Yiyi is a talented and hardworking dancer at China's premiere dance school, but she hasn't been selected to be the lead in the upcoming school performance. She pursues the lead position, but is deeply troubled after she sees her mother bribing the teacher to buy her the part. A disillusioned Yiyi continues to work hard. When the teacher and principal award her the part, her guilt taints her triumph, and she relinquishes the position in the presence of her teacher, principal, and mother. Yiyi's mother's reprimands Yiyi in private, highlighting the harsh reality of competition in China's dance world. Yiyi realizes she has no choice, understanding that her resistance is self-destructive and futile–she reluctantly accepts the part and performs with a smile plastered onto her face.