Taking place in a ruined family compound after the Second Sino-Japanese War, the film tells the story of the once prosperous Dai family. The husband and patriarch, Liyan (Shi Yu) is physically challenged, and spends his days in the courtyard nostalgic for the past. His marriage to Yuwen (Wei Wei (actress)) has long been rendered loveless, though both still feel concern for the other. Liyan's young teenage sister Xiu (Zhang Hongmei), meanwhile, is too young to remember the past, and stays cheerful and playful in the ruins of her home. Lao Huang (Cui Chaoming) is an old faithful servant of the Dai family.