Our lives don't belong to us.
You're back for a little while, then you're gone again.
You, pilots, become heroes.
What about us?
We're left with only a will
for the rest of our lives.
The weather was bad that day.
But Zhi-jian
insisted on going.
Hey!
BASED ON PAI HSIEN-YUNG'S WORK A GREAT LITERARY FIGURE OF TAIWAN
No! This is not happening!
Wei-xun, Zhi-jian is fine!
He sent you a telegram from the airstrip.
What telegram?
What did he say? Tell me!
The vice-captain sent a telegram to the headquarters
for the chief to pass on.
He said he has never taken you back to his hometown.
He's going to take you and Mo-ting back to meet his parents.
You bastard. You're not welcome here!
Hey, wait. I really thought that the telegram is very touching
and I wanted to tell you personally.
I'll shoot you if you come.
After the war,
we'll visit your new grandma, okay?
Okay.
Now, tell me.
What's your dad's name?
Zhi-jian Shao.
Good girl.
What? Why aren't you playing?
Let's bet on whether Qing will cry.
If I win, I'll use the money for the trip.
I'll take Mo-ting to visit Zhi-jian's hometown.
That day, my mom lost first.
She was the first to cry.
And she cried louder than anyone.
When pilots soar high in a clear sky,
their speed can reach up to 700km per hour.
We don't know what happens in the sky.
And we don't care to know.
We wait for their return on land. The time passes by just fine.
When we play mahjong, we forget about the time.
That night,
the telephone never rang again.
Starting from tomorrow,
-the village is off-limits to outsiders. -Yes.
If the wives want to go out, inform me first.
Yes.
If the telephone rang,
its speed would be faster than both us and the pilots.
Just three seconds.
You will find out whether or not
you've thrown away all your youth just waiting around.
The food is ready.
He wanted to eat here.
Why did he come here when there's food at the airport?
Gong said he packs his own food to the 9th Wing.
He isn't a mechanic. Why doesn't he eat at the mess?
His results aren't that good and he's only a trainee officer.
Besides, he's been left behind by the 11th Wing.
At least, the 9th Wing went to the battlefield.
I guess they couldn't care less about him.
It sounds pitiful.
Pitiful?
Pilots are all like that.
The ones who can't fly, but have the qualifications
can still get other jobs on the side.
-The unlucky ones are bullied. -The hot pot is ready.
It's hot.
Let's eat.
This is for you.
Thank you, miss.
I asked Mr. Gong and he said you're a few months older than me.
Hey.
You shouldn't ask about a woman's age.
Once married, you're a family.
No more digging around next time. Do you understand me?
Yes, got it.
It's all right. Eat up.
He's a little naive.
Do you have a girlfriend?
He said you're cute.
-What are you talking about? -Yes.
Madam Zhou is friendly and warm.
Are you insane?
Pilots go for the younger girls.
So, do you have a girlfriend?
I'm not sure if it counts.
When the Japanese left, I had just graduated.
I went back to Zhejiang to look for her. The schools were merged.
I couldn't find the girl.
I was from Zhejiang High School.
The girl could be one of my classmates.
Do you need my help?
It's okay.
I don't know what she looks like.
-Are you all having dinner? -Hey.
-Lady Qin and Madam Zhou. -Gong.
The captain of 9th Wing asked him
to help sort through the spare parts left by the 11th Wing.
Zhao-jun.
I know the captain well.
I'll tell him not to worry about the pay. So, just stay and eat.
Thank you, Lady Qin. But I should get back.
The seniors at the dorm wanted me to help them tidy up the room.
Let him go.
Those older guys can be nasty to the rookies.
Give me your jacket.
You look like you're wearing a sack.
A pilot's jacket needs proper fitting to look sharp.
Everyone in the 11th Wing looks neat.
You've been left here by the 11th Wing.
Don't let the 9th Wing bully you.
Thank you, Lady Qin.
If the seniors from the 9th Wing give you a hard time,
go look for Gong at the hangar.
Even the toughest pilots,
would never dare to cross Gong.
Remember that.
Okay.
One more thing.
I want you to bring me the weather report every day.
Less time spent at the airstrip means less trouble for you.
Okay.
Enjoy your dinner, everyone.
-Give me a piece of tofu. -Okay.
How noble
Flying is
I wonder how they're doing in Dongbei.
Never waste
The youth
Away
The roar of the planes
Makes the Earth tremble
I help you
Prepare for the war
This is much better.
