The novel is set against the backdrop of railway life in the 1970s and 1980s. It tells the story of several technical secondary school graduates' understanding and pursuit of work and life after they were assigned to difficult areas. Characters such as Zheng Linzhong, Ding Zhiyuan, Xu Fangmei, and Jiang Yulai have been created. It enthusiastically praised the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of front-line railway workers, and praised the construction and development achievements of Southwest Railway.
