Admittedly, there are a few flaws in the editing: they never turn off the lights, never close the front doors and especially the English subtitles are more than approximate!
But this is very secondary. Here, what counts is this love story that nothing makes him waver: when Xie Yan realizes that he is in love with Shu Nian, nothing makes him give up, not even destiny, his parents or malevolent people. Not even death! The film is infinitely sad (the alternative ending brings 2 minutes of joy at the end and therefore a happing ending, it's better than nothing) but it is carried by impeccable acting, everyone being at the heart of his character.
A few years later, I read the novel and I was disgusted! The characters are much worse: Xie Yan is monstrous, Ke Luo who is a nice little guy in the movie is in the book a rapist and Shun Nian is so weak! He has no personality, so much so that everyone wants to shake him up by shouting "Do something! React!". In addition the author does everything she can to show homosexuality in a negative light: rape, shame, guilt... Shame on the author ! And the eternal love advocated in the film does not last very long in the novel. Yet that's what makes this incredible story so charming! What I mean is that they managed to make such a masterpiece based on such an abominable novel makes the movie even more beautiful !
A must see.