Xiao Chun Sheng along with his two buddies Ye Guo Hua and Chen Hong Jun, are children of military families and government workers who grew up in the same courtyard. They share many experiences like joining the army, taking the gaokao, going out to sea, and starting a business, while supporting each other the entire way. They also meet Tong Xiao Mei, a Beijing girl pursuing her dreams of becoming a doctor. This is an inspirational story of the growth and transformation of ordinary people during the 1970s reform era in China as the country was opening up to the world.