They go through push and pull when war arrives, and ML being business-minded pro-Japanese and MC being a Chinese patriot, they separate. Over the following year, ML treats it as a "silent war, " but eventually MC is to move away, and ML realizes his feelings as MC is about to leave him for real, so to speak. He doesn't confess his feelings, however, as he thinks MC has moved on. In the next following months after that, ML attempts to forget MC, doing business overseas, but when a flood hits where MC lives, he rushes back and rescues MC. They then get back together, and ML abandons thoughts of moving out of the country, promising to stay with MC forever.

We get a few chapters of bliss and happiness, then, China is liberated from the hands of the Japanese, and the communist era begins. ML gives all his properties to the government, and for a while, things are okay as he's praised for it. The author goes into a full overview of Communist China. To put it short, MC and ML struggle. They subsist of porridge and food stamps; ML is apprehended by the government and subject to torture and beatings, MC, as a teacher, is pulled out onto the streets and subject to "struggle sessions" where students were incited to beat their teachers. Their house is vandalized, and bricks are thrown through the window. Life continues on like this, until the last chapter. The pair die in old age (ML of cancer, with MC following in grief) , and join each other on the dreamy road in their past-life forms, walking off into the horizon.

The book was deeply enjoyable up until the post-war communist revolution starts. Then, it just becomes hard to read. It's really well-written, but, having read the prequel, I can't help but feel desolate. Their sufferings in the previous life, seem no less than their sufferings in this life. I suppose what the author tries to emphasize here, is that, this time, they have each other.

But I can't help but think, realism is great and all, but this book was supposed to feel happier. IMO, realism works best for BE novels. True, in this life, the protagonists lived each day content, even as they suffered. Yet, I couldn't help but hope, that they didn't have to go through this. With how they suffered in their previous lives, the new life would be easy after they resolve their romantic differences. That they could live in blissful wealth, to want for nothing, without struggle. Because they deserve it.

Yet, the characters still suffer. This time, they support each other through historical tragedy, as they are beaten down and abused by the Communist government and its people. As they've done nothing wrong, but are punished nevertheless.

The ending is poetic and beautiful, as they meet in the afterlife in their past forms, but... between the ending and the first half of the book, it read to me as a tragedy. A muted tragedy, where the reader can only watch as the text passes by, as the main characters are given no place to escape. Because you can't escape a country that's walled itself off from the world.

They'll reincarnate again in another world and will live a happy care free life together like they've always wanted since they deserve it and they worked so hard for it. When at the very end they walk towards each other wearing ancient robes I want to imagine it's a sign that they finally atoned for the mistakes of their past lifes and their future incarnations will all be peaceful.