The protagonist, an 18-year-old stunningly beautiful young woman from a cadre family. She just graduated from high school in June 1972 and traveled to N County in Jilin Province to visit her fiancé Lu Yubai, who is a Battalion Commander in the military. She had been pampered and cherished across two lifetimes. She is calculating and practical about her marriage—willing to marry Lu Yubai if he meets her standards, but prepared to call her family to select backup candidates if not. Her grandfather served in the military and she holds deep respect for soldiers. She is the only daughter in the Ruan family, which has two children: her and her older brother.
