Eighteen Springs

Manlu is Manzhen's elder sister who seeks security through marriage to a wealthy, indulgent playboy. She works as a nightclub hostess and uses family connections to secure status. To protect her own marriage, she arranges for Manzhen to be locked in Zhu's mansion and raped, a drastic measure born of social climbing. She later cannot bear children, seeks forgiveness, and dies after returning Manzhen's son to him.

A member of the Gu family; Not described in detail in the summary, but part of the family network that shapes the protagonists' lives.

Educated young woman working as a clerical assistant in a Shanghai factory. She falls in love with Shen Shijun, whose wealthy background creates an obstacle to their union. After being raped by Zhu Hongcai at the urging of her sister, she becomes pregnant, escapes, and later becomes a schoolteacher in another town. Years later, she and Shijun reconnect but are doomed to remain apart due to their circumstances.

Manzhen's former classmate and friend who reconnects in the Shanghai factory setting. He represents a bridge between personal affection and social constraints, offering support amid changing fortunes.

Introverted youth from a wealthy Nanjing family who works in Shanghai to avoid inheriting his father's business. He loves Manzhen but faces opposition from his family and ultimately marries Cuizhi under pressure. He and Manzhen meet again years later, recognizing they cannot be together.

A wealthy, decadent playboy who is attracted to Manzhen. He forces himself on her, becoming the father of her child. He later shows remorse for his actions, though his relationship with Manzhen remains complex and strained.

Shijun's cousin whom the family pressures him to marry. She and her mother-in-law burn Manzhen's letters, and she becomes Shijun's wife, illustrating the entrenchment of arranged marriages within elite circles.

A member of Shanghai's social circles involved in the plot; his exact role is not detailed in the summary but he participates in the web of relationships and social dynamics around the main characters.

Another cast member; the summary does not specify his role, representing the broader male presence in the film's milieu.