The heavy price of a sacrifice made to protect a future
In short: In 2019, a Chinese drama became a cultural phenomenon, grossing over US$230 million. Beyond the box office success, it tells a harrowing story of school bullying, a desperate teenage street thug, and a calculated lie designed to save a student's academic dreams.
Directed by Derek Tsang and based on Jiu Yuexi's novel *In His Youth, In Her Beauty*, *Better Days* follows Chen Nian, a high school student facing extreme physical and psychological abuse. After the suicide of her classmate, Hu Xiaodie, Chen Nian becomes the target of a 'queen bee' bully named Wei Lai. The violence escalates from rumors to physical assaults involving boxcutters and even a cage of rats.
The narrative centers on the bond between Chen Nian and Liu Beishan, a teenage street thug known as 'Xiao Bei.' As Chen Nian struggles to study for her crucial college entrance exams, Xiao Bei provides protection, even shaving his head in solidarity after she is brutally assaulted by her bullies. The tension peaks following a landslide that reveals Wei Lai's body, leading detectives Zheng Ye and Lao Yang to investigate Chen Nian as a murder suspect.
The film's climax reveals a profound moral dilemma: Xiao Bei agrees to take the blame for Wei Lai's death to ensure Chen Nian can pursue her goal of attending college in Beijing. While the pair initially maintains a false story to the police, the truth eventually leads to both receiving lighter sentences and entering prison. The film concludes with a glimpse into the future, where Chen Nian has become a teacher, and notes that the incident prompted the Chinese government to enact stricter anti-bullying policies and punishments.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Better Days (2019 film)
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