A mother makes the long journey to China to see her new baby for the first time. When Shu-li is born, her parents wrap her in a blanket and take her to town. The government says that a family is allowed to have only one child. So they lay Shu-li on the ground beneath a bridge. On her blanket they pin a note that reads THIS IS OUR SHU-LI. PLEASE TAKE CARE OF HER. NO ROOM FOR GIRLS. Fortunately, Shu-li is found and taken to an orphanage. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, a husband and wife in North America hope to adopt a baby from China.