Coming of age during the Cultural Revolution in China, sixteen-year-old Ma Xiaojun yearns to rebel against the system. But while he manages to get into plenty of trouble with his friends, he also nurtures a more solitary side and a mysterious obsession with keys. When maturity yields a newfound interest in the opposite sex, Xiaojun finds himself intrigued by the untouchable Mi Lan. Will he ever find the key to unlock the enigma she presents?