A Girl out of the Country

In 1975, Feng, a 17-year-old girl with a captivating singing voice from a rural village in Hualien, Taiwan, lives with her grandmother and younger brother Ming. Dreaming of a career as a singer in Taipei to improve her family's situation, Feng defies her grandmother's objections and secretly hitches a ride to the city with other village girls. Unfortunately, she is kidnapped by human traffickers and sold into prostitution in Japan. After enduring six years of hardship and losing her innocence, Feng finally makes her way back to Taiwan.

Upon returning, Feng discovers her grandmother has suffered a stroke and developed dementia. Consumed by guilt and shame, she avoids her family home. Lacking urban survival skills, Feng reenters the world of prostitution in Taipei's red-light district, working at a brothel called "Yinbing Tea House" managed by Jane. Here, she meets a police officer named Ping who adores Feng. Each month, Feng secretly sends her earnings to her family's mailbox, seeking redemption for her past. After nearly being recognized by a neighbor, she switches to mailing the money and never goes home again.

Fifteen years later, Feng's brother Ming has grown up and become an upright police officer in search of his long-lost sister. During a raid on the brothel, he discovers Feng is his sister. Having been raised in a rural area, Ming struggles to accept sex workers and cannot forgive Feng for her deception. Meanwhile, Feng feels unworthy and fears jeopardizing Ming's future as a police supervisor, so she pretends not to know him. Amidst their conflicts, Ming learns that his mentor, Ping, is one of Feng's clients and beats him up. After resolving the misunderstanding, Ping shares Feng's story, helping Ming to develop empathy for sex workers.

Despite numerous rejections, Ming refuses to give up on reconnecting with Feng. Things take a turn when the brothel secretly brings in an underage girl named Shiuan from their hometown to work as a prostitute. When Shiuan resists serving clients, Jane and a thug named Wan brutally beat her and lock her in a dog cage. Overwhelmed with compassion, Feng visits Shiuan and sees a reflection of her own past. She decides to inform Ming. Together with Ping, they rescue Shiuan during a police raid. Finally, Feng agrees to return home with Ming.

However, Jane discovers Feng's betrayal and violently beats her. Ming confronts Wan to save Feng, but during the struggle, Feng is accidentally stabbed and hospitalized. After years in the sex industry, Feng's health is fragile, and the knife wound sends her into a coma. Enraged, Ming goes to the police station and intends to shoot Wan. Ping intervenes, and a gunshot rings out during the struggle. Ping takes responsibility for the accidental discharge as a redemption of not being able to commit his relationship with Feng.

Ming rushes back to the hospital, only to find Feng has passed away. Grief-stricken, Ming takes Feng's ashes back to their mountain home, fulfilling her final wish. Their dementia-stricken grandmother seems to understand, softly saying, "Welcome home..."