Born in a small village in Taiwan, a young boy grows up selling vegetables on the street and working as a coolie to help his adopted family survive through the turbulent times of WWII and the grinding poverty of the working class. Even though he is poor and life is a struggle, he dreams of one day studying abroad. When he is offered the chance to attend school in the U.S. he goes to California to begin a new life, eventually bringing his wife to join him. Through his scholarships at UCLA and USC and hard work at night, he carves out a life for himself, working as an engineer at Boeing and Bechtel and investing in real estate with the savings from his salary. This is the story of how one boy raises himself from poverty to a prosperous and successful life.