Back to the 80s: You Choose Your First Love—Why Are You Crying When I Marry Someone Else?

Lin Sui and Gu Shaonan were a devoted couple who built a billion-yuan empire together, only to die in a car accident while moving into their new villa. They awoke in 1988, ten years earlier, with their memories intact. Lin Sui found herself back in her rural village, facing an immediate crisis: her drunken mother had agreed to marry her to Zhang Dongliang, a local bully, in exchange for a thousand-yuan betrothal gift. Zhang produced a signed agreement demanding three thousand yuan in compensation if Lin Sui refused. Remembering the stock market boom in Shanghai, Lin Sui traveled there, invested her savings, and multiplied her money sevenfold. She returned with enough cash to repay Zhang and secure her freedom, while also discovering that Gu Shaonan had been reborn as well. She spotted him at the stock exchange, where he was making investment decisions that mirrored his careful, long-term nature from their previous life.

Lin Sui intended to recreate their first meeting, but Gu Shaonan did not appear at the factory that evening. Instead, he had traveled to Ning County to save his first love, Chen Qinghe. In their past life, Chen had been forced to marry a abusive man named Liu Gao because Gu Shaonan could not afford her father’s cancer surgery. Reborn, Gu Shaonan used his stock market profits to pay for Chen’s father’s operation and proposed to her, deciding to choose Chen Qinghe in this lifetime. He rationalized that Lin Sui would be better off without him, as their previous marriage had been strained by family conflicts and his mother’s preference for Chen. Lin Sui, waiting in the rain, felt abandoned and was attacked by thugs. She was rescued by Zhou Chiye, a new township party secretary, and a county official named Yu. Heartbroken and angry at Gu Shaonan’s apparent betrayal, Lin Sui did not reveal her rebirth to Zhou Chiye but used his reputation to deter Zhang Dongliang when she later confronted him.

Lin Sui deposited her earnings and began planning her next moves, determined to succeed without Gu Shaonan. She visited the shoe factory where Gu Shaonan worked, hoping to see him, but he deliberately avoided her, maintaining a cold, distant demeanor. He had already accepted his decision to marry Chen Qinghe and viewed Lin Sui as someone he would help only if she faced difficulties. Lin Sui, however, remained composed and accepted Manager Yang’s offer to work at the factory, positioning herself to observe Gu Shaonan from a distance. She noticed that Gu Shaonan was more confident and skilled than before, confirming that he had retained his memories. Despite his efforts to ignore her, Lin Sui sensed the underlying tension and decided to play along, waiting to see how events would unfold.

The story explores the divergence of their paths in this second chance. Lin Sui focuses on building her own wealth and independence, leveraging her knowledge of future economic trends. She supports her family, preventing her brother from making the same financial mistakes that ruined him in the past life. Meanwhile, Gu Shaonan navigates his new relationship with Chen Qinghe, who is grateful for his help but still haunted by her past trauma. The narrative highlights the contrast between Lin Sui’s proactive, decisive nature and Gu Shaonan’s more cautious, contemplative approach. As both characters adjust to their rebirth, they must confront the consequences of their choices and the changing dynamics of their relationships. Lin Sui’s resilience and strategic thinking set her on a path to success, while Gu Shaonan grapples with guilt and the complexities of his new romantic involvement. The story sets the stage for a reevaluation of their past lives and the potential for redemption or further divergence in their futures.