A Long Goodbye

A Long Goodbye tells the story of Lin Wan's ten years of unrequited love and missed chances, from elementary school through college. In sixth grade, a single sleepy look from a boy named Chen Yu awakens feelings in her. In middle school, they pass notes to confess their feelings, but family pressure, interference from their teachers, and Lin Wan's own timid nature lead her to cut off their budding romance. The two begin years of tacit understanding and quietly watching over each other. In high school, they attend different schools. Their brief correspondence makes Lin Wan believe they might have a future, until her tutor's niece tells her that Chen Yu has already started dating a middle school classmate. After the college entrance exams, Lin Wan's dream comes true, but she realizes that her youth has already passed her by. In college, one last, desperate question confirms that Chen Yu's feelings had once been genuine, but their encounter ends in a hurried retreat when she intrudes on his life as it is now. This is a silent yet grand farewell that spans her entire youth. In the end, she says goodbye not only to her first love, but also to the once-proud yet insecure girl who was trapped by love, and to the whole of her youth as it rushes past.