One day, while living in a hutong in Beijing, a boy returns home to find that his dad has purchased a shiny new bike for work. He begs his father to let him ride it. When his father finally agrees, he races around the neighborhood to show off the bike. Before long, the boy gets careless. He rips his pants, lets his friends pile on like acrobats in the circus, and finally wrecks the bike. Sheepishly, he returns the bike to his dad, who stays up all night fixing it. The experience teaches him the value of the bike and instills a deep respect for his father.