Duckweed 2017

2022 Rally Victory

Tailang clinches the 2022 China Rally Championship while his aging father Xu Zhengtai watches from the sidelines. The victory reveals a prideful moment but also hints at the distance between them. This win becomes the catalyst for the adventure that follows.

Train collision during celebratory drive

During a celebratory high-speed drive with his father, an oncoming train crashes into the side of their car as they cross the tracks. The impact injures them and abruptly disrupts their lives. The accident sets off a chain of extraordinary events that changes everything.

Time travel to 1998

Lying on a hospital gurney, Tailang experiences a surreal shift and is transported back to 1998 in the town where he was born. The leap backward places him directly into his father’s youth and a different world. This moment marks the beginning of his adventures in the past.

Arriving in 1998 and new adventures with father

Tailang arrives in 1998 and starts comical adventures with his younger father, meeting locals and navigating the quirks of a bygone era. He observes how his father lives, forming impressions from a life he only half remembers. The experiences reveal a different side of both father and town.

Meeting his mother in 1998

In the past, Tailang meets the mother he never truly knew, learning about the circumstances that led to her death after his birth. He discovers postpartum depression and the fragile balance between love and suffering in the family. The encounter deepens the emotional stakes of the past.

Observing his father's life in 1998

Tailang watches his father in his younger years, gaining a clearer picture of the man behind the myths. He sees the daily struggles, choices, and moments of tenderness that defined his father’s life. These observations start to redraw Tailang's understanding of his father.

Uncovering the prison reason

Tailang uncovers the circumstances that led his father to serve six years in prison. The truth challenges his previous judgments and adds necessary nuance to the family’s history. This revelation becomes a turning point in their relationship.

Understanding father's love for mother

Through the past, Tailang witnesses the depth of his father’s love for his mother. The realization explains decades of choices and pain, and helps humanize both parents in Tailang's eyes. This insight strengthens his empathy toward his father.

Growing bond and reconciliation

With each shared moment, the bond between father and son grows stronger, and Tailang begins to respect his father more deeply. He learns to see the man behind the mistakes and to value the life his father led. The reconciliation starts to take shape in their interactions.

Generational reconciliation in the past

The past experiences culminate in a reconciliation that bridges generations and reshapes Tailang’s view of his father. He absorbs the complexity of his father’s life and deeds, moving beyond simple judgment. This shift sets the tone for their relationship moving forward.

Returning to present with new lessons

Back in the present, Tailang carries the lessons from 1998 with him, seeing his father in a more nuanced light. The memories influence his thoughts, speech, and approach to their relationship in the current day. The past continues to shape the present.