. Wanhua tells her that this is not merely a house, but everyone’s “second life.”
All the residents move back into the new commune. The anxiety caused by the demolition gradually transforms into anticipation for their new lives.
After the new commune becomes stable, Qiu Chen continues working on the filming of Single Residents’ Commune. This time, he is no longer a general errand boy at a film company, nor a stunt double. He is now the actual director of his own film studio.
Guo Wuyong personally comes to the set to congratulate him and deliberately reminds Qiu Chen that he is “still his boss.” Qiu Chen understands Guo Wuyong’s joke and also realizes that his former boss has actually continued to support him all along.
Qiu Chen and Lin Wanhua complete the film together, using the lives of the residents of the Single Residents’ Commune as the blueprint for the story. All the setbacks and grievances they experienced in the past finally become a work that truly belongs to them after starting their own business.
Zhao Guanghua had originally planned to postpone his studies in Paris for two years because of financial difficulties. After Zhang Ningjing accidentally discovers his application to defer enrollment, she secretly asks Sister Bao about it.
After learning that Guanghua plans to postpone his studies only because of financial problems, Sister Bao decides to use the rent savings she has kept for him over the years to help pay for his airfare and part of his living expenses.
Zhang Ningjing also says that she is willing to use her own savings to support Guanghua in fulfilling his dream. Deeply moved by their affection and generosity, Guanghua proposes to Ningjing on the spot. Sister Bao happily witnesses their love.
After Zhao Guanghua decides to go to Paris to study, the two decide to get married first. Their wedding is held at the Single Residents’ Commune. Their relatives and friends, along with all the residents of the commune, attend to celebrate with them. Sister Bao and Guo Wuyong jointly serve as the wedding officiants.
The Single Residents’ Commune, which was originally nothing more than a rented residence, has now become a large family where everyone shares in one another’s happiness.
After the wedding, Zhao Guanghua and Zhang Ningjing begin preparing for the next stage of their lives in Paris.
On the day Zhao Guanghua left the country, all the members of the Single Residents’ Commune went to the airport together to see him off. Guanghua and Ningjing were reluctant to part at the airport. They exchanged tokens of love and promised that no matter how far apart they were, they would face the future together. After Guanghua boarded the plane, everyone watched the flight depart and sent their best wishes to the friend who had accompanied them throughout their journey of growth. For Guanghua, Paris was a new starting point for pursuing his dreams; for Ningjing, it marked the beginning of a new stage in their married life.
Guo Wuyong came to the Single Residents’ Commune looking for Qiu Chen. Qiu Chen happened to be away, so Guo Wuyong chatted with Sister Bao instead. Guo Wuyong said that he greatly admired the director-writer team of Qiu Chen and Lin Wanhua and hoped that the two could continue developing their careers at Huaxia Film Company. Sister Bao, however, suggested that if Chairman Guo truly believed in their abilities, he might as well invest directly in the “Commune Film Studio” they had already established. After hearing this, Guo Wuyong agreed on the spot. He took out his checkbook, wrote five checks for ten million yuan each, totaling fifty million yuan, and handed them to Sister Bao. This funding gave the Commune Film Studio, which had previously existed only as a dream, the real conditions to develop independently.
After the “Commune Film Studio” secured the funding, Single Residents’ Commune officially began filming. Qiu Chen stood in the center of the set, directing the lighting, camera, sound, and actors for the first time as a true director. Lin Wanhua stood beside the monitor, assisting with the filming. The two had once been constrained at the film company, but now they finally had their own production team and creative space. Guo Wuyong personally came to the set to offer his congratulations and jokingly reminded Qiu Chen not to forget that he was “still his boss.” Qiu Chen responded with a knowing smile.
As the film production of Single Residents’ Commune gradually got on track, Lin Wanhua began to learn more about Walisi Yugan’s life. From Yugan’s past, his life as a drifter, his street portrait work, his dream of playing baseball, and the love he had lost, she saw a life story worth turning into a film. After a long period of creative work, she completed a new screenplay, The Urban Drifter. Wanhua believed that this time, she was not creating a commercial story for someone else, but telling the story of a person who had truly lived, suffered, and yet still refused to bow to fate. She handed the screenplay to Yugan, hoping that he would play the role himself.
After receiving the screenplay, Yugan was very surprised and asked Wanhua who would play him. Wanhua told him directly, “You.” Yugan had never acted in a film before and initially had very little confidence. But Wanhua believed that even if a professional actor could play a homeless man, that actor might not truly understand what it felt like to be rejected by the world, whereas Yugan’s own life was the most authentic material. In the end, Yugan accepted the challenge. Qiu Chen served as director, Lin Wanhua was responsible for the screenplay, and Yugan personally played his own story.
The first scene of The Urban Drifter shows Yugan dragging his drawing board through the streets of an unfamiliar city. He sees his own reflection in a shop window and remembers his former dreams of playing baseball, becoming a teacher, finding love, and the losses he has experienced in life. Qiu Chen does not ask him to imitate a professional actor, but instead asks him to return to his own real life experience. Yugan finally allows his emotions to emerge naturally in front of the camera. A tear slips from the corner of his eye, and the entire set falls silent. Qiu Chen finally calls, “Cut,” believing that the scene was completed perfectly in one take and did not need to be filmed again. Yugan gradually realizes that the past he once refused to face can truly become a story worth being seen.
