The plot takes place in 1880, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, following the lives of three strong and determined women. Aurélia, Maria da Glória and Mila are great friends who attend etiquette classes together, but life doesn't take long to put them in completely different directions.

The arrival of the Chinese merchants to Saara - the largest commercial center in Rio de Janeiro - before dominated by the Arabs and Jews. The film revolves around Francis, a saleswomen for the Casa São Jorge, a knickknack store that belongs to the Arab, Mr. Nazir. She does everything to help her boss not to loose his clients to the competition, Casa do Dragão, that belongs to the Chinese Chao. With her coworker Andressa and her rascal boyfriend Carlos Eduardo, Francis tries to find out why the Chinese merchandise is so much cheaper then Mr. Nazir's

An accident involving a flying manhole cover leads to a chance meeting between two childhood friends: a widow and the owner of a beauty parlor. Thus begins an entertaining game of seduction that brings memories and hidden desires to the surface - furtive passions that end up threatening the hairdresser's de facto marriage.