Qixi's sweet new release rakes in box office bounty

First love is often a person's sweetest memory. For those in search of a trip down memory lane, at least on the silver screen, Just for Meeting You may be a good choice, as it has emerged as the highest-grossing film during the Qixi Festival, China's equivalent of Valentine's Day.

Starring actress Liu Haocun and actor Song Weilong as classmates who are assigned to the same table in high school, the tale takes a comedic turn as the future lovebirds initially become hostile toward each other following a misunderstanding.

Their relationship evolves through a series of events, including a visit to an astronomy exhibition together and preparing for college entrance exams together. In the end, romance blossoms.

Released on the Qixi Festival, which fell on Aug 22, the movie, directed by female director Liu Yulin, soared to the top of the box office charts for new releases, grossing an impressive 45 million yuan ($6.17 million).

It is an adaptation of Zhang Haochen's popular novella, Wo Yu Shi Jie Zhi Cha Yi Ge Ni (You Are the Only Distance Between Me and the World).

During the movie's Beijing premiere earlier this month, Zhang said that the original story, written eight or nine years ago, had a tragic ending.

"As I have undergone significant personal changes over the years and noticed that many people have encountered unhappiness in their lives, I have rewritten the ending to offer audiences a sweet taste, much like a delicious piece of candy," said Zhang.