Determined teen Din is longing to reconnect with his childhood best friend when he meets a wish-granting dragon who shows him the magic of possibilities.
Din, a poor college student who reunites with his childhood friend Lina after discovering a magical dragon named Long who can grant wishes. As Din uses his wishes to reconnect with Lina, he learns that true happiness isn't found in wealth but in meaningful relationships.—Oscar Serpa
Din (Jimmy Wong) is a working-class college student in Shanghai who dreams of reuniting with his childhood friend Li Na (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), who moved away ten years ago from their neighborhood with her father, Mr. Wang (Will Yun Lee), and now lives a lavish life. Din and Li Na met in school and became best friends. They lived close to each other and were inseparable.Din is working extra shifts as a delivery boy to earn some cash for a special gift for Li Na, for her birthday. Li Na is a famous model now. On the last delivery of the day, Din is given a teapot by an elderly man. Din returns home. His mom Mrs. Song (Constance Wu) finds out that Din has been skipping class to do deliveries and is very upset.
from the teapot emerges Long (John Cho), a wish dragon. Long informs Din he will grant three wishes to his master, i.e. whoever holds the teapot. Din will be Long's tenth and final master and will free Long from his servitude, allowing him to enter the Spirit world.
Subsequently, Din is chased by a trio of goons led by a man named Pockets (Aaron Yoo) (he never takes his hands out of his pockets), sent by Mr. Wang to recover the teapot in hopes of saving his failing business (he is under severe loans and the lenders are threatening foreclosure). Din uses his first wish to fight the goons and escape. Long reveals that only the master of the dragon and see and hear him.
Din realizes that Long last master was from the Ching dynasty and thus Long has never seen the modern world before. He is amazed by things such as cell phones, TV, ice cream, glass, electricity, shrimp chips and so on
The next day, Din and Long arrive at Li Na's birthday party (after Din tricks Long into flying over a traffic jam without using a wish). Din makes his second wish-to temporarily appear as a wealthy prince-ling for one day (after being informed that Long cannot kill people, can't do time travel and can't make people fall in love with anyone), hoping Li Na will notice him and rekindle their friendship. Li Na is disappointed when she realizes her father will not be attending her birthday party. Din, sticking to his disguise as 'Dan', comforts her and they are asked by Mr. Wang (via a video call) to share a meal together (after Mr Wang checks of Din's expensive suit and determines that he may be a suitable match for his daughter). Long warns Din that Li Na will leave him as soon as she finds out his identity, because of their different socioeconomic status.
During the date, Din asks Long for advice on how to act accordingly to his new status (he ignores her, orders 3 items of everything on the menu (600 dishes)) but ends up upsetting Li Na in the process. They both end up in Din's neighborhood after the goons pursue Din again (Long helps Din and Li Na escapes the goons by becoming a dragon shaped kite). Din reveals himself to Li Na, and they spend the rest of the day in the neighborhood reliving their childhood pastimes (they even meet Din's entire family). However, Li Na finally retreats claiming that she has responsibilities and expectations she needs to meet, hurting Din's feelings. Later that night, Din angrily asks Long to make him rich in a last-ditch effort to be respected.
Long reveals to Din that in life he was a wealthy and powerful lord (he married off his daughters against their wishes to the richest warlords in the land. He sent off his sons to war, and they came back dead. Long acquired a lot of wealth) whose reign ended in loneliness (on his deathbed, no-one came to visit him) and tragedy and was punished by the gods for his selfishness by becoming a wish dragon. Long's servitude as a wish dragon is meant to make him appreciate the meaning of life, something he has failed to accomplish with all of his previous masters.
Mr Wang learns from Li Na that she was with Din and from Pockets that Din is the guy with the teapot. Mr Wang goes with Pockets to meet Din and acquire the teapot.After tracking down Din, Pockets betrays Mr. Wang by taking the teapot for himself and asks the wish dragon for his first wish to turn everything he touches to gold. He drops Mr. Wang from a large scaffolding, mortally wounding him in front of Li Na. Din chases the goons, and eventually ends up fighting Pockets on Long's back. Pockets corners Din and prepares to hit him with his golden hand, but Long puts himself in the way, causing both him and Pockets to turn into gold statues. Din is unable to stop Long's statue from sinking to the bottom of a river, while Pockets shatters to pieces against the ground.
Long finds his human self at the entrance to the Spirit world. Despite being tempted to go through the gates, he pleads with the guardian of the gate (Ronny Chieng) to return to Din because he has not used his third wish. The guardian agrees on one condition. Din uses his last wish to heal Mr. Wang, and Long disappears.
Sometime later, Mr. Wang starts a restaurant featuring Din's mother's cooking, with both Din and Li Na helping. Din finds a teapot like the one Long resided in and releases him. Long tells Din the sole condition for his return to Earth was to stay and serve ten more masters. After saying goodbye to Long, Din places the teapot on a carriage driven by the elderly man from the beginning, who is actually the guardian of the gate to the Spirit world.