You picked this, Zhen.
Zhi-jian.
Sir.
Is this girl your wife?
I picked it.
Sir, are you planning on farming?
It's only a dream.
Lieutenant Colonel.
Look at the situation we're in.
Will we get it done in one year?
This is the 11th Wing.
Order received.
Target is number 41.
Roger.
We'll go back to Nanjing after we finish giving out the posters.
HAPPINESS, QING ZHU
It's true.
This old 513 made it happen.
Goodness. The note somehow ended up with your superior.
That was because that girl
was carrying the note he wrote the whole time.
All the way to Nanjing to return it to its owner.
"Now I'm on your bed because I am injured."
"I hope to meet someone to spend my entire life with."
Goodness.
These two lines that the pilot wrote are so romantic.
Leading the girl across mountains and seas to find him.
If mechanics like us wrote those lines,
we'd probably be cursed to hell and back.
Zhen wrote that at Zhejiang High?
Yes.
The war was happening then.
Qing was studying there.
The first line is the same as what I wrote.
Also at Zhejiang High...
By the way, come.
Lie down and try it out.
Lie down.
I told you to lie down.
I got it especially for you. Go on.
Lie down.
Let me see.
You're going on a practice flight in a few days, right?
I've prepared your coffin.
Just in case things get out of hand. It's in the storeroom.
I saw you lying inside it the other day.
The measurements seemed to be right.
All right, that's all.
Lady Qin.
Are you pregnant?
I wish to write to Zhen to tell him.
Don't rush.
Tell him after three months of pregnancy.
Don't forget to tell him in the letter
if a comrade or colleague is killed,
no matter what, don't go near.
When their comrades turn to ashes before their eyes,
it affects them greatly.
Those images get imprinted in their minds forever.
Married couples are connected spiritually.
When you dream at night,
you'll see those same images.
It's not good for your baby.
Avoid anything that disrupts the pregnancy.
Lady Qin.
Can I go and see the old 513 then?
Don't go.
I told you. It's covered with death.
Don't go.
Drink it.
Thank you, Lady Qin.
Be careful, it's hot.
Young people are stronger.
They reap the rewards so quickly even when they've just started.
Madam Zhou.
Mo-ting has no one to play with.
Why don't you give her a younger sister or brother to keep her company?
If I were to give birth to another child,
he'd definitely say the same thing.
"Thank you."
"I'm sorry."
No.
Zhi-jian would say, "Sorry."
"It was an accident."
What are you talking about?
Lady Qin, I came to see Qing to ask about something.
The note that Zhen wrote for you. Can you show it to me?
"Staying here healing my wounds."
I wrote that first.
Two years ago, my transport aircraft was shot down.
I was brought to the girls' dormitory at Zhejiang High.
I was put on the third bed from the door.
Maybe it was your bed.
You were still studying there at the time.
Am I right? Was that your bed?
Zhao-jun.
There were so many girls at the school.
It might not have been Qing.
I swear I was the first one.
When I was on your bed,
I searched for it and I couldn't find any note there.
That's why I wrote one and left it there.
I'm not sure how Zhen found it, but he copied my first line.
Then he added his own second line.
I showed up too late.
Otherwise, things could've been different.
Destiny will not be fooled.
No wonder Zhen handed over the old 513 to me.
That's enough.
He's in Dongbei right now and we're pregnant here.
Can you not talk about beds and handovers?
-It's just horrible. -Ying.
The mission was canceled, but why take away all our fuel?
Even the cockpits are locked up.
I just heard.
An airplane is missing from the other team.
He ran off to the Communist Party.
They took the fuel to stop us from defecting too.
On-again off-again warfare.
When we stop they take our fuel.
And we're court-martialed if we don't fight.
What the hell?
Lieutenant Colonel.
Let's just do what the higher-ups say.
In the field it's my orders, not the higher-ups.
I understand.
Lieutenant Colonel.
Ying has a mini-pilot.
Your aim was pretty spot on.
I suppose your son will be handing out flyers
just like you in the future.
Zhen.
It seems I'm enough of a man after all.
Ying is pregnant.
A transport aircraft needs an escort to go back to Nanjing?
Yes.
Reporting, Lieutenant Colonel.
I'll go.
Sorry, Lieutenant Colonel. You can't.
You might fly over to the wrong side and I'd be forced to take you down.
Reporting, I will not fly off course.
