Papa, Can You Hear Me Sing?

An army veteran who is speech-impaired discovers a baby girl named Mei in a basket with a note asking to give her a good home. He decides to bring the infant back to his shanty ghetto and raises her as his own, despite his own hardships. This act sets the course for a makeshift family built on care rather than blood.

The companion protests Mei's presence, clashing with the veteran's protective affection for her. In a symbolic turn, he buys condensed milk for Mei instead of saké, signaling shifting priorities and brewing tension. The tension hints at how love and loyalty will be tested by scarcity and pride.

An evening confrontation leaves the veteran with a bruised eye from his companion's anger. He returns home with saké only to find Mei being cared for by a neighbor, a sign that the neighbors are filling the gap left by family conflicts. The fragile balance of the household begins to crumble.

Mei grows up under the protection and warmth of the neighbors who treat her as family. The veteran's own troubles and the strained dynamic with his companion fade into the background as a community steps in. Mei's sense of belonging expands beyond bloodlines to include those who care.

As a young woman, Mei meets a singer-songwriter and they form a bar-bound duo. They perform in clubs, building chemistry and a modest following as they tour around the city. Their shared dream of singing opens doors and draws curious onlookers.

A record producer-manager spots Mei and signs her, but only as the star; the deal hinges on her becoming a marketable image. The producer begins masking her native and Hokkien origins to present her as a daughter of a wealthy emigrant family. Mei chooses to pursue her career, staying behind as her image is crafted.

Mei's fame grows rapidly while her boyfriend, her father, and their circle are left behind. The neighborhood resents her for abandoning her roots in pursuit of fame and fortune. At a publicity party arranged by her manager, the manager publicly denies any link between Mei and her father, widening the emotional rift.

Mei attempts to visit her father one evening, unaware that the ghetto has been forcibly demolished and residents relocated. At the same time, the father's former companion arrives, asking about a friend Mei hasn't seen for twenty years. The revelation of their shared history remains unknown to Mei and her father's former girlfriend.

The father collapses from depression and hypertension while watching Mei perform on a TV concert with neighbors. He is rushed to the hospital in critical condition, and the widowed neighbor who has grown close to him hurries to his side. The episode shows the severe toll of Mei's distance from home and the emotional strain of his years raising Mei.

Mei hurries to the hospital after the news, but she arrives too late to see him alive. She breaks down in tears among the onlookers and the neighbors who have shared their grief, realizing the cost of fame on her family ties. The death becomes a turning point that pushes her to reevaluate her priorities.

In the wake of the tragedy, Mei performs a heartfelt tribute song titled Any empty bottles for sale? drawing from her father's refrain. The song honors the life he led and the bond they shared, becoming a cathartic release for her grief. The performance cements the memory of her father in the public imagination.

The film closes with Mei reconciling with the people who raised her and acknowledging her roots. She honors her father through memory and song while continuing her career, finding a path that blends fame with family. The final moments emphasize the enduring importance of the bottles that linked her to her father.