After graduating from university, Liu Jiang returns to his hometown, hoping to lead the villagers in growing traditional wrinkled-skin chili peppers. However, his childhood friend Dayong and an outside agricultural supplier, Lao Liu, deceive the villagers into switching to supposedly space-bred chili peppers. After Liu Jiang sees through the scam, he stands by his convictions, but the entire village turns against him. His father is beaten, his beloved dog is killed, and his truck is destroyed. Despite suffering one setback after another, Liu Jiang gradually opens up the market through the superior quality of traditional chili peppers and his honest business practices. Meanwhile, the villagers who followed Dayong in growing counterfeit varieties lose everything, and Dayong is eventually imprisoned for fraud and vandalism. Holding no grudges, Liu Jiang leads the villagers in scientifically restoring the soil and reviving the local ecosystem, eventually turning traditional vegetable varieties into a nationally renowned brand.