Reporting, my health is poor. I'll reinvigorate myself back in Nanjing.
-Reporting. -Shut up.
I was just joking with the vice-captain. There's no need to shout.
Zhen.
Gang's wife is pregnant.
You're the squadron leader.
If you leave, who's going to lead the 1st Squadron?
Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel.
Who are you thanking?
Thank you, Squadron Captain.
Just get out of here.
And remember to bring the posters back to the village.
No worries. I will.
Lucky bastard.
Zhao-jun.
You're always welcome to eat at my house.
But remember that all the ladies here are married.
Their husbands are all your seniors.
-Honestly I was the one who wrote it. -It doesn't matter.
In the future, you don't have to deliver the weather report to the village.
Gong will notify us when the transport comes.
Lady Qin.
No need to trouble yourself.
I won't eat at your place again.
I'll ask to be transferred to the war in Dongbei.
It's from Zhao-jun.
The guard said he brought it here early this morning.
He didn't mean any harm.
He's just a little dense sometimes.
Qing.
When he was wounded, was he really on your bed?
Yes.
This is weird.
How could there be such a coincidence?
It doesn't matter who wrote it first.
I'm already married.
Even if he was the one who wrote it first,
it doesn't mean anything.
Be careful.
He looks like he doesn't have a backbone.
But weaklings often insist on things when they shouldn't.
He's young.
He doesn't know how to handle certain things.
Besides, he hasn't interacted much with girls.
He's a little stubborn.
I worry that he might not give this matter up so easily.
I'm going to the airstrip later.
I'd best ask the 9th Wing captain to transfer him away.
Goodness.
The weather doesn't look good today.
I wonder if the transport aircraft will be able to land.
I'm going on a training flight tomorrow.
Will you come to watch?
We're here to wait for the transport aircraft.
For your senior's letter.
Is he coming back too?
I want to ask him properly why he copied my line.
Zhao-jun.
It doesn't matter who wrote the note.
I'm already married.
I still want to know what happened.
Zhao-jun.
Where is your hometown?
I'll ask the captain of 9th Wing for a favor
to transfer you to a place closer to your home, okay?
Qian-yi!
The airstrip is closed. Nobody can come or go.
Lady Qin, you'll have to stay here for a while.
Have you found the pilots?
I wanted to ask for your handkerchief and hairpin.
We've found pilot remains scattered in the wreckage.
We're doing our best to locate more.
Gong, do you have more alcohol?
Someone, come quick!
Lady Qin.
What is it, Gong?
We found an airplane.
It's from the 11th Wing.
What did you say?
Aren't they in Dongbei?
What's the call sign?
I said, what's the call sign?
It was Gang's airplane.
He volunteered to escort the flight all the way to Nanjing.
Qing said he's here.
Is he?
Yes.
Let's hurry and pick up the pieces.
The families of those on the transport aircraft will be here soon.
Don't let them pick up the wrong pieces.
Gang.
You will definitely recognize him.
He still can be saved, right?
-Ying. -He can...
He still can be saved, can't he?
He can be saved.
-Ying. -He can be saved, right?
It's almost dawn. You need to hurry!
If you don't go now, their spirits will be left wandering!
Gang...
Ying.
Gang.
GANG WANG
It's all right.
Let's go back.
Your tears should not fall on him.
Look for Gong and ask him to bring the coffin.
Go back to the village first and get ready to return home.
Gong.
Lady Qin.
Come.
Come, let's go back.
-Come. -Be careful.
We must not let them see our tears.
None of the wives who left the village for home
ever got in touch with us again.
One time, I saw one of them.
She saw me from far away and didn't move a muscle.
I got closer to her
and saw that her eyes were opened wide.
Her tears were full of hate.
It wasn't Zhen.
It wasn't.
Why does it smell burned?
It smells like death everywhere.
Lady Qin!
What are you doing?
I don't want to give birth in this house.
It smells like death and burned flesh everywhere.
I'm going to burn it and get rid of the stench.
Pilots don't like fire.
We have all smelled it.
We've all had our share of that stench.
Wei-cheng and Zhen will be fine.
Rest assured. They'll be fine.
I smelled it.
There won't be a next time.
When I was young, the chief visited my house once.
He told my mom,
"Madam Zhou, we are sorry to inform you."
"But for the sake of those still at the front lines
and for your own peace of mind,
we suggest that you consider a change of environment."
"We'll send you home."
