A Little Red Flower

Two years after his brain tumor operation, Wei Yihang remains in remission but still feels isolated. He then meets fellow brain tumor patient Ma Xiaoyuan, and their friendship begins to form. Together they imagine travel adventures as a way to cope with their illness and to feel some sense of normalcy.

Ma Xiaoyuan becomes a catalyst for Wei’s social opening, and their conversations drift into shared imaginary travels. These adventures give them a sense of normalcy they crave but cannot fully experience in real life. Wei starts to open up more to others, inspired by Ma's resilience.

Through Ma's presence, Wei begins to understand and appreciate his family more deeply. He witnesses the quiet sacrifices his loved ones have made to keep him safe and hopeful. This new perspective deepens his gratitude for their support.

Wei witnesses his grandmother volunteering to sell her house to fund his medical expenses. His uncles and aunts pledge to do the same, and his father fights back tears. The moment underscores the family’s willingness to sacrifice for his future.

Wei is allowed to travel to a lake in Qinghai that he had seen in a hallucination, and he and Ma set off together. The trip promises a chance to escape hospital routines and to test their limits. It marks the beginning of a real journey paralleling their inner emotional voyage.

During the journey, Ma faints on the train and is rushed to hospital, where doctors deliver a grim prognosis. Wei remains by her side, supporting her through the crisis. The incident shatters the sense of a carefree trip and deepens their bond.

Wei accompanies Ma during her hospital stay, doing what he can to care for her during her final days. The diagnosis casts a heavy shadow over both their hopes and plans. They share quiet moments that blend care with the dawning acceptance of loss.

Wei shaves his head in solidarity and imagines a 'potion of no return' to mark their shared vow to stay strong. Their time together becomes a mix of clinical care and earnest, hopeful rituals. These acts symbolize his commitment to Ma and their dream of ordinary lives.

During this period, Wei's parents record a video of their life together in case he does not survive, and send it to him. Wei cries as he watches, but finds comfort knowing his parents will carry on. The moment binds him to a future beyond his illness.

Ma Xiaoyuan dies, and Wei helps pack her belongings after the period of rapid decline. The loss becomes a turning point that pushes him toward a cautious but hopeful future. He carries her memory as he begins to reshape his life without her.

One year after Ma's death, Wei finishes his classes in college, showing the resilience and growth illness has forced upon him. He reflects on the people who sustained him and the fragile hope that remains. The milestone signals a new phase of independence.

Wei makes a solo trip to Qinghai and finally arrives at the lake he had envisioned. There, he sees images of himself and Ma playing in the water, a scene both haunting and comforting. The moment marks a bridge between past visions and his present growth.

It occurs to Wei that the visions may not be mere hallucinations but glimpses of a parallel universe where he, Ma, and their friends are healthy and living ordinary lives. He accepts this possibility as a bittersweet consolation for what was lost. The journey closes with a sense of open possibilities beyond illness.