Míng tian bi zuo tian chang jiu

“The flower on the ground is never coming back. The rain is ruthless, it doesn’t think about my future.”

Acts of violence bring regret and repercussions for widowed pest exterminator Chua and his son Meng. But control over their lives is not a familiar feeling for either of them. The dense cityscape of Singapore hems them in their precarious existence, offering little tenderness or space to breathe freely. His father’s long shifts of gruelling work for a thankless employer coupled with his grandmother’s advancing illness have left Meng isolated, and susceptible to being pressured into joining ranks with a group of bullies from school. Compulsory military service looms near. The unknown world of the jungle holds its own threats, but also the possibility of bringing Meng closer to understanding his own nature, and connecting with something bigger.