Love in Qingcheng

This film (drama)Also known as青城之恋，is aMainland ChinaProducerbeauty live，At2005Released in year 。The dialogue language isMandarin;&*&vod_duration: 45 minutes，Current Douban rating7.1(For reference only)。

In the 1920s and 30s, Mei Lan, the daughter of a professor, was a famous beauty in Qingdao. Among numerous suitors, she chose Zhao Zhenhang, an excellent medical student and her father's prized protégé. After marriage, Zhenhang took over the hospital founded by his father and moved with Mei Lan into their ancestral seaside villa. Mei Lan and Zhenhang had a pair of children—Yu Tong and Yu He—and the family of four lived a happy life. Zhenhang devoted all his energy to the hospital, while Mei Lan focused on supporting her husband and raising their children. However, this peaceful life couldn’t last; a chance encounter led Mei Lan to meet Xie Weixi, a talented ophthalmologist at Zhao's hospital. Weixi's handsome appearance, strong physique, and persistent love stirred feelings in Mei Lan's heart. Zhao Zhenhang's hospital specialized in helping the impoverished; his lifelong aspiration was to ensure that poor patients received timely treatment. He managed the hospital with great care, but his demanding nature left little room for warmth. He often neglected Mei Lan, even skipping their wedding anniversary dinner to work; this left Mei Lan feeling lonely and bored. Therefore, when the passionate and romantic Xie Weixi repeatedly invited her out, Mei Lan found herself swayed. With Weixi, even her smallest desires could be fulfilled. Although a mother for many years, Mei Lan remained pure, innocent, and weak due to her sheltered upbringing. Her interactions with Weixi caused her some anxiety, so each time they went out, she would inform Zhao Zhenhang. Zhenhang took no issue with it, trusting Mei Lan completely; he even encouraged her to make more friends and to be more cheerful. One day, Xie Weixi invited her out again, claiming he had a surprise for her. Unable to resist her curiosity, Mei Lan went along, leaving her daughter Yu He with the nanny, Zhang Ma. In a moment of distraction, Zhang Ma lost track of Yu He, prompting her to call Zhao Zhenhang back home. Zhenhang rushed away from his work to search for Yu He with Zhang Ma, but they couldn’t find her. When Mei Lan happily returned home that evening, she learned of the situation and was instantly shocked. Just then, the phone rang; a patrol officer found Yu He’s body by a riverbank. Zhenhang couldn’t believe it and hurried with Mei Lan to the site, only to discover that their daughter had been strangled. Seeing his daughter, now lifeless in Zhenhang's arms, Mei Lan fainted. In the aftermath, everyone came together to help with Yu He's funeral arrangements, while Mei Lan, unable to cope with the loss, was admitted to a hospital for mental health treatment. Their mutual friend, the dancer Bei Tianhong, took care of her diligently. Soon, the police uncovered the truth behind Yu He’s death: the little girl had been killed by a man named Li Bingxiong. Li had gone mad after his clinic went bankrupt and his wife died in childbirth. After fleeing with his newborn daughter, he turned himself in and committed suicide in custody. Zhao Zhenhang, suppressing immense grief, returned to work at the hospital. His secretary and student, Wu Hongli, observed him closely and cared for him quietly. Wu Hongli's father had been a patient saved by Zhenhang's charity, and on his deathbed, he entrusted Wu to Zhenhang. Zhenhang taught her to assist with daily tasks and gradually introduced her to medical skills. Over the years, Wu Hongli developed feelings for Zhenhang, but knowing her love would lead nowhere, she quietly devoted herself to him and diligently mastered medicine to better assist him. To escape the pain of losing his daughter, Zhao Zhenhang suggested to Mei Lan that they try for another child. But cruel reality hit hard again: Mei Lan could no longer conceive. This news plunged them into more anguish. Zhao Zhenhang's long-time classmate Gao Gang came to visit from Yantai. During their conversation, Zhenhang learned that Gao was volunteering at an orphanage, sparking an idea: why not adopt a child? However, Mei Lan firmly disagreed, believing no child could replace their deceased Yu He. Zhenhang had no choice but to abandon the idea. Mei Lan, burdened by guilt, isolated herself in sadness. At this moment, Xie Weixi conveniently entered her life, coaxing her to express her feelings. Mei Lan found her heart soothed. They began dating again, but Mei Lan maintained a distance with Weixi, viewing him merely as a close friend. Their frequent interactions eventually raised suspicions in Zhenhang. After several incidents, miscommunication arose, and Zhenhang recalled that on the day of Yu He's tragedy, Mei Lan had been out with Weixi, giving rise to resentment in his heart. Zhenhang worked day and night to escape the pain of losing Yu