Desperate for money when her husband is jailed, feisty Guixiang takes up with the proprietor of a funeral parlor, who sees something in her that others have not-a talent for wailing and lamentation that can translate into profit. Guixiang mourns for money to buy her husband's freedom, but eventually the question becomes, does she want her old life back? As in his earlier Men and Women, Liu's characters are ordinary people with offbeat talents who struggle hard to survive; with elegant irony and sly humor, Liu offers a sharp commentary on life in China today.