Young Chechnya war veteran alienates himself from his friends and family because of his burned face. When he has to help find his war-time friend, he manages to get back to life again.

Merchant Samson Silych Bolshov borrowed a large sum of money. And, not wanting to return it, declared bankruptcy. He transferred all his property to the name of the clerk Lazar Podkhalyuzin, for whom - for his own peace of mind - he marries his daughter Lipochka. But Podkhalyuzin has a secret plan...

A young Russian store clerk has a drab existence in times of shortages and is berated by her ailing mother for not seeing men. So she brings home an unknown young man who she met on the tram. She dreams many things but pines for this man.