The First Secretary in the Countryside tells the story of Cheng Zhiyuan, a young expert from the provincial agricultural sciences academy who gives up a comfortable life in the provincial capital and resolutely returns to his impoverished hometown, Yunling Village, to serve as its first secretary. Facing villagers’ doubts, the complexities of grassroots work, and developers’ tempting offers, he joins forces with young villagers such as Lin Xiaoyun and Zhang Lei. Starting with the discovery of wild tea trees on Qingyun Ridge, they overcome funding shortages, technical bottlenecks, and deliberate obstruction, combining traditional agriculture with science and technology to build the distinctive Yunling Mistbud brand and revitalize the village’s industries. As Cheng Zhiyuan leads the villagers out of poverty and toward prosperity, he finds not only a sense of personal fulfillment but also sincere love, while bringing new life to an ancient mountain village amid the tides of a changing age. This is a passionate and heartwarming tale of rural struggle, showing how young people in the new era put down roots at the grassroots, dedicate their youth, and embrace their responsibilities.
