In response to the death of her husband and young son, peasant Zhang Meili founds a school in the dry desert landscape of northwest China. When cultured and chipper Xia Yu arrives from Beijing to help her out, the two women bond and learn from each other's character how to best serve the children. Various subplots include the arrival of Xia's husband, who tries in vain to persuade her to return to the city, Xia's quick abortion, and the comically clandestine relationship between Zhang and a local projectionist.

A country girl marries a projectionist to satisfy her passion for the movies, but when her husband has an accident, she is forced to take over, and their life together is never the same.

A divorced woman takes twin daughters to Beijing for living opportunities. She meets a widowed labor contractor. The two both have same nickname 'Loach'. They help each other for their adrift lives.

A woman adopts a girl who becomes a dancer.

Set in the 30's Shandong Province, China, this film shows story of a young couple. The husband devotes himself to the revolution, and the wife takes care of the whole family and goes through a lot of difficulties.

After the cultural revolution