Katherine Watson is a recent UCLA graduate hired to teach art history at the prestigious all-female Wellesley College, in 1953. Determined to confront the outdated mores of society and the institution that embraces them, Katherine inspires her traditional students, including Betty and Joan, to challenge the lives they are expected to lead.

Kam Fan and Wong Ching-ping have a peaceful married life, until Ping's mother is serious ill. They desperately need a large amount of money. Fan tries in vain to raise money, he thus intends to use their daughter's school fees for the medical fees. Ping is against it and works as a song girl to earn money for her mother's medical expense. Her grudging husband Kam Fan uses a bed sheet to partition the bedroom into halves and even demands a divorce.

After some mediation by their lawyer and neighbours, Wong finds a teaching job at an orphanage, but Fan still opposes it. Ping is so angry that she moves to live in the dormitory of the orphanage. Fan has to look after their daughter alone, making everything a mess. Later, their daughter catches a cold and has a high fever after an outing with Fan. Ping cannot set her mind at rest and goes home to take care of her daughter. The loving couple reconciles, for the sake of their daughter.

In an age when women were incapable of joining the artistic dialogue, Lilias Trotter managed to win the favour of celebrated critics.