So Young

Wei enrolls in civil engineering hoping to stay in the same city as her childhood friend Lin Jing, whom she hopes to marry someday. When she visits Jing at his dorm, she learns he has left for America, leaving her heartbroken and puzzled. She returns to campus with uncertainty about the future and a new social circle to build.

Wei becomes close with her dormmates Ruan Guan, Li Weijuan, and Zhu Xiaobei, and they share their life goals and dreams. The four form a supportive circle that anchors Wei through the immediate heartbreak and college pressures. Their friendship sets the tone for Wei's college life.

Wei borrows a DVD from Lao Zhang and Xu Kaiyang and walks into their dorm, only to clash when Xiaozheng confronts her over touching his model. He calmly says he has nothing to apologize for, and asserts she is at fault for invading his space. The confrontation plants the seeds for Wei's obsessive pursuit and, eventually, her growing attraction.

Driven by her realization that she likes Xiaozheng, Wei begins to stalk and harass him to gain his attention. Despite his initial annoyance, his guarded nature gradually softens as he notices her persistence. The two edge toward a romantic relationship amid their contrasting personalities.

Wei and Xiaozheng enter a relationship, appreciating each other's enthusiasm but clashing over discipline and planning. Xiaozheng cautions Wei about the need to stay serious about her coursework and her future. He explains his philosophy that life is like a building that must be laid with care.

At the on-campus job fair, Wei hopes they can stay together, but Xiaozheng reveals a life-changing secret: he has applied for and won a graduate fellowship to study architecture in America. He admits he couldn't tell her sooner, afraid of hurting her. He leaves to pursue the opportunity, leaving Wei to face the future on her own.

Years pass and Wei proves herself as a competent professional. She meets Lin Jing on the campus and learns that his sudden departure years ago was connected to his family drama, not to America. Lin Jing confesses he wants to rekindle their friendship, hinting at something more, while refusing to return to the past lightly.

Xiaozheng comes back from America as an accomplished architect, having achieved professional success but feeling hollow about leaving Wei behind. He wishes to reconnect and grow anew with her, hoping that time could heal the rift between them. His return sets the stage for a renewed possibility of romance.

Not long after Xiaozheng's return, Ruan Guan dies in a car accident while en route to meet her university boyfriend before her wedding. The loss plunges Wei into grief and makes her question her own chances at happiness. In her sorrow, she asks Lin Jing to propose marriage.

Lin Jing tells Wei there was another girl who loved him during their time apart, complicating the idea of their future together. Wei accepts the truth and ultimately calls off the idea of marrying Lin Jing. The revelation forces her to confront what she truly wants moving forward.

Wei and Xiaozheng meet again at the aquarium, reminiscing about the happiness they shared just before Xiaozheng's departure for America. He asks if she would let him love her again, signaling a final attempt at reconciliation. Wei replies with a memory-filled line that their youth cannot be recaptured.

The film closes with the impression that youth can only be relived in memory. Wei and Xiaozheng do not rekindle their romance and instead accept that their paths are separate, carrying the bittersweet lessons of their past with them.