The Folded Years

While sorting through my father's certificates, I stumbled upon his graduation certificate from the Naval Academy. But the man in the photo was no longer young—this was a certificate reissued many years later.

Amid the political storms, my father was labeled a "rightist student" and expelled from school just before graduation. He was sent to a small town in Changtu, Northeast China, where, after a long and arduous journey, he finally returned to his hometown. Many years later, he was rehabilitated. His career flourished, and he treated the world with kindness.

My father was never one to remain silent—he shared his stories. These stories slowly wove together into a tapestry of lives intertwined over four generations, revealing the sadness, strength, and silent love contained in the folds of time.

The Folded Years is a gentle, multi-layered novel that tells the story of family, memory, and the quiet resilience of those who, despite experiencing history, continue to believe in love.