Sun Yihong

A group of Chinese refugees and straggler soldiers, led by a machinist, defend their mountain town, "Gezhi," against a surprise attack by Japanese reconnaissance troops in a desperate fight using civilian ingenuity against a trained military force.

In the 1990s, teenagers Chen Yi and Miao Jing met due to their parents, initially getting off to a rocky start. However, Miao Jing's kindness eventually softens Chen Yi's attitude towards her. Chen Yi and Miao Jing's relationship deepens after Chen Yi's father dies and Miao Jing's mother disappears, leaving the two to rely only on each other. Miao Jing eventually confesses her feelings for Chen Yi, but he pushes her away after he gets tangled up as a crime witness, urging her to leave their city. Years later, Chen Yi runs a billiards hall in their hometown, while Miao Jing returns for a work assignment. But when Chen Yi suspects that Miao Jing's boss is involved in smuggling, he vows to protect her – and stay by her side.