From Shenzhen to Vancouver, and now to New York,
Li Zhe has spent half his life drifting, searching for a place to rest.
By day, he's trapped in a Manhattan kitchen, suffocated by smoke and the constant shouting of orders.
By night, he hides in a small bar in Flushing, trying to drown his loneliness with Negronis and folk songs.
To others, New York means lights and opportunity.
To him, it's crowded subway cars, the chaos of the back kitchen, and a hometown that feels forever out of reach.
"Do you like New York?" people ask him.
Every time, he hesitates. If he says yes, why does his chest feel so empty?
If he says no, then what was the point of fighting so hard to get here?
In this city, he is both chef and outsider.
Can he ever truly belong here—
or will he remain just another nameless drifter, lost in the crowd?