Popular series strikes a chord with young audience

While studying Chinese literature at university, producer Yue Yang became curious about what had once inspired Du Fu, a renowned 8th-century poet, to write some of his most famous lines while residing in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

The city's distinctive temperament has laid the foundation for Yue and his creative team to produce the series There Will Be Ample Time, which has been streamed on Tencent Video and broadcast on Beijing Satellite TV.

Aimed at a viewership aged between 24 and 35, the series follows four young women as they return to their hometown in Chengdu and rediscover the meaning of life, family, and friendship after striving for respective careers in different cities.

Director Peng Chen, who left his hometown in Guizhou province to study and work in Beijing, said that they hope the series could help parents and adult children, who leave their hometowns to strive for future success in bigger cities, understand each other better and enhance family ties.

Actress Ren Suxi, known for her Golden Rooster Award-nominated film Almost a Comedy, said she has been a beipiao — which refers to those who work in Beijing but do not have permanent resident status — for more than 20 years. This experience has given her a deep understanding of the challenges and difficulties that outsiders face while striving in a big city, she added.

She revealed that her character, an insurance broker, is one of the best roles she has ever encountered. "Even after the drama's first run ended, I would still surf the internet to read the comments from netizens, as I believe it's a form of communication with the audience," said Ren.

The series has earned high scores on major platforms, as exemplified by 8.2 out of 10 on Douban and 9.1 on Tencent Video.