When Jack Chen, the oldest son of caterers from Queens, finagles his way into a prestigious internship at tech giant K.O. Systems, he’s prepared to fake everything, even his past. What he isn’t prepared for is his officemate, Jack Owens, the depressed son of the company’s founder, who’s only there for a summer reprieve from his father’s scrutiny. Owens, Chen and Chen’s girlfriend quickly become close friends, but by summer's end the three can no longer outrun the lies they’ve told themselves and each other. As pressures build throughout the next few years, the two Jacks circle each other like opponents in their favorite board game, Go, each chasing the life the other was born into. But the path to success and matters of the heart can test even the closest of friendships --- and not all of them survive.

After years of chasing the American dream, the Zhen family has moved back to China. Wei, Lina and their daughter, Karen, join an elite community of Chinese-born, Western-educated professionals who have returned to a radically transformed city. One morning, in the eighth tower of Lanson Suites, Lina discovers that a treasured ivory bracelet has gone missing. This incident sets off a wave of unease that ripples throughout the Zhen household. Lina is haunted by the circumstances surrounding her arranged marriage to Wei and her lingering feelings for his brother, Qiang. When Qiang reappears in Shanghai after decades on the run with a local gang, the family must finally come to terms with the past and its indelible mark on their futures.