The story of an unexpected meeting which occurs at the edge of the extremely photogenic Gobi desert. Set against a backdrop of the changing seasons, a bond is established between a railroad worker named Jianxin and Li, a young relief teacher. But a heart defect Li’s had since birth prevents their mutual attraction from maturing into a full love relationship, and it seems as if Li will remain Jianxin’s friend rather than become his wife. But Jianxin has no intention of giving her up: after being disappointed long ago, Li is the first person who’s been able to call him back to life. And so Li and Jianxin move in together, their love poised to blossom, but the drama doesn’t end there; in fact it’s only just begun. Though at first rather inconspicuous, this work is one of last year’s most stylistically successful movies. Its balanced form guards against the cheap aestheticising possible in the extroadinary semi-desert landscape, and the film oscillates between sweeping shots and the counterpoint offered by exceptional acting performances.