The movie follows Ah Xiao's life, who lives with his family, emigrated from China to Fengshan, in the southern part of Taiwan. As a teenager, Ah Xiao joins a gang, but he would like to attend the Military Academy. His mom dies because of a cancer. At her funeral, Ah Xiao cries for the first time in his life. Even the director, considered the first in line amongst the ones who belong to the taiwanese Nouvelle Vague, is born in China and grown up in Taiwan like the main character.