A Test

British sad sack Gary is a failed entrepreneur who has just arrived in Beijing's stylish Sanlitun district, allegedly to start a business. There are other reasons why he has uprooted himself — he's followed his ex-wife and young son, for one — but he soon finds out that China isn't the easiest place to succeed. Blissfully untouched by self-awareness, and only fitfully in tune with reality, Gary sallies forth to make money, armed with faith in himself and little to no knowledge of Chinese culture. He soon hooks up with Frank, a trust-fund kid from Australia who offers to mentor Gary in Eastern ways, although Frank's pedagogical method is restricted to yelling at Gary for being a Westerner and not being as "Chinese" as him.

On 1949 October 1, the day of the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China, Xiao Dali enters the city and is reorganized as the director of the public security police station. He finds that primary school teacher Feng Jingbo is full of doubts. With the high vigilance of a soldier and the sense of responsibility of a public security official, Dali insists on partnering with Feng and becomes his neighbor. He then spends his whole life carrying out a nearly four-decade pursuit without regrets.