A Better Life (, "Pretty Good Life") is a 2025 Chinese workplace-drama television series directed by Wang Jun and starring Sun Li and Dong Zijian. Produced by China Central Television (CCTV), Shangshi Film & TV and Youku, the 36-episode series premiered on 17 April 2025 in CCTV-8’s prime-time slot with simultaneous online release on Youku.
Plot.
Hu Manli (Sun Li) is a 39-year-old star insurance broker in Shanghai whose life implodes when both her marriage and a career-making deal collapse on the same day. 
The person behind the sabotage is Xue Xiaozhou (Dong Zijian), a disillusioned 28-year-old heir who has just entered the insurance business. After several confrontations, the pair recognise their complementary strengths and form a mentor–protégé partnership, rebuilding their reputations while confronting ethical dilemmas within China’s modern insurance sector.
Production.
The drama was selected by the Shanghai Municipal Cultural Development Foundation as a key cultural project. Principal photography took place from March 2024 to July 2024 at more than 80 Shanghai locations—among them the Bund, Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Xuhui campus and Hongqiao World Centre.
Release.
CCTV-8 broadcast two episodes nightly from 17 April to 4 May 2025; Youku offered a three-episode VIP launch followed by two episodes daily. The series later received secondary satellite runs on Beijing TV and Dragon TV.
Reception.
Viewership.
Xinhua reported that the premiere achieved a nationwide CSM rating of 1.34 percent, ranking first on Chinese television for 17 April 2025. By its first weekend, combined linear and streaming view counts exceeded 4.5 billion, while live ratings peaked above 3 percent for multiple evenings.
Critical response and controversy.
Viewer opinion is divided. Many praised Sun Li’s performance and the authentic Shanghai setting, yet some insurance professionals criticised the portrayal of unethical sales tactics, launching the Weibo hashtag #请别妖魔化保险人, ( #Please don't demonize insurers). Media commentators from 上观 News argued that the drama intentionally uses “negative examples” to highlight the insurance industry’s shift toward stricter regulation.
Themes.
Scholars highlight its examination of mid-career reinvention, inter-generational workplace tensions and female agency within China’s financial-services boom.