Lessons for a Perfect Detective Story

Set in early of 2000s China, with the emerging real estate business followed by its turbulence in the market, a group of young people were experiencing unprecedented temptation of financial gains from the industry.

The story tells of Nina Kosenkova, a museum curator who lives quite a secluded life. She has no other friends apart from the paintings at her museum and her elderly neighbor Olena Mykolaivna, a famous opera singer in the past. Owing to her age and pathologic distrust to others, Olena Mykolaivna almost never leaves her flat. Nevertheless, black maklers have developed an interest in her and her property. One day, doing shopping, Nina accidently meets a boy named Sanka. His sister and mother died in a car accident recently. Nina promises she'll paint him his Mom's portrait. Meantime the museum is having hard times - it's going to be dispossessed of its building, and all the paintings from its collection are about to end up in the street and its employees will lose their jobs. Nina tries to struggle against the officials to defend the museum, but she faces numerous obstacles. Being afraid to lose her job, she rents out a room in her flat to Roman, a pleasant and educated young man. Nina's both financial situation and private life might seem to be improving soon, but after a while it turns out Roman is not the one he claims to be.

Sang Hyun, who sings, loves Hae Kyung, but Hae Kyung became a nun in sorrow after losing her father. Songwriter Yoo Jin likes Sang Hyun, but Sang Hyun cannot forget Hae Kyung. Eun Jae, a recording technician, loves Yoo Jin, but Yoo Jin is in love with Sang Hyun only. For a while, Eun Jae dreams of a love with Yoo Jin, but for Yoo Jin's endless love, Sang Hyun gives up on Hae Kyung and becomes engaged to Yoo Jin. However, the shadow of death for Sang Hyun changes the relationship between Sang Hyun and Hae Kyung, Yoo Jin and Eun Jae again.