Set against the snowy villages of Northeast China, this story follows Chen Gui, an idle drifter who, egged on by his no-good buddy Er Zhuzi, sells shoddy goods, cheats people out of money and grain, and repeatedly harms his neighbors. Upright villagers Fu Dakui, Wang Xiulan, and Yang Yang refuse to watch him ruin his future, patiently counseling him and lending a hand when he hits rock bottom. In the end, Chen Gui sees the error of his ways, abandons his crooked schemes, holds fast to his conscience and integrity, and earns the whole village's respect by living honestly—a warm portrait of rural humanity and redemption through conscience.