The grandfather
In an old house in Hanoi, Bi, a 6-year-old child lives with his parents, his aunt and their cook. His favorite playgrounds are an ice factory and the wild grass along the river. After being absent for years, his grandfather, seriously ill, reappears and settles at their house. While Bi gets closer to his grandfather, his father tries to avoid any contact with his family. Every night, he gets drunk and goes and see his masseuse, for whom he feels a quiet strong desire. Bi's mother turns a blind eye on it. The aunt, still single, meets a 16-year-old young boy in the bus. Her attraction to him moves her deeply.
Mích
Rapid rising water in the river can potentially break the dike and cause disastrous flood endangering the villagers. Miss Dung, Chairman of the Commune, must find a way to persuade people to destroy the minor dike and sacrifice some parts of their houses and land in order to protect the main dike.
