长于同一个大院的男孩侯嘉（陆毅）和女孩屈然（赵薇）自小青梅竹马两小无猜，而在他们懂事之后，爱情更是在每日一起上学、放学的路上静悄悄地生出，然而因为双方家长心中有道无法填平的深堑，他们的爱情在即将开花时遭遇暴风雨。

　　往前一步所有人都会遍体鳞伤，退后一些彼此又舍不得，正当他们在爱情的十字路口徘徊不知如何是好时，莎士比亚的《罗密欧与朱丽叶》作了指示灯，令他们看到希望决定坚持到底，然而，摆在他们面前的大山，比想象中的要沉重许多。

A love story that should not have happened. But the Great Cultural Revolution fathered it. As memorable as Romeo and Juliet, their love tied with the same intrusion from their families ¨C the hatred. Until one day, they watched Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It inspires them. It gives their juiceless love story the hope for fruit. It brings them the determination to bridge through time setting aside the hatred. The same gives them a wait of 12 years. 12 years of changing time, changing era. Friends come and go. Songs sang become old. How much longer for their love can they hold? How much longer for their love with beautiful memory and unforgettable days can they hold?

1970年代中国、チー・ラン（ヴィッキー・チャオ）とホウ・ジア（ルー・イー）は同じ宿舎で育った幼なじみだった。二人は成長し、やがてお互いに恋心を抱くようになるが、なぜか彼らの親は交際に否定的だった。大学の受験発表の日、ホウ・ジアは母親から亡くなった父の自殺はチー・ランの父親のせいだという衝撃的な事実を知らされる。