He. Wu Hongli now harbored a strong desire to give him a daughter, but regardless of her efforts, Zhenhang always saw her in a mentor-student relationship. In her anguish, she finally left. Meanwhile, Xie Weixi, suffering from tuberculosis, disappeared in despair. Unaware of everything, Mei Lan raised Yu Yang with the care of her own and kept the fact that Yu Yang was adopted a secret from Yu Tong and others around her. Yu Tong also adored his new little sister, and during their innocent growth together, he developed feelings for Yu Yang that surpassed sibling affection. Zhenhang, watching this unfold, felt regret in his heart but couldn’t reveal Yu Yang’s true lineage. The ill-fated Yu Yang was in a car accident one day after school; her rare blood type matched Mei Lan’s, prompting Mei Lan to insist on donating blood. Zhenhang forcefully stopped her, realizing that adopting Yu Yang was no longer a punishment for Mei Lan but entangled every family member. The blood from Yu Yang, which Zhenhang despised, also flowed from Mei Lan. Zhenhang was at a loss. Under Mei Lan’s meticulous care, Yu Yang grew up joyfully, shielded by Yu Tong and with Zhenhang displaying indifference. A letter from Zhenhang to Gao Gang expressed his painful feelings about adopting Yu Yang, which Mei Lan inadvertently discovered. She realized that the daughter she had painstakingly raised for seven years was the child of the man who had killed Yu He, which was a devastating shock. Just as Yu Yang returned home from school, Mei Lan, filled with sorrow and anger, even contemplated killing Yu Yang… In her fear, Yu Yang fled to Bei Tianhong’s house. Bei Tianhong had secretly harbored feelings for Zhenhang but had a special fondness for the kind and beautiful Yu Yang. At this moment, Mei Lan’s heart turned cold, and she no longer treated Yu Yang as before; she began to resent Zhenhang and Yu Yang. Yu Yang fell into despair. Yu Tong continued to care for Yu Yang. After starting his doctoral studies, to bring happiness to Yu Yang, he introduced her to his school friend, Lian Weijun, as a potential boyfriend. However, when they returned home for the winter vacation, Yu Tong inadvertently found out that Yu Yang was an adopted daughter, leading him to feel even more sympathy for her. Lian Weijun, steady and kind-hearted, felt a connection with Yu Yang due to their similar misfortunes and was attracted to her kind heart and pure beauty, deciding to pursue her. At this time, Mei Lan, driven by a desire for revenge against her husband, did everything to obstruct the relationship between Weijun and Yu Yang. Yet, undeterred by difficulties, Weijun resolved to formally confess his feelings to Yu Yang. Consumed by rage, Mei Lan took this opportunity to strike at Weijun as a way to get back at Yu Yang, finally revealing in front of him that Yu Yang was the child of a murderer. This was overheard by Yu Yang and Yu Tong. From then on, Yu Yang understood why her mother wouldn’t make clothes for her, why she repeatedly denied her lunch money, and why, during a graduation ceremony everyone celebrated, her thank-you speech was replaced with a blank sheet of paper while her background was exposed! Yu Yang completely broke down. Alone, she walked to the riverside where Yu He had perished, ready to join her in death! At this time, Gao Gang, who was on vacation in Qingdao, revealed Yu Yang’s true background to everyone. Years ago, Gao Gang had deeply loved Mei Lan. He had taken on the responsibility of raising the child of the man who killed Yu He at Zhenhang's request. While he didn’t understand Zhenhang's lofty reasoning of “love your enemy,” he couldn’t bear to keep Mei Lan in the dark. Therefore, he pretended to agree to Zhenhang's request but brought another orphan—this was Yu Yang! Mei Lan was filled with regret upon learning this. Yu Yang was rescued, but when she learned her true origin, she felt no joy; it no longer mattered to her. All emotions, including her budding love with Weijun, seemed insignificant. An irreplaceable emotional wound had made her withdrawn. As for Yu Yang's background, Zhenhang had doubts but said nothing. Likewise, Mei Lan was skeptical and demanded Gao Gang find Yu Yang's biological mother. Gao Gang, taken aback by how things escalated, approached Zhenhang, who cryptically replied, “If you don’t find her mother, how can we believe you?” With no other options, Gao Gang discussed strategies with Bei Tianhong. They decided to look for a substitute mother. They began searching high and low. As the days passed without success, they encountered a middle-aged fisherwoman named Man Ni. They brought her to Zhenhang's house. Though Man Ni lived in poverty, she was kind-hearted. She caused numerous amusing incidents within the Zhao household due to her exaggerated personality. Eventually, she genuinely grew fond of Yu Yang and the comfortable lifestyle of the family. Initially, Yu Yang resisted accepting such a mother, while