Before the economic reforms which recently transformed the everyday life of Chinese (in the 1980s), the inhabitants of the remote village in this story were rather poor. In particular, the leading man was not only poor, but was a drunkard. At one time, he even raped a widow he had feelings for. Now, he is a prosperous mill owner, and despite his earlier crime against her, he attempts to woo the widow. Curiously, she doesn't reject his suit out of hand, even though she has another suitor. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi