Welcome to Storyflix.
In this video, we will explain Us and Them.
This movie tells the story of
two strangers who meet on a train and form a bond that evolves over the years.
After a separation,
they reconnect and reflect on their love for each other.
Will their story have a happy ending in the end?
Let's find out in Us and Them.
Us and Them started in 2007 in Beijing, China.
That afternoon, in a crowded economy class train,
a woman named Xiaoxiao was seen panicking and confused because she had lost her train ticket.
A train attendant was about to kick Xiaoxiao out because she couldn't show her ticket. But then,
a man named Jianqing helps Xiaoxiao by pretending to be her friend and giving her one more ticket
that he accidentally bought.
Xiaoxiao was very grateful for Jianqing's kindness.
Moreover, the man also kindly invited Xiaoxiao to sit with him and his friends.
They then got to know each other and told stories.
In the end, they found out that they were both from Yaojiang city,
and were going back there to celebrate Chinese New Year with their respective families.
Their acquaintance was not only limited to the train.
Arriving in Yaojiang city,
Jiangqing and Xiaoxiao decided to remain friends and spent a lot of time together.
Xiaoxiao often visited Jianqing's house and met his family.
They also often visit many places and do fun things.
Jianqing said that Xiaoxiao was a unique woman
because every woman he met was usually very shy and quiet,
in stark contrast to Xiaoxiao who was very outspoken.
However,
Jianqing actually feels comfortable with Xiaoxiao
because he can be himself without pretending to be someone else.
Jianqing and Xiaoxiao both live in Beijing, trying to find success.
Jianqing, who studies at a university in Beijing, has lived in the city for four years.
Meanwhile,
Xiaoxiao went to Beijing to find a job and worked odd jobs to make ends meet and fulfill her dreams.
On New Year's Eve, Jianqing and Xiaoxiao watch the fireworks festival and shout their dreams, where
Jianqing hopes to get a job with a good salary and also become rich, while Xiaoxiao wishes to marry
a rich man so that she can become a rich woman.
After the New Year, Jianqing and Xiaoxiao return to Beijing
to pursue their dreams again, even though the reality is not as beautiful as hope.
After graduating from college, Jianqing, who dreams of becoming a successful game programmer,
decides to set up a game counter in a shopping mall with his friends.
Even though it is only a small booth,
it is clear that Jianqing is very serious about developing his business.
One night, while Jianqing and his friends were drinking,
Xiaoxiao came and introduced them to her new boyfriend.
Jianqing looked surprised because Xiaoxiao's boyfriend looked quite old.
Xiaoxiao told him that her boyfriend is a civil servant who already has a house and a steady job
and is quite well-off.
Jianqing then asked Xiaoxiao's boyfriend for a drink.
But it turned out that the man soon got drunk, so Jianqing was forced to take him to his house.
Jianqing then told Xiaoxiao that this man deserved to be her father rather than her boyfriend because
his face looked older even though he was not even thirty years old.
Jianqing turned out to be jealous
because he secretly harbored feelings of love for Xiaoxiao. Jianqing was still annoyed
that Xiaoxiao had a boyfriend, even though he knew very well that Xiaoxiao only cared about money,
not face. Several months later, Jianqing's game counter did not continue to develop.
Moreover, one by one his friends decided to leave and choose other jobs that made more money. Even
so, Jianqing remained firm and determined to realize his dream of becoming a game programmer.
One day, Jianqing gets a call from Xiaoxiao asking him to come over. It turned out that that day
Xiaoxiao had to end her romantic relationship with her boyfriend because his mother did not approve
of their relationship because Xiaoxiao came from a low-income family. Since Xiaoxiao had no place
to live, she was forced to move into Jianqing's shabby apartment and live there for a while.
