Can you imagine a life without sex? San Francisco architect Wai (Theresa Lee) can't, but when she accompanies her Auntie Foon (Gua Ah-leh) back to China, she learns about Foon's life. To escape marriage fifty years earlier, Foon entered a traditional Chinese organization of women sworn to virginity for life.

Then while working in a silk factory with other women like her, young Foon (Charlie Young) meets Wan (Carina Liu), who hires her as a maid. On the trip, Wai worries over her boyfriend, trying to find love, and Foon reminisces about her devoted and tender care of Wan through the trials of her life, and loving her even these many years later. Wan also loved Foon in a romantic sense, becoming jealous when Foon fell in love with a local fisherman, and wishing for more between them.

They only become closer after tragedy befalls them both in different ways, finding that their love endures more than their relationships with men. Finally they make a life together, and we see them kiss in a beautiful scene conveying such strong emotion. Their joy still exists years later after being separated by war. Their reunion is sweet, containing a surprise twist at the end.

Both Liu and Lee were nominated for Hong Kong Film Awards. It's a tender romance, and a fine movie with high drama.