Pan Hung is Lily, a humble bus conductor hired by Hong Kong commodities trader Sean Lau to be his connection to the Shanghai stock market. Lily finds the job surprisingly easy, and the duo begins to make big money. But at what price? With wealth and prosperity a driving daily goal for Lily, will her own family come to bear the cost? Director Lee Lok See uses his Shanghai focus to great effect, finding many avenues and opportunities for his satirical observations and cultural clashes. With capitalism and communism going head on in the rapidly growing city of Shanghai, which value system will ultimately live in each person's heart?

As most families only want to have boys, women end up becoming rare and precious.