Love in the Hawthorn Tree [Film and TV Commentary]

In the early 1970s, in response to Chairman Mao’s call, intellectual youths went to the mountains and countryside. The teacher (played by Cheng Taishen) brought the educational revolution practice group to Xiping Village to collect and compile teaching materials. High school student Jing Qiu (played by Zhou Dongyu) was arranged to stay at the home of the old village head (played by Li Xuejian). When the village head's wife (played by Sarina) introduced the situation, she mentioned a young man named Lao San (played by Dou Xiao). He is a member of the geological exploration team. He works on weekdays and rarely goes home. Jingqiu was very curious about the third child, and finally the two met, using the hawthorn tree as the topic, revealing their hearts and liking each other. The third child gave her a pen and helped her relieve her worries, and the two gradually developed a secret love. But when Jingqiu returned to the city, she heard rumors that the third child had a girlfriend, and her attitude suddenly changed. Jingqiu's father was labeled as a rightist, and her mother (played by Xi Meijuan) was undergoing reform through labor. She and her younger siblings helped her mother paste envelopes after school, and their life was very difficult. In order to stay in school, Jingqiu had to work hard. The misunderstood Lao San had to secretly find ways to help Jingqiu until the two got back together. But their affair was caught by Jingqiu's mother. For the sake of Jingqiu's future, the third child was forced to make a vow not to see each other again.