Ah Moy, a 15-year-old girl, lives with her younger sister, Ah Nak, and their father in the Bukit Ho Swee kampong. She works as a housekeeper for a wealthy British family as a way to support her family. Even though they are impoverished, Ah Moy and Ah Nak still find joy in each other despite their humble living situation.

Late one night, Ah Moy overhears her father making a deal with a mysterious woman – a deal to sell Ah Nak away in three weeks. Ah Moy confronts her father and makes a deal of her own - that she will earn enough money at her job with the British family to prevent Ah Nak from being sold, and that Ah Nak never finds out about the deal.

She works hard to achieve her goal, taking on the additional responsibility of babysitting for the British family, but her plans fall apart when Ah Nak learns about the deal. Feeling betrayed, Ah Nak runs away from home. Ah Moy follows, but the ensuing argument between the sisters only seems to make things worse.

The next day, Ah Moy decides to find Ah Nak and apologize. But before the sisters can reconcile, the Bukit Ho Swee fire occurs and the entire kampong is thrown into chaos. Ah Moy finally finds her sister on the brink of death inside their burning home and the sisters embrace for what seems to be the final time.