The story revolves around Li Ming, a young man from Baimang Village. He helps the villagers plant and sell Solomon's seal, but due to the need to deduct part of the market development costs (a twenty-cent price difference), he is exploited by his ill-intentioned childhood friend Zhao Qiang and his lover Yang Meimei, who collude with some villagers to falsely accuse him of being a parasite who embezzles blood and sweat money. Under the pressure of the village head and the villagers, Li Ming leaves with grievances, turning instead to cooperate with the simple-folk Qingliu Village.