Based on Tianguang Bai's novel of the same title, Xue Chan (Little Moth) is the poignant story of a young girl named Little Moth who has lost the use of her legs due to a disease of the blood. With no mother to take care of her, Little Moth’s father sells her to a poor couple who plan to put the child to work as a street beggar. However, after developing a soft spot for the child, Little Moth's new 'mother,' Guihua, secretly tries to cure her charge of her disease by giving her herbal remedies. When Xue Chan meets Xiao Chun, a one-armed boy who has also been sold into a life of begging, the two decide to run away. Desperately concerned about the whereabouts of Little Moth, who she has come to love, Guihua leaves her husband to search for the young girl. This heartbreaking narrative uncovers the serious issue of child exploitation in China and points to the difficult economic conditions everyday people face.