Haunting Love

Haunting Love[诡爱](2012) is a 2012 Chinese horror film directed by Ting Liang.,^[1] it tells the story of a famous radio host Xiao Xiao seven days before marriage, because seeing writer fiance Li MingXuan (Mingle Lin) and former girlfriend Xu JiaWen (Jeana Ho) on a clandestine love affair, Xiao Xiao commit suicide but fortunately she was rescued but Li MingXuan, who later died from an attempted suicide attempt, she began experiencing horrifying visions soon after.

Plot

The story begins with the scene of a blood-drenched bathtub with Xiao Ya's fiance Min Liang and she begin to pick up various pieces of her life. She soon begin to experience a series of strange and unexplained events in her house and life. She soon began to confide in her childhood friend Su Yang (played by Yi Cheng) who cheered her up and told her there is no such things as ghosts. But the haunting visions of her dead fiance haunt Xiao Ya, doggedly pursuing her and she soon experienced terrifying visions only she was able to see.

Together with her childhood friend, Xiao Ya was supported by a group of her childhood friends and close associates to cope with her recent loss, including Li MingXuan's brother Li MingYan (played by Zhehan Zhang) and his girlfriend Shen Meiyi (Anna Key) and former high-school senior turned wealthy businessman Xu Wei (played by Yu Li), it was Xu Wei who supported Xiao Ya by redecorating her home to help her forget the past and move on.

Xiao Ya did her best to move on, she went back to work and invited her friends over for dinner to thank them for their support during her troubles. But the ghosts of her past haunts her, as JiaWen, the ex-girlfriend of her fiance, came to ask for Xiao ya's forgiveness at MeiYi's invitation MingYan promptly asked JiaWen to leave, angrily telling her that she will never be welcomed among them. A tearful JiaWen pleaded to a clearly upset XiaoYa, who clearly found it hard to forgive the other woman.

She again confided in Su Yang, her childhood friend, who again told her not to take things too seriously and to cheer up, Despite her optimism, Xiao Ya's terrifying visions of her dead fiance haunts her, and soon she begin seeing out of the corner of her eyes, a little girl carrying a doll with only one eye. Xiao Ya's troubles only began to worsen when JiaWen turned up dead, pursued by a killer dressed in black raincoat.

The police was soon on the case, Xiao Ya was hauled before the police for questioning, but was cleared to leave, a visibly upset MeiYi went to find MingYan, who was out drinking the night JiaWen was found dead.

Xiao Ya confided in Su Yang as to JiaWen's death and she felt sorry for her, citing she felt JiaWen's apology was genuine and heartfelt, Su Yang wrote her death off, telling Xiao Ya she should not blame herself, if anything, it is merely karma. But XiaoYa remained torubled and soon she was then haunted further by JiaWen's ghost, who visited her while she was swimming, in the ensuing panic attack Xiao Ya felt her leg cramped up, but Xu Wei saved her from drowning. Xu Wei asked Xiao Ya to consider moving out of her house, he said it would not be good for her mental health and suggested she can stay at his place whilst searching for a new one. Xiao Ya said she would consider it.

Meanwhile MingYan was cleared by the police, seemingly with an alibi, and suspecting JiaWen's death was foul play, decided to investigate her apartment, he broke into her sealed apartment and found a hotel keycard along with a handwritten card for his deceased brother. MingYan took the card to the hotel, who duly informed him the registration for the hotel room (where his brother was cheating with JiaWen) was in the name of Xu Wei. Angered at the revelation, MingYan confronted Xu Wei just as he was heading out to dinner with Xiao Ya, the two men got into a shuffle but MingYan was restrained by the building security guards and Yu Wei drove off.

As Yu Wei picked up Xiao Ya, a man was seen following them as they drove to Yu Wei's mansion. The unidentified man loitered outside the premises as Xu Wei and Xiao Ya have dinner. Xu Wei have always harbored feelings for Xiao Ya, and he intended to propose to her when she received a call from MingYan.

