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In this Taiwanese family melodrama set in the dense bamboo forests and rugged mountains of central Taiwan in 1965, a highly traditional family patriarch finds himself falling in love with his beautiful daughter-in-law. The father, Lin Ah-Dee, was a war veteran who was a soldier during the Japanese occupation. A battle injury rendered him impotent. Living in his home are his adopted son and his newly purchased bride. When the son must go to serve in the military, Ah-Dee is at first fiercely protective of his son's bride, but then he finds himself sexually drawn to her. She, from a poor family, considers herself very lucky not to have been sold into prostitution like her sisters and is grateful to Ah-Dee; she becomes attracted by his gentleness and the two end up making love. Now Ah-Dee is grateful to her for proving that he is finally a man again. Unfortunately, the girl becomes pregnant and tries her best to miscarry so as not to dishonor her husband. But Ah-Dee wants the baby. When the son returns, he finds his family life has drastically changed.