Jianqing was initially concerned about what had happened to Xiaoxiao. But secretly he was
happy because Xiaoxiao finally broke up with her boyfriend. Despite living together in a cramped
and shabby apartment, Jianqing and Xiaoxiao looked quite happy. Moreover, Jianqing often comforted
Xiaoxiao when she was feeling sad. Xiaoxiao often encouraged Jianqing when he felt down, including
when Jianqing had to give up his business at the game counter because the place wasn't
growing. He had trouble paying the rent because he didn't get any income. Xiaoxiao continues to
encourage Jianqing not to give up on realizing his dream because she believes that one day,
Jianqing will succeed in realizing his dream and become a rich person. To make ends meet, Jianqing
now sells computer software and Japanese porn. One day, Xiaoxiao came to see him and said she now had
a new boyfriend. Jianqing only smiled wryly in response and pretended to be happy for her even
though he was actually jealous. A few days later, Xiaoxiao finally found out that her boyfriend was
actually a married man, so she decided to end the relationship. She immediately felt heartbroken.
But Jianqing was always by her side to comfort her. When Jianqing was comforting Xiaoxiao and
getting drunk, Xiaoxiao suddenly kissed him and they both ended up making love. However,
the next day, Xiaoxiao immediately left Jianqing and never contacted him again.
Jianqing kept calling Xiaoxiao, demanding an explanation for why she had just left him without
saying anything. But Xiaoxiao never answered his messages until one day, Xiaoxiao contacted
Jianqing and explained why she left him, namely because she didn't want to ruin their friendship.
Xiaoxiao hoped that they could stay friends like before. Jianqing finally realized that he
had only been considered a friend by Xiaoxiao, even though their relationship was very close.
One day, Xiaoxiao rushes to meet Jianqing in his rundown apartment. However, how Xiaoxiao was
shocked when she found out that Jianqing was in prison because she was caught selling pirated CDs.
Approaching the New Year, like the previous year, Xiaoxiao always made time to meet her family
back home. Usually she would go with Jianqing. However, since Jianqing was currently imprisoned,
Xiaoxiao returned home alone. Arriving in Yaojiang city, Xiaoxiao took the time to visit
Jianqing's house and meet his family by pretending to be Jianqing's girlfriend.
Xiaoxiao had to lie to Jianqing's father that Jianqing was currently so busy with work
that he couldn't go home during the New Year holidays. Jianqing's father then asked Xiaoxiao
about Jianqing's life in Beijing and asked if his son had become a successful person.
Not wanting to disappoint Jianqing's father and make the old man feel worried,
Xiaoxiao was forced to lie that Jianqing's life in Beijing was better than before and Jianqing had
managed to find a job with a satisfactory salary. Jianqing's father seemed relieved to hear that.
Shortly after she said goodbye to Jianqing's father, Xiaoxiao was seen crying because she felt
guilty for lying. Not only that, but Xiaoxiao also felt guilty for Jianqing because she had
always ignored his kindness to her even though he was always there for her whenever she was in
trouble. On the other hand, Xiaoxiao often ignored Jianqing, even when he was in a slump. Xiaoxiao
then visits Jianqing in prison which is the day of his release. Xiaoxiao welcomed Jianqing who
had just been released from prison, but Jianqing didn't care about her because he was still annoyed
that Xiaoxiao had left him like that. Xiaoxiao then recounted that she visited Jianqing's father
on New Year's Day and told him that now she has a new boyfriend. Unlike her ex-boyfriends
who have already established men, her boyfriend this time was a poor man and worked odd jobs.
Even so, Xiaoxiao felt comfortable being by his side. Unlike usual, this time Jianqing didn't care
about Xiaoxiao's words at all, until finally Xiaoxiao told her that the man was Jianqing.
Jianqing was very surprised and did not expect that Xiaoxiao also loved him. Since then, they
were finally officially dating. They return to live together in a tiny apartment, where the two
start working odd jobs to make ends meet. Jianqing managed to get a job as an IT person at a company,
while Xiaoxiao worked as an office clerk. Despite living a simple life and living in
a shabby apartment, Jianqing and Xiaoxiao seemed so happy that they had complemented each other.
As the next Chinese New Year approached, Jianqing and Xiaoxiao finally returned home together
in a rented car, where they later attended the Jianqing school reunion. Like any reunion event,
they exchange stories about each other's lives and compete to look more successful
and rich than the others. Likewise, Jianqing is desperate to spend all his savings just to
look rich in front of his friends. However, his friends secretly use Jianqing as gossip
because they know that he is just a poor man who wants to look rich so as not to be ostracized.