MingYan told XiaoYa of XuWei's involvement on his brother's infidelity, a visibly upset XiaoYa turned on XuWei, asking him if MingYan speaks the truth. Seeing himself caught, Xu Wei confessed his feelings but was rejected. Enraged at her denial, he laid hands on xiaoYa and intended to rape her. But XiaoYa struggled and managed to free herself, barricading herself inside the washroom. XuWei was about to pursue when someone cut the power to his mansion. Seeing an intruder, XuWei forget about XiaoYa but armed himself as he searched for the intruder. But the unseen assailant managed to knife XuWei in the back, killing him.

The police soon arrived and rescued XiaoYa, who under questioning said she remembered little, the police suspected it is the same Raincoat Killer and issued a manhunt for him. Meanwhile, MingYan and MeiYi asked XiaoYa to stay with them as they are worried for her. XiaoYa's nightmares persisted, and her visions of the dead worsened still. In her nightmares she cried and called for Su Yang to come save her. Seeking closure, XiaoYa spotted the man who fitted the description of the killer and followed him, he turned out to be a stalker who was obssessed with her, but before the stalker can do her harm, Su Yang appeared and saved her once again.

But XiaoYa confronted him, and demanded to know if he have killed XuWei. SuYang said the man deserved his fate, but admitted nothing. to which point XiaoYa said he could never lie to her, and asked him to surrender himself to the authorities. They argued, Su Yang refused, saying if he is gone, there will be no one to protect her. XiaoYa whispered softly, telling SuYang if he refused to do so, she will do it for him.

Unbeknownst to XiaoYa, MingYan saw the entire exchange.

SuYang was never there. XiaoYa was talking to herself.

Then MingYan asked MeiYi to grant him access to XiaoYa's office, in the office he found a old book, within it contained an old portrait of SuYang and XiaoYa when they were young, with the inscription - [摯愛的蘇陽，無憾的雅] - Truly Beloved Su Yang, Without Regrets, Ya (Xiao Ya). Seeing this as the proof he needs, MingYan went to track down Su Yang's parents, and uncovered the story of Xiao Ya. Meiyi has then been secretly tailing XiaoYa, but the latter found out and held her hostage.

MingYan managed to catch up to the both of them and convinced XiaoYa she was mentally unwell and suffering from severe paranoia schizophrenia, jolting her from her delirium by showing her the old portrait of herself and SuYang and reminding her of her past. Unable to come to terms with what she have done, XiaoYa took her own life. Heartbroken, MeiYi and MingYan buried her beside her first and only love, Su Yang.

Truly Beloved Su Yang, Without Regrets, Ya - [摯愛的蘇陽，無憾的雅]

XiaoYa was a orphan who lost both her parents in a car accident when she was three, the incident also left her blinded in one eye, she was befriended by Su Yang, the son of the caretaker of the orphanage, Su Yang's father was the one who later divulged the story to MingYan when he came calling.

Since losing sight in one eye, XiaoYa let her hair grew long and obscure a part of her face, she carried a little doll with an eye gouged out. But Su Yang cared for her, and they were deeply in love, a perfect match, Su Yang and Xiao Ya. But one unfortunate incident tore them apart and left Xiao Ya with wounds she can never heal.

One night, a drunken man broke into the young couple's home and intending to rape XiaoYa, SuYang was able to intervene but the man stabbed SuYang in the back. Bleeding profusely from his wounds and with his dying breath, he asked his eyes be donated to XiaoYa, restoring her vision. Su Yang died in XiaoYa's arms.

A heartbroken XiaoYa carried a portrait of SuYang and herself, cast with the inscription [摯愛的蘇陽，無憾的雅] -Truly Beloved Su Yang, Without Regrets, Ya - to signify her eternal love to the man who gave her his eyes, his love and his life.

The Ghosts of Haunting Love

The movie features three prominent ghosts or specters, each carrying their own significance and symbolism.

References