He then repeated
the first sentence again.
SECOND LIEUTENANT GANG WANG
"We are very sorry to inform you."
Ying came to fold paper flowers.
She wants to sign the papers for the death benefit too.
Okay.
A wedding photo?
The captain went to Dongbei too. He's the only one without a child.
Why couldn't he just go somewhere else by himself?
The one dead is my husband.
The father of my unborn child is dead!
Take the money!
I...
I'll give it all away.
I don't want any of it.
Take all the money!
Ying fainted. Come help. We need to take care of the baby.
You must be Zhen's wife.
This is for Gang.
A little something from the headquarters.
Leave.
And this.
We found it at the crash site.
The lieutenant colonel and your husband sent these.
How are they...
You don't seem to know the rules.
Don't ask about what happens at the front line.
All you have to do is to wait at the village patiently.
When are they coming back from Dongbei?
I don't know.
My job is to stay in the office and pass on the ridiculous orders
so they can proceed to make the necessary changes.
Hence, every wing needs a captain to fix the mistakes.
And avoid more mistakes.
And before you know it, the war ends.
The lieutenant colonel will be tired.
No, he won't.
He'll just become numb.
Like Lady Qin.
By the way, I haven't had the chance to congratulate you.
I wish you a long and happy marriage.
Looking at the river?
That's great.
What does this mean?
Let me see.
Don't worry. Wait for his return.
You two just got married.
I bet he's missing you in Dongbei.
Look at the lighthouse.
Goodness.
But it's no use even if he comes back now.
You need to sleep separately during pregnancy.
It would be even more frustrating.
Madam Zhou.
Don't talk nonsense.
Everything's plain to see.
I wonder where they are right now.
Mine is not complete. What about yours, Wei-xun?
Let me see.
Yes.
-Right here. -Yes.
Why don't they write letters?
Letters are checked. You can't write anything.
They erase the contents.
You see blacked out words in the letters
so, there's no use in writing.
Sometimes, they'll include the coordinates
so, we can find out where they are and feel more assured.
Lieutenant Colonel.
It's not snowing today.
We get a rare view.
First Squadron.
Focus on your target.
Enjoy the scenery while you can.
There won't be anything left after we drop the bombs.
First Squadron, roger.
Let's go, 1st Squadron.
Lieutenant Colonel, it's only a small village.
We shouldn't destroy it.
You said you only follow orders, right?
You said we listen to the captain when we're on location.
I will listen to you.
Listen to me?
I've decided to listen to the higher-ups.
Everyone, get into attack formation.
Everyone, check your ammunition and instruments.
Reporting.
The target zone has no anti-aircraft guns.
Roger.
Get into the bombing altitude.
My baby! Run!
The 11th Wing, this is the command center.
Call off the attack on target 13!
Change to 14!
Lieutenant Colonel, cease fire! The target has changed.
How many times do we have to do this?
In this inferno. there's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.
Let's just finish it once and for all.
The 11th Wing!
Fire!
All squadrons, report.
The 1st Squadron, over.
The 2nd Squadron, over.
The 3rd Squadron, over.
Vice-Captain.
You didn't attack.
Was there a malfunction?
The whole Wing is intact.
Let's go back.
Zhi-jian.
You don't have to follow me next time.
We follow every order, no matter how ridiculous it is.
We hit every village.
That's how you get to go home.
Why don't you and Zhen lead the way back?
The view from here is no good.
Set the course to 165.
We're going back.
Lead the pack, the 1st Squadron.
Zhi-jian.
I no longer want to think about going home.
Ying.
Don't look back.
We'll live out the rest of the days.
I thought you were going to say that time will heal all wounds.
I will pass by this place every year for Gang's death anniversary.
I will send you the obituary every year
to remind you
that your husband brought those men to Dongbei.
Remember that you stopped Gang from going to aviation school.
We'll meet at the Air Force mausoleum.
We'll catch up then.
Qing.
You shouldn't be too happy.
What was written on the poster?
"Wait for my return" wasn't it?
That night,
I saw all of you looking at the posters.
My husband brought them back for you.
Stop pretending. I'm sure you're happy.
Ying.
If someone else had died today,
you would be looking at the posters with us too.
Let's go, Mom.
Reporting.
I know you don't like me and prohibited me from coming here.
The 9th Wing leader sent me.
He said the men of the village are all gone.
I was left to guard the 11th Wing.
So, I came to see if there's anything I can help with.
