In the 1990s, Defu, a young cadre who works in the county migration office, returns to his hometown Yongquan Village, hoping to persuade LI Dayou and other villagers not to escape from the Xihaigu Diaozhuang Migrant Village. Returning home, he encounters a childhood sweetheart Shuihua. At this time, Shuihua is ready to run away from home together with Defu’s younger brother Debao and other young villagers, in attempts to say no to the betrothal arranged by her father. However, Shuihua is still forced to marry a disabled man in Kushui Village. Defu feels very depressed to hear that.

Three years later, a new batch of households from the Xihaigu Diaozhuang Migrant Village trek along the desolate sandbeach. They come across CHEN Jinshan, a cadre assigned from Fujian on a temporary basis, who is responsible for providing assistance to the village. Because no power supply is available for the Xihaigu Diaozhuang Migrant Village, Defu quarrels with Director LIU of the power substation. When the power supply problem cannot be solved, Shuihua carries her disabled husband in due course, thereby filling the vacancy of the last household.

In July 1997, the Xihaigu Diaozhuang Migrant Village is officially called, Minning Village. Led by deputy county magistrate CHEN Jinshan and agricultural expert LING Yinong, a poverty alleviation team from Fujian Province helps Minning Village develop a courtyard economy and launch labour service exports. Long-term planning is also developed for the Yellow River Pumping Irrigation Project. Debao and Shuihua learn to grow agaricus bisporus under instructions of LING Yinong. Maimiao and other girls are determined to work and earn money in coastal areas. Defu serves as the first-ever party secretary of Minning Village.

With the advent of the 21^st century, Minning Village has developed into Minning Town. The previous Yongquan Village gets wholly relocated to the Yinchuan Plain. Villagers bid farewell to the mountains, and build their new hometown in pursuit of common prosperity.