A top-tier Canadian virologist and his Chinese wife are suddenly arrested by military secret agents in Beijing. He is threatened with the task of stealing a sample of his own work from his former laboratory, and the situation rapidly turns worse when people begin to fall ill.

A beautiful 7-year-old girl Fuyao is devastated when her parents are arrested and thrown into prison for their faith. Bullied and humiliated, Fuyao refuses to be crushed by the gigantic repressive regime. She and her mom find extraordinary means to connect through the iron bars and grow together.