Hui-Ying

Hui-Ying (Hope) is a 19-year-old helping her family run the Golden Dragon, a popular Chinese restaurant in their urban neighborhood. On weekends and school breaks, she juggles orders and cash register duties, navigating her father’s high expectations and strict traditional values. Hope begins secretly dating Devon, a 23-year-old dishwasher working to support his siblings after their mother’s death. Despite their differences, they bond over dreams of escaping their current lives. One evening, her father overhears them sharing a tender moment and furiously confronts Hope, accusing Devon of exploiting her. Word spreads in their close-knit community, leading to gossip and lost customers who disapprove of their interracial relationship. Tensions peak when Mr. Zhang publicly confronts Devon, sparking a heated argument that prompts Devon to quit. To salvage their reputation, Mr. Zhang arranges for Hope to meet a family friend’s son, pressuring her toward an engagement. When Hope learns her father plans to sell the restaurant and move the family back to China to escape the scandal, she realizes her relationship with Devon is also a fight for her independence and her future.