Song Yan and Song Ci are brothers who grow up in a home filled with arguments. Their father, Song Mingcheng, is an abusive alcoholic, while their mother, Lin Hui, is too weak to stand up to him. From childhood, introverted Song Yan takes on the responsibility of protecting his sensitive, shy younger brother, Song Ci. Song Ci loves to paint, but the oppression at home and pressure from the outside world leave him suffering from severe depression. He becomes a painter who depends on medication. To pay for his treatment and improve their family’s circumstances, Song Yan unexpectedly enters the entertainment industry. His talent makes him an actor, but his reserved nature keeps him from ever fitting in.
Song Yan’s fame brings no peace. The media pry into his family’s private life, while their father’s indifference and reproaches, along with the rumors spreading outside, worsen Song Ci’s condition. Song Ci repeatedly harms himself and makes several unsuccessful suicide attempts. To protect his brother, Song Yan gives up acting and moves with him out of their old home. He prepares an art exhibition to help his brother find hope again, but on the day of the show, reporters mob them and their father berates Song Ci, driving him to utter despair.
After leaving a farewell letter, Song Ci takes his own life. Grief-stricken, Song Yan discovers his brother’s final wish and ultimately chooses to take sleeping pills so they can remain together forever. They are buried side by side. The old locust tree outside their former home sheds its leaves year after year, bearing witness to the tragedy of two brothers who relied on one another in childhood and ultimately gave their lives for each other. Their story captures a devastating ending where the pain of a troubled family and deep devotion intertwine beneath the glamour of the entertainment industry.
