Comrades, Almost a Love Story

Li Xiao-Jun and Li Qiao relocate to Hong Kong in search of a better life. Xiao-Jun plans to bring his fiancée to HK, while Qiao, a Cantonese-speaking opportunist from Guangzhou, begins navigating the city on her own. The move sets up their separate trajectories and the chance encounter that follows.

The loneliness of urban life draws Xiao-Jun and Qiao together, and they begin a passionate affair. Their relationship challenges social norms as their backgrounds and ambitions diverge. The romance becomes the emotional engine of the story.

Qiao navigates the competitive city to grow her wealth, capitalizing on her mainlander status and shrewd decisions. Her ascent makes her a symbol of opportunity in a changing economy. The surge also sows the seeds of vulnerability when the market turns against her.

The economic downturn of 1987 devastates Qiao's accumulated savings, forcing her to rethink how she will survive and prosper. The loss strains her relationship with Xiao-Jun as security and money become fragile. The event marks a turning point in her personal and financial life.

To recover from the crash, Qiao takes work as a masseuse and encounters Ouyang Pao, a wealthy mob boss who embodies danger and opportunity. Their encounter links her to a new circle of influence and power. The relationship with Pao foreshadows a different route to wealth and control.

Despite the intensifying affair with Qiao, Xiao-Jun fulfills his commitment and marries his fiancée in Hong Kong. The marriage cements the distance between his past love and his new life. The development shifts the balance of power in their intertwined fates.

Qiao's bond with Pao grows as she leverages his wealth and connections to secure a more comfortable life. Their alliance blends affection with ambition. The pair navigate a path that keeps them apart from Xiao-Jun.

Against the odds, Qiao achieves the Hong Kong dream by building a business empire. Her rise demonstrates independence and tenacity, even as her past romance lingers in the background. The ascent marks a new era of self-made wealth.

Xiao-Jun and Qiao share a last intimate moment in the room they once inhabited together. The scene underscores a lingering connection despite divergent paths. It foreshadows the enduring pull between them.

Consumed by guilt, Xiao-Jun confesses his infidelity to his wife. He leaves Hong Kong to start anew as a cook in the United States, beginning a long expatriate journey. The confession drives a physical and emotional distance between the two main lovers.

Pao, pursued by the Hong Kong police, escapes with Li Qiao to the United States as illegal immigrants. They attempt to carve out a life under the shadow of their pasts. The move marks a new chapter driven by desperation and ambition.

Before their reunion, Pao is killed in a mugging in the United States, leaving Li Qiao to face life without him. The tragedy deepens Li Qiao's loneliness and sharpens the sense that their dreams were doomed.

Xiao-Jun and Li Qiao cross paths again as lonely immigrants in the United States, long after their separate lives diverged. Li Qiao has obtained a Green Card and built a degree of stability. Their renewed proximity hints at an unresolved bond that persists despite years apart.

In a fateful moment, they meet again in front of an electronics store where a Teresa Teng video plays on a display TV after news of the singer's death breaks. The encounter cements their shared memory and the enduring connection between them. The film reveals they had once sat back to back on their first train ride to Hong Kong.