Those Years in the Special Zone

When Chen Dongfang's sister-in-law returns from the Special Economic Zone with his brother's ashes and a swollen belly, his life changes forever. Tasked by his father to bring her back—whether the child is a Chen or not—he buys a ticket south and steps into the roaring economic frontier of 1980s China. In a city where 20 million dreams collide, Chen Dongfang navigates ambition, betrayal, family secrets, and the brutal realities of a nation transforming overnight. This is the story of those who laughed, cried, succeeded, and failed in the crucible of China's modern miracle.