The series is about AIDS patients and the social stigma they suffer, hence the red ribbon shown on the title sequence.
Chen Bufan's family of 5 [wife (Xinya), daughter (Tiantian), and his parents-in-law] live in a 4-room HDB flat.
Ever since his parents passed on, Bufan has shouldered the responsibility of caring for his younger brother, Buqun, who is assertive to the point of being annoying.
Of the lot, Black Horse is a lecher, Grey Hound had been unsuccessful in many match-making sessions and doesn’t dare to express his feelings for Xiulan (his colleague) even though he is enamoured with her, and the effeminate White Fur is uninterested in women.
Black Horse usually skips to brothels and nightclubs on the pretext of fishing, leaving Bufan and the rest to cover his tracks in front of his wife.
Ever since having Tiantian, Xinya has resigned from her job as a primary school teacher to become a tutor, citing health reasons.
Though immensely disappointed at Xinya's refusal to bear him another child following childbirth trauma from delivering Tiantian, he hides his emotions well.
The couple adore their daughter, Tiantian, a tomboyish girl who dresses like a little boy, acts like one (being constantly engaged in ball games with the other kids in the neighbourhood), and is the unofficial leader of the group.
She has seen movies like Kungfu Soccer and Kung Fu Dunk umpteen times, and in her attempt to copy the moves, always gets herself injured.
This gives Xinya a headache but to Bufan, it is proof of Tiantian's athletic talent and he decides to groom her in this direction.
He wife always remarks that she wouldn’t be surprised to see his illegitimate children turning up at his funeral, putting him in a spot.
It's another weekend and the 4 friends arrange to go fishing together again, Grey Hound and White Fur miss the appointment at last minute, and Black Horse comes late with the young and ravishing Xiao Hong by his side.
The shrewd Xiao Hong is aware that Bufan, who rarely visits nightclubs and brothers, cannot resist temptation and proceeds to seduce him.
He gets to know Zhang Yuhang, a social-service volunteer who encourages him to come clean with his wife so he can seek her forgiveness and send his family for HIV tests too.
Infuriated further, she tells her relatives and friends of her condition (plus joined organisation) in a futile attempt to challenge society.
Ascertaining society's rejection of aids patients, she converts her anger into motivation and channels her energy into helping the unfortunate sufferers.
She tells Bufan that aids is not a terminal illness and can be kept under control with the right medication, further encouraging him to come clean with his family and seek their understanding and support.
Drifting in the streets, Bufan is overwhelmed by thoughts of suicide and walks into the path of a car, only to be saved by Xinya who arrives in the nick of time.
A chance encounter at a Red Ribbon volunteer activity lets Buqun see Yuhang's selflessness in caring for the aids patients and is deeply moved.
Through ex-classmates, all Buqun gathers is that Yuhang had a boyfriend with whom she shared a deep and intimate relationship, and that he died 2 years back.
As it turns out, Sky is also HIV positive, having contracted the disease from his mother even before he was born (both parents have aids).
Ever since he came to know about Bufan's condition, Black Horse no longer tempts fate nor pushes his luck, ceasing his visits to the brothels.
Pestered by an old flame at a coffeeshop, he blurts Bufan's condition out and is overheard by Cunxiao, who presses Black Horse for the truth.
Already on the brink of desperation, Bufan and Xinya are dealt another blow as the entire estate is abuzz with information about his condition.
In an instance, people avoid them like plague, neighbours are afraid to pass their doorstep and the neighbourhood merchants don’t dare to sell things to the family.
The one hardest hit by this reality is Buqun and he pieces up the sequence of events to finally understand what is going on, that everything had been sparked by Bufan's illness.
Xinping and wife, on the other hand, feel strongly against Bufan and make Cunxiao and Qiuyue sterilise themselves every time they visit Xinya, else they would be stopped from contacting their grandchildren.
Incensed by Xinping's demands that he severs all ties with Xinya, Cunxiao leaves in a fit of anger and chooses to live with Bufan, to weather the storm together with them.
Bufan's monthly medical bill causes a huge financial strain on the family, and Xinya starts to shoulder the burden of providing for everyone.
At her swimming lessons, one of the activities where the little girl used to be happiest, Tiantian consciously distances herself from the other students for fear of harming them.