In addition to having Yugan star in the film, Lin Wanhua and Qiu Chen also arrange for him to sing the opening and closing songs. Yugan is extremely nervous when he enters a recording studio for the first time and even wonders whether he can finish the songs. Wanhua encourages him from outside the recording booth, telling him that if he dares to act in a movie, he does not need to be afraid of singing. Yugan finally gathers his courage and faces the microphone, giving The Urban Drifter an even stronger sense of his own life and identity.
After The Urban Drifter is released, Yugan suddenly becomes the focus of media attention, but even after becoming famous, he still returns every day to the familiar park to draw portraits. One afternoon, his former girlfriend, Wang Qiuyue, whom he has not seen for many years, suddenly appears at the park. Qiuyue has already seen The Urban Drifter and is happy about Yugan’s achievements. When the two meet again after many years, their past feelings begin to surface once more. Faced with this old love that has suddenly returned, however, Yugan already has a different answer in his heart.
After Lin Wanhua learns that Wang Qiuyue has returned, she assumes that Yugan may choose his former relationship again and becomes convinced of the wrong thing. She does not question Yugan directly. Instead, she quietly packs her belongings and prepares to leave the Single Residents’ Commune. Sister Bao notices that something is wrong with Wanhua and realizes that what she is truly afraid of is losing Yugan. She therefore decides to step in personally and deal with the couple’s relationship problem.
Sister Bao directly asks Yugan how he feels about Wang Qiuyue. Yugan admits that Qiuyue has indeed told him that she still loves him, but he has never thought about going back because there is already someone in his heart. Sister Bao directly says that the person is Lin Wanhua and tells Yugan that Wanhua has misunderstood his feelings and is even preparing to leave the commune. Sister Bao no longer lets Yugan hesitate. She pushes him directly into Wanhua’s room and tells the two of them to clear everything up.
Yugan finally confesses his feelings to Wanhua, telling her that Wang Qiuyue belongs to his past, while the person who has truly accompanied him through his difficult times, understood his dreams, and supported him in making films is Lin Wanhua. Wanhua had originally decided to leave because of the misunderstanding, but after hearing Yugan’s sincere confession, she finally lets go of her doubts. The two officially begin their relationship, finally giving an outcome to the feelings that had remained unspoken for so long.
As the new commune is completed, the Dingqiang Sports and Leisure Equipment Company, Ji Baozhu Jewelry Design Studio, and Commune Film Studio develop one after another. The commune, which was originally merely a place for a group of single men and women to live temporarily, gradually becomes a base where everyone starts businesses together and pursues their dreams together. Each person emerges from the low point of life and finds their own work, love, and direction in life.
As Guo Wuyong and Sister Bao spend more time together, their feelings gradually become clear. Guo Wuyong begins to realize that Sister Bao is not only the “Sister Bao” whom everyone in the commune trusts, but also the person with whom he truly wants to spend the rest of his life. One day, he brings red roses to the Single Residents’ Commune and confesses his love to Sister Bao in front of everyone. Sister Bao, who has long been under the pressure of her father’s “two-year deadline,” is both surprised and delighted by the unexpected marriage proposal. Lin Wanhua, Zhang Ningjing, and the others are also happy for her.
At the beginning of the story, Sister Bao began going on blind dates because of the marriage deadline imposed by her father, Ji Laoshi, and all the commune members once accompanied her everywhere in search of a suitable partner. However, after a series of failed blind dates, business ventures, and the ups and downs of the commune, the person who truly entered her life was Guo Wuyong. From being pressured by her father to get married to eventually meeting someone who was truly willing to support her, invest in her business, and protect the Single Residents’ Commune, Sister Bao finally no longer married simply to fulfill her father’s deadline. Instead, she chose a relationship for herself.
A New Single Residents’ Commune, A New Second Life
Although the commune once faced demolition, everyone did not lose the place where they lived together. Guo Wuyong provided the funding, Sun Qing searched for the land, and Yugan designed the new commune. All the members worked together to rebuild their new home. The new Single Residents’ Commune is no longer merely a place that provides rooms for single people to live in. It has become a shared base where everyone starts businesses, works, falls in love, gets married, and pursues their dreams. Although the old commune has disappeared, the spirit of the commune continues in the new home.
Zhao Guanghua and Zhang Ningjing enter marriage and leave for Paris; Qiu Chen rises from doing miscellaneous work at a film company to becoming a director; Lin Wanhua goes from being a behind-the-scenes ghostwriter whose work was exploited to becoming a screenwriter who truly controls her own creative work; Yugan goes from being a street portrait artist in the park to becoming a leading actor in a film and also finds love again; Liu Dingtian and Zhu Erdong transform their “Online Anger-Relief Company” into an entrepreneurial partnership in a sports and leisure equipment company; and Sister Bao finds a new direction in life through her jewelry business and her love for Guo Wuyong. A group of single people who were originally strangers to one another eventually each moves toward a new life of their own.
At the end of the story, it returns once again to Sister Bao’s birthday and April Fools’ Day. Ji Laoshi and Guo Wuyong sit in the courtyard drinking tea, and the two men seem to have developed a certain understanding known only to the two of them. When Sister Bao sees their interaction, a blush gradually spreads across her face. Everyone also remembers Sister Bao’s birthday once again. A story that originally began with a marriage deadline and pressure has now become the story of a group of people growing together, building their dreams together, and finding love and direction in life together. Everyone bursts into laughter, while the new Single Residents’ Commune and each person’s life are also preparing to turn to the next page.
The End
