The Qiaotou youth LI Wen-hsin was arrested during the December 10, 1979, demonstration spearheaded by Formosa Magazine. After being thrown into prison, he learned a way to survive: mixing saltwater with white rice. He also recalled wonderful times with his girlfriend A-chun, the joys and suffering he shared with friends and family, and his longing for democracy. In this prison, referred to by inmates as the “Hotel Saltwater,” Wen-hsin and his companions, though suffering greatly, never let their thirst for freedom be extinguished.
On a cold Valentine's Day, a girl Xiao-Hua runs into a boy A-Wen who is waiting for his lover. Out of empathy, Xiao-Hua hands A-Wen a cup of hot milk tea. The two get to know each other since. On the same day, Zi-Jie Huang also bumps into Xiao-Hua. Zi-Jie behaves like a jolly charming womanizer, which makes Xiao-Hua uncomfortable. There are already frictions between the two at the first sight. Xiao-Hua is convinced that A-Wen's lover must be Yi-Chun, known as Butterfly. Out of surprise Xiao-Hua discovers Yi-Chun cheats on A-Wen with Zi-Jie. She feels even more sympathetic to A-Wen. Xiao-Hua later realizes that Zi-Jie never gives his heart to anyone, because he could die at any second. After Zi-jie confesses to Xiao-Hua his love for her, Xiao-Hua’s ex-boyfriend Shao-Ping unexpectedly reappears and stirs up her peace. When Xiao-Hua finally admits her feeling for Zi-Jie, Zi-Jie is ill. Winter is coming to end, will there be a happy ending at the end?