The story is told between the past and the present, the "us" and the "them". The scenes in the past are presented in color while scenes in the present are in black and white. During the
Chunyun period, two strangers, Lin Jianqing and Fang Xiaoxiao, meet on the train while traveling home. They become friends and find out that they are both living in
Beijing, trying to find success. Jianqing wants to become a game-maker but has to deal with financial issues as well as lack of time. Xiaoxiao lives with her boyfriend in Beijing, but she leaves him due to an issue with his mother. Xiaoxiao then moves into Jianqing's tiny room in a complex. Two of them make money selling computer softwares and Japanese porns. In the present day, Jianqing coincidentally encounters Xiaoxiao during a Chunyun flight. They room together for the night due to a flight delay and reminisce about their relationship. The story then goes back to the past. During
Chinese New Year, Jianqing and Xiaoxiao get drunk and have sex, thus beginning their relationship. At the onset, things were good as they both got new jobs. At the next New Years party, Jianqing spends a lot of money to impress his friends back home. Two of them return home during the Chunyun period, and spend time with Jianqing's father. Jianqing's father tells him that he doesn't need to act rich to his friends if he is not. One day, the manager evicts the couple from the complex. While at work, Jianqing picks a fight with a caller and gets beaten up. The couple begins to disconnect as Jianqing becomes increasingly angry and distant, picking fights with strangers and arguing with his father. Xiaoxiao breaks up with Jianqing while he was gaming. When Jianqing notices Xiaoxiao's absence, he runs out and finds her on a subway train. They stand in silence as the train departs. He becomes determined to work and finishes his game, which becomes a big hit and lands him a job. Xiaoxiao sees Jianqing on the news where he talks about the inspiration of the game's story and how it ties back to her. That year, during the Chunyun festival, Jianqing asks Xiaoxiao if she will go together with him to their hometown, which she does. Jianqing's father informs them that he is slowly becoming blind. He refuses to move to Beijing when Jianqing berates the family restaurant and tells him to move to Beijing so that Jianqing can take care of him. Jianqing leaves, with Xiaoxiao following him. On the street, Jianqing asks Xiaoxiao to give him a second chance now that he's successful. Xiaoxiao tells Jianqing that she didn't stay with him because she hoped he would get rich and buy her a house, but because she liked him. She tells him that he doesn't understand her and never has, and then leaves. The story then returns to the present. It is revealed that Xiaoxiao is single whereas Jianqing is married with a child. The two tearfully ask each other if the young love they had years ago was real, and Xiaoxiao admits that she really loved him. She tells him that maybe they were destined to meet on the train home, and maybe they were also destined to not be together. Jianqing drives Xiaoxiao home. They hug and formally say their goodbyes. Jianqing tells Xiaoxiao that she will find true love again one day. While returning home with his wife, Jianqing's father mistakenly calls her Xiaoxiao, to which Jianqing tries to not react. It is later revealed that Jianqing's father was already blind and thought his son had married Xiaoxiao, but quickly realized it wasn't her. He writes Xiaoxiao a final letter, telling her that he wishes she would have ended up with his son, but life doesn't go according to plan. He called Jianqing's wife Xiaoxiao because he wanted Jianqing to marry her so badly. After Jianqing's father died, Jianqing goes to the restaurant and reminisces. At the end, Xiaoxiao plays through the Jianqing's game, finding the hidden messages for her at the end. Color returns to the present timeline as they reconcile with the past. ==Cast==