Composed of three separate stories, the film vividly portrays Taiwan during the cold war period when the country developed its economy with help from the United States.

A woman resorts to prostitution out of hunger and commits suicide shortly after, leaving her daughter to embark on an equally cruel path.

Chattering school boys first learn of the secret of palm reading. They stare at the overly short lifeline, all of a sudden, the fear of death seeps into their youth. The black and white images exude repression and melancholia, mixed with the angst for mortality and the memory of deceased loved ones. Time flies by like the train speeding past town. With the desire to live, the boys run forward, attempting to break free from destiny.