Ash Is Purest White 2019

In 2001, the story unfolds in Datong, a once-thriving mining city now struggling economically due to falling coal prices. Here, Qiao, portrayed by Tao Zhao, and her boyfriend Bin, played by Fan Liao, wield significant power as they navigate their lives. Their world takes a dark turn when Bin’s boss is brutally murdered, prompting Qiao to suggest they escape their dangerous lifestyle and marry. However, Bin dismisses her proposal. One fateful night, Bin and his driver are attacked by a group of motorcyclists attempting to usurp his authority. In a bold act, Qiao grabs Bin’s handgun and fires two warning shots into the night sky, successfully scaring off the assailants.

The aftermath is grim; the police confront Qiao about the weapon, which is revealed to be unregistered. In a defiant move, she asserts that the gun is hers, resulting in a five-year prison sentence for illegal possession, all while Bin remains absent from her life. Upon her release, Qiao endeavors to reconnect with him, only to discover he has moved on. When she arrives in Hubei province, she is met not by Bin, but by his new girlfriend, as Bin hides away in another room. Qiao makes it clear that if their relationship is over, Bin must be the one to end it personally.

With limited resources, Qiao resorts to conning strangers for basic necessities. In a desperate bid to find Bin, she employs a motorcycle driver to take her to what she believes is his workplace. The driver’s inappropriate propositions lead Qiao to steal his bike instead, further heightening her chaotic journey. She arrives at the power plant and reports the driver’s advances to a police officer, demanding that Bin be contacted. This act compels Bin to confront her.

In a tense hotel meeting, Bin claims he has transformed, shedding his past life as a “jianghu” gangster and insisting he cannot return to Datong, where his reputation lies in tatters. Qiao challenges him, reminding him of her sacrifices—how she had saved his life and taken the blame for him. Their conversation crescendos as Qiao ultimately decides that their relationship must end. After parting ways, she boards a train where she briefly intersects with a stranger claiming to be starting a UFO-hunting venture. However, his ruse unravels, leading Qiao to disembark, just in time to catch sight of a mysterious object flying in the sky as she resolves to head back to Datong.

Fast forward to 2017, fate throws Qiao and Bin together once more when she receives a call from him. Upon picking him up, she notices he is now in a wheelchair, a stark contrast to the formidable figure she once knew. Taking him back to their former gambling parlor, where she now works, Qiao finds many of Bin’s old acquaintances eager to reconnect. However, Bin’s temperament is volatile, filled with anger and bitterness, resulting in fights that put Qiao on edge. Discovering that Bin suffered a stroke due to excessive drinking, Qiao seeks a doctor to assist in his rehabilitation. When Bin regains his ability to walk, he unexpectedly disappears from her life, leaving only a brief voicemail as his farewell. Qiao rushes to find him, yet he remains elusive, dividing their once inseparable bond.