In a piece of good luck, college student Chen Nuan-Nuan ends up paired with her crush, the indifferent but handsome Hsia Chih-Hsun, on a summer research project for her sociology professor. The two are tasked to research religious practices among indigenous cultures—but whose? The usually quiet Hsia suggests they research the indigenous community in Daxi. At their arrival, Nuan-Nuan discovers that this isn't just a research trip for Hsia—it's a return home, a trip he hasn't made in seven years. The two of them conduct research during the build-up to the summer's Temple Fair, the community's most important festival, as Hsia tries uncomfortably to untangle the knot of his family's past. (Source: Books of Taiwan)

Shen Zhi Xiang was adapted into a live action TV series which aired for 10 episodes from July 11, 2021 to August 8, 2021. The first chapter was published digitally in English by Books From Taiwan under the title Rites of Returning, and the series was published in French by Kana from May 4, 2018 to August 31, 2018.