The Soil of Hometown
In 1977, childhood friends Yang Chunxue and Liang Maicha dream of taking college exams together, but Chunxue is forced into marriage due to a family crisis, prompting Maicha to leave home. After enduring hardship, Chunxue finds a new beginning by starting a sewing business in her village, while Maicha returns with brick-making skills to revive the local kiln. Together, they transform their poor village into a provincial model of economic growth.
Episodes
In Jinsawo Village, during Secretary Gao's family celebration, Li Shuanghe and villagers demand approval for the household contract system. When accountant Li Dongshan refuses, saying only Secretary Gao can authorize it, tensions escalate, and Li Shuanghe pushes him to the ground.
Yang Chunxue is determined to marry Liang Maicha and insists on breaking off her engagement with Gao Shitiao. Furious, her father locks her up. Despite this, Chunxue asks village official Hei Auntie to help her cancel the engagement. Meanwhile, Gao Shitiao, deeply in love with Chunxue, remains intent on making her his wife.
Officer Zhang finds Liang Maicha’s shoe by the river and fears he may have drowned, delivering the grim news to Liang’s family. Refusing to believe it, the family searches the river but finds no trace of him. Meanwhile, Chunxue’s parents urge her to move on and marry Gao Shitiao, but she remains resolute, vowing to wait for Liang Maicha forever.
Grandma Gao persuades Chunxue to reluctantly agree to the wedding ceremony. Meanwhile, Gao Haitang scolds Gao Shitiao for hitting Chunxue. When Lan Hua goes to fetch her, Chunxue doesn’t respond. Impatient, Gao Shitiao kicks the door open, only to find that Chunxue has taken her own life.
Liang Maicha and his coworkers tirelessly mine coal, only to learn they won’t be paid for another six months. Suspecting it’s an illegal operation, Liang plans an escape with his colleagues. He tricks the foreman by claiming a roof collapse in the mine, creating chaos and seizing the chance to flee. Realizing the deception, the foreman sends men to pursue them.
Grandma invited Yang Chunxue over and made a piece of clothing for the child. She asked if Yang had considered learning traditional weaving, and Yang agreed. Grandma then announced to the family that Yang would start learning from her. However, Lan Hua and Gao Shitiao objected, fearing it might harm her pregnancy.
Old Liu tried to harass Wang Junhua, but Liang Maicha intervened in time. Wang Junhua, an orphan used to relying on herself, admitted she hadn’t spoken up earlier out of doubt.
Li Yinniu was elected Party secretary of Jinshawo Village and vowed to work towards its prosperity. He focused on land distribution and improving the village's conditions.
Liang Maicha told Wang Junhua to avoid mistakes and always do her best. When he ran from the police, Wang Junhua asked why. Liang Maicha explained he had fled his hometown to escape pressure to marry into a wealthy family.
The schoolhouse collapsed, trapping Teacher Huang and the students. Li Yinniu led the rescue, and Gao Haitang arrived to help.
Yang Chunxue gave birth prematurely, and her children visited her in the hospital.
Luo Cui brought clothing fabric to Yang Chunxue, which led to a dispute over pricing.
Gao Haitang and Liang Changuo worked hard to transform land, while Li Caiyun was advised by a classmate to quickly deliver wheat to the grain station after the harvest.
Yang Chunxue shared her secret noodle recipe with the villagers, helping them prosper, while Party Secretary Li Xueping visited and supported the effort by exchanging his salary for IOUs.
Liang Maicha takes the blame for a crime his brother committed and agrees to support him through university, despite his mother's objections.
Heartbroken over Yang Chunxue's marriage to Gao Shitiao, Liang Maicha is scolded by his father and torn by memories of their past vows.
Li Yinniu faces setbacks in starting a brick kiln factory, and after unsellable bricks are produced, he seeks help from Liang Maicha but returns disappointed.
Liang Maicha plans to set up a rotary kiln in his hometown, and after presenting his research, convinces Wang Junhua to join him in the venture.
Liang Maicha shares mooncakes and TV with the villagers, while Gao Shitiao secretly checks for Yang Chunxue, and Liang Maishui informs her parents about Liang Maichao's graduate school acceptance and his Beijing girlfriend.
Yang Chunxue is excited by the profitable potential of coasters made from local cloth, while Lan Hua believes Liang Maicha is still in love with her.
Yang Chunxue is relieved to secure a buyer with a tight deadline, while Liang Maicha plans to hand over the brick kiln and return to Shijiazhuang, leaving Yang Chunxue feeling disappointed.
Liang Maicha and Yang Chunxue are promoted to village leadership, but their efforts are interrupted when a tunnel collapse traps workers at the kiln, prompting a rescue operation.
Liang Maicha is scolded by Liang Chuangen for his methods, but when he mentions Li Shuanghe's land proposal, Liang Chuangen firmly rejects it.
Liang Maicha takes full responsibility for the losses, and he and Yang Chunxue unite to improve the village and help the villagers prosper.
After the success of the leather factory, Yang Chunxue decides to start a school in Jinshawo and plans to approach Director Qiu directly for approval.
Yang Chunxue discusses a potential partnership with Jin Yan after learning about her struggling garment factory, while Wang Junhua gives Liang Chuangen an expensive watch for his birthday.
Yang Chunxue plans to sell the excess workwear to repay the villagers, while Gao Haitang encourages her, and Hei Shen seeks help from Li Yinniu after the police take her and Liang Maicha in for questioning.
Yang Chunxue gains inspiration for her designs from paper-cutting master Zhao, while Wang Junhua brings supplements to Liang Chuangen and Shufen, brightening their day.
When the seeds fail to sprout, Yang Chunxue and Liang Maicha discover they are poor quality, and Liang Maishou promises to find a solution.
Gao Shitiao becomes violent, forcing a divorce, while Liang Maicha tracks down a scammer selling fake seeds, leading to the criminal's capture.
Liang Maicha and Yang Chunxue discover that Li Caiyun has been arrested, while Yang remains devoted to Gao Shitiao, and plans a birthday cake for Gao Tianjiao.
Gao Tianjiao aces her university entrance exams, later works at Hongfu Group, and introduces Yang Chunxue to its CEO.
