A tragic romance of Lan and Diep. Diep is forced to marry the pregnant daughter of a wealthy, influential family. His faithful lover, Lan becomes a nun and later dies of a languishing illness.

Set in 1980s Saigon, an unlikely bond develops between hunky, brooding Dung a tough debt collector for a ruthless loan shark, and Linh Phung, a charismatic young opera singer that performs Cai Luong, a modern form of traditional Vietnamese folk opera. The two meet and form a special relationship, awakening surprising, tender feelings in both men.