Gusev (Alexei Batalov Aleksey Batalov) is a young physicist who spends his days in the laboratory, living with complex and magical chemical elements. Gusev has a girlfriend Liao Liao (Tatiana Lavrova Tatyana Lavrova) who has been in love for many years. Liao, also a scientist, is very angry at her boyfriend's snub and disregard. Curikov (Inokenti Smoktunovsky Innokenti Smoktunovsky) is also a scientist, but he is very different from Gusev. He loves science, but loves life more. Liao Liao is gradually attracted by Curikov. But at this juncture, Liao Liya learned that Gusev had been severely exposed to radiation in the experiment, heartache, she decided to return to Gusev's side to accompany him through the last days.