Daughter’s Daughter

Ai, played by Sylvia Chang, faces a challenging period when she fractures her leg and is hospitalized. During her stay, her mother Shen, who has recently returned to Taipei from New York, visits her with her estranged daughter Emma, portrayed by Karena Lam Kar-Yan. Shen had sent Emma away at a young age to stay with an acquaintance in Chinatown, but now they are reconnecting. Emma’s presence marks the beginning of a complex family dynamic that unfolds over the years.

Shortly after, Zuer, Ai’s lesbian daughter born after Ai returned to Taiwan from America and divorced her husband, arrives with her girlfriend Jiayi. This encounter is emotionally charged as it marks the first time Emma and Zuer meet, rekindling a sisterly bond despite their pasts. Zuer’s story extends beyond the initial reunion — five years later, she travels with Jiayi to New York for intrauterine insemination. Despite her deep love for Jiayi, Zuer faces intense disagreement from Ai, who strongly opposes her decision to have a child, believing she is too immature to care for one.

Zuer’s longing for her mother prompts her to call Ai in tears right before her ovulation. Their plans go awry when Jiayi and Zuer, on their way to New Jersey, are caught in a tragic car accident. Jiayi dies instantly, and Zuer sustains severe injuries. Ai, upon hearing the devastating news from Johnny, played by Winston Chao, rushes to America, but unfortunately, Zuer succumbs to her injuries before Ai can see her. Overcome with grief, Ai refuses to accept Zuer’s death, pushing Johnny away and desperately searching for Emma in Chinatown. The next day, they visit Zuer’s Airbnb, where Ai vehemently stops Emma from tidying Zuer’s belongings, overwhelmed by her grief.

In an effort to preserve Zuer’s legacy, Ai and Emma visit a fertility clinic, discovering they have a healthy frozen embryo left behind by Zuer and Jiayi. Ai, unfamiliar with such technology, initially decides to terminate the embryo, feeling unprepared for motherhood. However, their visit to Zuer’s Airbnb reveals a wall covered with graffiti — messages from residents — which Emma interprets as Zuer’s way of expressing herself. Emma’s insistence that Zuer’s spirit remains alive prompts Ai to reconsider her stance on having the baby. Emma begins searching for a surrogate mother, which causes tension with Ai, who argues that she is too old and still has responsibilities toward her own mother.

Emma confronts Ai, expressing her disappointment in her mother’s reluctance to embrace life and change, as Ai criticizes Emma for considering a new child while still caring for her aging mother. Their disagreement is heightened after Zuer’s funeral, but Ai eventually comes around, agreeing to carry her granddaughter through a surrogate. Before departing America, Ai shares a heartfelt dinner with Emma, where Emma questions Ai about her abandonment years earlier. Ai admits she was scared and didn’t want to see Emma again at that time, grateful that Emma is still willing to maintain their relationship.

In their final moments outside, Emma asks what Ai was feeling when she left her, to which Ai responds that she was frightened and only wanted to escape. Emma thanks Ai for her honesty, and they part with a hug, acknowledging their complicated bond. As Ai prepares to leave Zuer’s Airbnb, she notices a message Zuer wrote on the window: “Why do I not have my mother’s name?” This triggers a moment of understanding, and Ai departs with a gentle smile, symbolizing acceptance.

Two years later, Ai is raising Zuer’s daughter in Taipei. Meanwhile, her mother Shen, suffering from severe dementia, continually mistakes the present for the past and persistently tells Ai she is too immature for a child. Shen even urges Ai to abandon her own granddaughter, suggesting she hand her over to a friend in Chinatown, reflecting her deteriorating mental state and the ongoing cycle of unresolved family issues.

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 05:14