Stories which fill you with hope: Spring Trees and Sunset Clouds by Wei Liang

After betrayal and three years of endless torture, the main character is presumed dead and thrown into the sea. Then he was washed up at a small town when on all account he should be dead. He renamed himself Nan Ge Er on a whim.

Broken and drifting without a purpose, Nan Ge Er slowly integrated himself in this idyllic strange town that cared for him and gradually got back some will to live. While the trauma left permanent mark on him psychologically and physically, he found a home that accepted him and a gentle lover who loved him for who he was.

This is a bittersweet slice of life story about the long road of recovery. While something is lost forever (eg the Nan Ge Er's health ), it's still possible to find joy, peace and love.