At a ferry crossing at dusk, a foreign young man, soaked to the skin after falling overboard when his boat capsized, climbs onto the stone steps and is taken in by a kind-hearted noodle shop. With dark skin and a distinctive accent, he is both reserved and curious upon his arrival in Chang'an. He follows the shop's young workers, learning to chop firewood, knead dough, and serve customers. The neighboring shopkeepers love to gossip and make jokes, but he neither takes offense nor loses heart, quietly learning to make hand-pulled noodles. As the days go by, the young man from a distant land gradually learns the ropes. Through his diligence and sincerity, he earns his place at the noodle shop and makes some warmhearted friends along the way.