Throughout the economic reform period of the 80's, three undergraduates bind with a common ambition -- to live the dream. They are Cheng Dongqing. Meng Xiaojun, a selfconfident , interracial intellectual. An idealistic poet, and Wang Yang. Xiaojun is your first for studying abroad, ever to obtain an US Visa. Yang follows but decides to remain at China due to his beloved. The US Embassy rejects poor Dongqing repeatedly. Baffledhe accepts the job as an English instructor from the university however finally gets fired for teaching classes that are tutorial . Round the Pacific, Xiaojun fails to obtain a decent job and can be driven to work as a busboy at a diner.