Yearning

Yearning is a visual novel about Tan Kai’s ordinary and extraordinary life at a modern Chinese university. Once an excellent high-school student, he struggles to adapt to university, his grades fall, and he begins drifting through his days. When three women with different backgrounds and personalities enter his life, he faces choices about his relationships and how to respond to social issues. The story explores faith and personal beliefs through his inner journey.

Tan Kai’s classmates

Jiang Xingyan is Tan Kai’s classmate in the computer department. She has excellent grades, a lively personality and a wide circle of friends, and her family is fairly wealthy because her father owns a restaurant. She dreams of becoming an actress, but her family does not support that ambition; she rebels in secret and hopes to become a star on screen.

Si Rou is the class leader and the top student in the class. Upright, kind and ready to help others, she aims to contribute to the happiness of all humanity and works steadily toward that ideal. Her stubbornness often brings her into conflict with others, making her path difficult. Her family is slightly poor, but her worker parents do their best to support her, having taught her the faith behind her ideal.

Song Shuyao is in the same club as Tan Kai and comes from a wealthy family. Raised with an elite education, she is talented and well-educated, and maintains a gentle, elegant image. Having grown up surrounded by attention, she can sometimes act domineering without realizing it. She hopes to marry the boy she loves, despite her father’s plans.

Story and presentation

You play as Tan Kai and make choices as he develops different feelings for the three women. The story also presents social phenomena and problems for reflection, and is fully voiced.