The film centers on the reconciliation between a father and his son. Ah Lang, a youth from a small town, believes his father Ah Zheng never truly understands his occupation and the life he leads. In a pivotal moment, the story pivots from their strained dynamic into something surreal: Xu Tailang, a racer, wins the 2022 China Rally Championship while his aging father, Xu Zhengtai, watches with a smile that hides years of unspoken stories. What follows is a startling turn of events that blurs time and memory.
During a high-speed drive meant to celebrate, an oncoming train crashes into the rear of their car as it barrels along the tracks. The moment of impact doesn’t end the day; it launches Xu Tailang into a vivid, almost cinematic journey back to 1998, in the very town where he was born. The hospital gurney that once carried him toward the future becomes his doorway to the past, and he finds himself living a life he only knew through legends and rumors.
What unfolds is a blend of humor and heart as he navigates comical adventures with his younger father and a cast of characters who populate that era. He also meets his mother, Xiao Hua, a woman whose presence he never knew in life because of the tragedy that followed childbirth. Xiao Hua, portrayed by Xiao Hua in the cast, becomes a central figure in understanding the sacrifices that shaped Xu Zhengtai’s choices and the rhythms of the family he would one day return to.
As Xu Tailang observes life in 1998, he begins to piece together the man his father was long before becoming the older generation he now knows. He discovers the ways his father lived, the deep love he felt for his mother, and the circumstances that led to a prison sentence of six years. These revelations illuminate the sacrifices, missteps, and strengths that defined his father’s past, offering Xu Tailang a new lens through which to view him.
The journey through time deepens the bond between father and son, transforming unresolved tensions into understanding and respect. Xu Tailang’s odyssey becomes not only a voyage through a pivotal decade but also a quiet reconstruction of a family’s history. By the end, the father and son find common ground in the memories, regrets, and genuine affection that time could not erase. This awakening fosters a renewed sense of connection, suggesting that reconciliation might be possible even after years of distance and silence.
