The Defender

When a single-father mechanic bumps into a pungent massage girl, a buzzard encountering becomes a marginal romance.

Chou, a sensitive teen craving independence, struggles as the 1996 Taiwan Strait crisis hits his family's finances and worsens tensions at home. He secretly works at a billiard hall, forming a bond with gang leader Button, but faces setbacks like Button's enlistment and peer conflicts. Caught by his father, their relationship worsens. At school, his crush Min leaves due to war fears, and pressure from a teacher deepens his uncertainty.

Zhao’s veteran dorm roommate, Feng, passed away. The borough magistrate is taking the ashes back to Feng’s hometown, but Zhao insists on keeping Feng’s ashes for one more day. Zhao drinks on with Feng and reminisces of their past romance with Ah-Feng the prostitute. Zhao decides to take Feng to bid Ah-Feng farewell; thus begins a journey in search for the last consolation of life.

Guards looking after ships usually turn a blind eye to troubles as long as ships remain safe. Chuang, involved in disputes between foreign fishers, shelters the intellectually-challenged prostitute, Neko, in a dilapidated ship. But the ship-owner is selling the ship.

Yuan is a young lady that works part-time at a convenience store, saving money and dreaming of studying abroad in France.