Jianqing and Xiaoxiao, knowing this, decided to leave and go back to Jianqing's father's house.
Jianqing's father, who finally found out that Jianqing was not a rich and successful
person like what Xiaoxiao had previously told him, then advised Jianqing to start accepting
reality because the most important thing in life is not just wealth. However, Jianqing
actually thought that his father underestimated him so he immediately left and headed to Beijing
right then and there. On the way, Xiaoxiao then advised Jianqing by saying that his real goal
was to make a game that was famous and played by many people. Therefore, Xiaoxiao suggested that
Jianqing stay focused on achieving his goals instead of thinking about how to become rich.
Hearing Xiaoxiao's advice, Jianqing got even more furious, thinking that everyone underestimated
him because he couldn't become a rich person. Because of being despised by everyone, Jianqing's
mentality became a little disturbed. He then often vented his anger just because of trivial things
and sparked a big fight at work. Jianqing was finally fired from his job. After that,
Jianqing's condition became even worse, where he often drank himself drunk and got into fights.
He never contacted his father, even if only to ask how he was. Jianqing also started to ignore
Xiaoxiao and the circumstances around her, where he was spending most of his time playing games.
Feeling that Jianqing doesn't care anymore, Xiaoxiao decides to leave him.
Knowing that Xiaoxiao had left him, Jianqing rushed after Xiaoxiao to the station. However,
Xiaoxiao had already boarded the train and Jianqing just watched her leave in silence.
Jianqing realizes that if Xiaoxiao stays with him, then Xiaoxiao will live a life of suffering
in adversity. Jianqing will feel very guilty for making the woman he loves lif in misery,
so he chooses to let her go. Since then, Jianqing never saw Xiaoxiao or heard from her again.
Jianqing locked himself up for days, drowning in regret and despair,
until one day, he decided to rise from adversity and began to be excited to re-engage what he had
been dreaming of. He began to focus on continuing his game project which had been delayed. He worked
on his game project for several weeks until he finally managed to finish his game and upload it.
While waiting for investors to develop the game, Jianqing works odd jobs to make ends meet
and occasionally still thinks about and misses Xiaoxiao. Even so, Jianqing never tried to contact
her, as he was too afraid to face the truth in case he failed his game project this time.
One day, Jianqing was surprised when he found out that many people were playing the game
and the amount of money in his bank account had increased dramatically as online game sales grew
rapidly. Jianqing couldn't help but cry happily because what he had dreamed of had finally come
true after so long. Jianqing then received invitations from many investors who were
interested in developing his game. A few years later, Jianqing became one of the richest people
in China after successfully making his game the best-selling game in China and worldwide.
In an interview, Jianqing revealed that there was a woman who always believed
in him and cheered him on when everyone was belittling him. Xiaoxiao who saw the interview,
couldn't help but cry, feeling happy because now Jianqing has finally realized his dream. Not only
succeeded in making the best-selling game in the world, but also became a rich person as he wanted.
Jianqing then makes up for his father and tries to convince his now-ill father to move to
Beijing so that he can take care of him. But his father refused because he did not want to leave
his hometown. It is revealed that Xiaoxiao is single, whereas Jianqing is married with a child.
After that, Jianqing bumped into Xiaoxiao on the plane. Due to an incident that caused the flight
to be canceled, Jianqing and Xiaoxiao decided to spend some time together and tell each other
about their lives after being apart for so long. Jianqing and Xiaoxiao tearfully ask each other if
the love they had all those years ago is real, and Xiaoxiao admits that she really loves Jianqing.
Xiaoxiao told Jianqing that maybe they were fated to meet on the train back then,
and maybe they were also destined never to be together. Jianqing then drove Xiaoxiao home.
They hugged and officially said goodbye. Jianqing tells Xiaoxiao that she will find true love again
one day. After Jianqing's father dies, Jianqing goes to the restaurant and reminisces. In the end,
Xiaoxiao plays through the Jianqing's game, finding the hidden messages for her at the end.
The moral we can learn from this film is never to give up on reaching our dreams. Don't let anything
get in your way, including your own ego and pride. Not only that, never waste the existence
of people who are always by our side, who always support and encourage us when we are down.