There's no need, thank you.
Who let you in here?
Why are you at Qing's house?
Reporting, Madam Zhou. The 9th Wing leader sent me.
If anyone needs to run any errands,
-I can... -Hey.
You can what? You've laid in a coffin before.
-I... -Shut it!
-Leave! -Yes.
What's wrong with it?
Some parts are broken.
QING ZHU
Let it be.
You don't have to fix it.
You called me "big sister" before, right?
Come and sit with me.
Lady Qin altered it for you.
I made the badge for you.
Thank you.
Do you like me?
I went to look for you at Zhejiang High.
After the Japanese left, the schools were merged.
I went to the new school to look for information.
But I was told that the old records were gone.
I was sure that the girl got the note I wrote.
I later went to all the different Wings
to ask if they knew anyone from Zhejiang High.
Then I came to Nanjing and met you.
I decided to stop looking.
I gave up.
I stopped my search.
But it didn't feel right.
It felt like I was waiting for the girl to show up.
I didn't think it could really be you.
You haven't answered my question.
In wartime, everything is thrown into chaos.
There will be lives that cross paths and end up together.
Like your superior and me.
And Lady Qin and Madam Zhou too.
But there will be some meetings that will not have happy endings.
It's okay if you want to see the note.
It's also okay if you believe that you wrote it first.
I can give it to you if you want it.
Zhao-jun.
You're still a trainee officer.
You still have a long way to go.
There are many more girls out there waiting to meet you.
I'm already married to your senior.
I don't want the note. I wish to be transferred to Dongbei.
Will you write to me? Just as friends.
Zhao-jun. I'm married.
I'm telling you that it's impossible.
You guys wish for the war to end faster, right?
I hope it never ends.
Only that way will I get to the battlefield.
Where did you get these parts?
They're from the P-51 that belonged to Gang.
They can still be used.
Don't touch them!
The old 513.
I won't let you touch it.
Don't fix it even if it's broken.
Zhen handed 513 over to me.
A tragedy just happened in the village.
How dare you talk about handovers at this moment?
Paths will cross when the situation is chaotic.
I believe that too.
That's why I wrote the note and left it there
to see if fate would run its course.
I would've moved on if nobody took it.
But now I've found the girl, and she told me that I'm a step too late.
If you went all the way to find me and I told you I was married,
would you be satisfied?
This is not fair.
I'm not satisfied.
I only told you the truth.
You and the other wives barred me from the village.
like I'm some sort of a plague.
I've had enough of you!
Paths will cross.
Yes.
That's why Zhen handed 513 over to me.
I accept the handover!
According to orders,
he's stationed on garrison duty for the 11th Wing.
I can order him to provide support at any time.
Once he leaves with us, you will have peace.
Sir.
He can't go with you to Dongbei.
He's still new.
If he goes,
he might not come back alive.
You can take him, but he won't go.
He's fixated on a fated love and won't accept reality.
We don't blame him.
I have an idea.
Why don't you take him first?
And then transfer him to another section
on grounds of poor performance.
Send him as far away as possible.
He might come to his senses
when she's not in front of him.
All right. I'll see to it.
If the village needs to run any errands, I'll get my own men to do it.
Keeping some distance between men and women is best.
Thank you.
I installed the parts yesterday,
but they're missing.
There's no need to fix it. It's going back to the taxpayers.
Sir.
Help me fix it.
I don't have the time.
Hey!
Didn't you hear me?
Don't fix it. It's being decommissioned.
It's Lady Qin's order.
Also,
you're not allowed to leave my sight.
This is what you get for talking about accepting handovers.
When at war, the word "handover" is taboo.
We don't say it.
Understood?
The 11th Wing trainee, come here.
Gentlemen from the 9th Wing.
I'm lacking manpower here.
I still have to fix this 513.
Let's go.
This place is filled with grease. I don't want you to get yourselves dirty.
Our leader is looking for him.
Really?
I'm probably going to Dongbei.
Let's go.
No way.
We will get what we deserve.
Why didn't you turn back, how could you order that bombing?
All of you will be executed.
If we ever bump into each other, don't acknowledge it.
I don't want to see you again.
He'll chase you until hell freezes over.
I'm willing to go to jail if you let me shoot him.
It'll be much more peaceful there.
Wartime military discipline.
Those who retreat under fire, must be executed.
Hurry!
Subtitle translation by Jacqueline Wong