1. The novel describes the social customs in southern China's rural areas from 1963 to 1979, exposes the dangers of leftist thoughts, and praises the victory of the line of the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee. When the three-year difficult period ended and the rural economy began to recover, Hu Yuyin, with the support of Gu Yanshan, director of the grain station, and Li Mangeng, secretary of the brigade, set up a rice tofu stall in the town, and the business was booming. In the spring of 1964, she used the money she had saved to build a building. When it was completed, it coincided with the beginning of the "Four Clean-ups". It was seized by "political intruder" Li Guoxiang and "movement root" Wang Qiushe as evidence of taking the capitalist road. Hu Yuyin was arrested. Labeled a "new rich farmer", her husband Li Guigui committed suicide, Li Mangeng was dismissed from his post, and Gu Yanshan was suspended for self-reflection. Then the "Cultural Revolution" began, and Hu Yuyin suffered even more humiliation. In despair, she gained sympathy from Qin Shutian, a "rightist" who looked conceited but was pure and upright in his heart. The two became a "nigger couple", and Qin Shutian was sentenced to a labor camp. Hu Yuyin regulated labor. One night in winter, Hu Yuyin had a difficult delivery. Gu Yanshan took her to the hospital and gave birth to a fat boy by caesarean section.

2. After the Third Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Hu Yuyin took off the label of "rich farmer", Qin Shutian took off the label of "rightist" and "bad element" and returned to Furong Town, Li Mangeng resumed his position, and Gu Yanshan became the After becoming the mayor, life is back on track. However, Li Guoxiang suddenly changed her mind and accused the extreme left of "beating" her to pieces, and married a middle-aged responsible cadre in the province who lost his wife. Wang Qiushe went crazy and wandered the streets every day, shouting desolately, "Class struggle can be solved as soon as you catch it", which became the end of a sad and deplorable era.