This story was adopted from Shen Congwen's novel The Border Town.

On a Dragon Boat Festival eve, Captain Chang Shun of Chatong Town in western Hunan province saw his eldest son off at the pier. On his way to business, the young man, nicknamed Laoda, was deeply impressed by the beauty of Cuicui, the granddaughter of an old boat owner. On the Dragon Boat Festival, the old boat owner brought Cuicui in town to see the dragon boat races. He left Cuicui with an old friend Yang Mabing, and promised to pick her up at dusk. But he did not turn up. Cuicui was extremely afraid and worried. At that time, a young man was catching ducks by the river. Cuicui mistook his actions as harassment to her and scolded him cruelly. The young man was not angry at all, but asked an old servant to escort Cuicui home.

The young man was the second son of Chang Shun, nicknamed Laoer. He was also attracted to Cuicui. After some visits to her house, Laoer and Cuicui fell in love with each other. Soon after their dating, Laoer was sent by his father to do business in the neighbouring Sichuan province. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, Cuicui went to the town for opera and tried to find out when her sweetheart would return home. By coincidence Laoda returned. He was delighted to see Cuicui again, and therefore asked Yang to propose to the old boat owner. Recalling that his opposition had led to her daughter's suicide after the birth of Cuicui, the old boat owner dared not to make any decision but left it to his granddaughter. Knowing that it was Laoda instead of Laoer who proposed, Cuicui was extremely disappointed. A further blow to her heart came when she heard during Lunar New Year that Laoer was going to marry someone else. However, Laoer reassured Cuicui that this was nothing but a rumour. Meanwhile, Laoda found that it was his beloved brother who was in love with Cuicui, and left home for Sichuan with a broken heart. On his way he was drowned in a shipwreck. Knowing that Cuicui was in love with the second son, the old boat owner wasted no time to tell Chang Shun. However, he received nothing but hostility from the family of Chang Shun, who were then mourning for their eldest son. Outraged and drunk, the old boat owner fell to death on his way home. Laoer was determined to find his brother's body in Sichuan. A tearful Cuicui saw him off in front of her grandfather's graveyard.

Starring: Cuicui - Lin Dai Old boat owner - Yan Jun Laoda - Bao Fang Laoer - Yan Jun Chang Shun - Wang Yuanlong Yang Mabing - Liu Enjia