With the success of Lupins, Chung's writing was in demand, and slowly he cleared out the rejection slips in his desk drawer. He took the opportunity to work on another long piece.
由於《魯冰花》的成功，鍾肇政成為各界爭相邀稿的對象，之前堆積在抽屜裡的存稿逐漸出清，也給予他書寫另一個長篇的機會。