Mei Lan remained skeptical about her authenticity. Gao Gang and Bei Tianhong resorted to all means to convince Mei Lan to believe in this fact. The lies grew larger and were heading towards a point of no return. During an accidental encounter, Zhenhang discovered that Man Ni was a false mother. But to calm Mei Lan and prevent the family from sinking back into hatred, he helped persuade her. Gradually, both Mei Lan and Yu Yang began to trust this false mother and welcomed her into their home. Yu Yang began to like her, showing respect and filial piety. However, the false mother grew uneasy as she slowly fell for her “daughter,” feeling guilty from her deception, and thus decided to resign, unwilling to hurt the innocent Yu Yang. Gao Gang tried to reassure her, but the false mother persisted in her role. After experiencing a failed marriage, Xie Weixi realized he could not forget Mei Lan, and his desire for love intensified. He returned to the Zhao house and once again expressed his feelings for her. But Mei Lan ignored him completely, even refusing to see him. Weixi’s repeated attempts to court her ended in frustration and resentment. At the same time, Wu Hongli, who had been missing for a long time, was found by Zhenhang on the street. By then, she was blind but refused to accept help out of pride. Zhenhang sought assistance from Bei Tianhong to take her in. Meanwhile, Mei Lan, confronted by the false mother’s appearance, felt deeply remorseful for her past harshness towards Yu Yang and decided to care for her moving forward to make amends. The family began to enjoy a harmonious life. In this warm atmosphere, the feelings between Zhenhang and Mei Lan deepened, and they embarked on a beautiful love story. Yu Yang, enveloped in double maternal love, gradually opened her heart again and resumed her relationship with Weijun. Yet, at this point, Yu Tong experienced regret. Watching their blossoming romance, he realized his love for Yu Yang had matured and could not be taken back. He resolved to reclaim her, leading to a fierce competition between Yu Tong and Weijun. Yu Yang was heartbroken and unable to choose between them. Observing Yu Yang's happiness, Yu Tong suddenly recognized his love was selfish and willingly stepped back, content to protect Yu Yang as a brother for life. Zhao Zhenhang's care rekindled Wu Hongli's hope for love, prompting her to ask Zhenhang for a child again, but she was rejected and left in pain. Seeing Zhenhang and Mei Lan so loving, Xie Weixi's hatred intensified, and he resolved to hurt Zhenhang. He uncovered the true identity of the false mother and exposed Zhenhang's involvement in this deception, hoping to win Mei Lan back. Though Mei Lan was painfully affected, she grew more heartless toward Xie Weixi, causing him to despair. At this moment, he encountered Wu Hongli again. Seeing her blindness, he felt compassion and helped her regain her sight. Together, they shared their sorrows and sought warmth within each other. Drunk, Xie vowed to take revenge on the Zhao family. The two ended up together that night. However, the next day, Xie disappeared. In despair, Wu wanted to leave, and before doing so, she inadvertently approached the Zhao house, only to overhear that Yu Yang was missing. She hurried to Xie's place and found him kidnapping Yu Yang. Despite her desperate pleas, she finally confessed, “I’m pregnant with our child.” In the midst of his rampant revenge, Xie halted. Wu took the foolishly dazed Xie away. At the Zhao house, it seemed another round of resentment was about to resurface. Yu Yang, engulfed in profound pain, ran away, leaving behind a touching letter: “Whether you acknowledge me as your daughter or not, in my heart, you will always be my father and mother, my most cherished family! I have never held any grudges about what happened in the past because I love you, whether you treat me with love or hatred, my heart will always be with you. But my background is an undeniable fact; perhaps only leaving can ease your resentment. Therefore, I am leaving. Perhaps this is farewell forever…” At this moment, Yu Tong, having lost Yu Yang, recognized that love cannot be humble or evasive, and he frantically sought Yu Yang, hoping to take her away to a better life. The uncertainty surrounding Yu Yang's fate plunged Mei Lan into dual torment. Meanwhile, Zhao Zhenhang was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and amidst the intertwined feelings of life and death, love and hate, Mei Lan and Zhao Zhenhang finally laid bare all past events, finding relief in their hearts: love should be able to encompass everything. From this point on, the whole family began looking for Yu Yang. Yu Tong and Weijun also searched desperately. Ultimately, Yu Tong arrived first at the orphanage in Yantai, finding Yu Yang volunteering there. Faced with Yu Tong and Weijun, Yu Yang ultimately chose Yu Tong, returning with him back to Mei Lan and Zhao Zhenhang…