The protagonist, Lin Zhou, is a 24-year-old political science graduate from a prestigious university. He turns down a corporate offer in a major city and passes the civil service exam to work in Liuxi Town, Qingxi County, Jiangzhou City, in a central province. Resilient and analytical, he understands the realities of grassroots politics but refuses to go along with the crowd. He begins with the conviction that he wants to get things done, not chase officialdom. Yet as he navigates real-world power struggles, he gradually grows into a leader with both ideals and political savvy. In the end, he reaches the highest levels of national government and pursues his dream of making policies work all the way down to the last mile.
Young cadres like Lin Zhou are needed at the grassroots level.