The King of Durian and Extra-Hot Chili: The Code of Love tells the ordinary yet moving love story of migrant worker Wu Yan and local girl Tang Xin.
Wu Yan comes from a rural village in northern Anhui. Insecure about his limited education and modest family background, he was deceived by his ex, Lin Xiao, left with debts and emotional scars. Tang Xin is the only daughter of a family in the old district of Jiangzhou. Financially independent, she believes in a modern approach to love. The two meet in Jiangzhou, and Wu Yan’s dependability and Tang Xin’s straightforwardness draw them to each other. Amid the bustle of everyday life, they grow close and fall in love.
However, Wu Yan’s decision to hide his debts, combined with the pressures of reality and poor communication, drives a wedge between them. Tang Xin painfully asks to break up. Afterward, Wu Yan works hard to learn a trade and pay off his debts, while quietly waiting for Tang Xin for five years. Though Tang Xin goes on blind dates with men who are better off, she can never forget Wu Yan.
During that time, Tang Xin gives a great deal to their relationship. She supports Wu Yan when he hits rock bottom, yet misunderstandings and helplessness force them apart. She bears her longing alone, watching as Wu Yan quietly works to change himself.
Five years later, they speak honestly, clear up their misunderstandings, and get back together. With both sets of parents there to witness it, they overcome their difficulties and marry. Through their ordinary life together, they show with love and understanding that “when two people make their way toward each other and quietly stand by one another, they will eventually find their happy ending.” Their story also shows how ordinary people can grow and find true love through life’s trials.
