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This book tells the story of horse households in Liangzhou, located in the northwest, who faithfully performed their duties under the supervision of officials from the Horse Administration Department in the late Qing Dynasty in order to cultivate "dragon colts", the national horses. The plot of the novel is ups and downs, and the language is simple and natural.

After the pumpkin seedling used up its last energy, it stared at the pumpkin sadly and shrank into a rope. Wang Laogui moved the pumpkins and cut off the pumpkin seedlings like an umbilical cord. More than twenty large and small pumpkins on the field ridge gathered together, surrounding the big millstone pumpkins, and enjoyed Wang Laogui's caressing treatment. Freshly harvested pumpkins cannot be stored directly and need to withstand the sun and night dew for several days. The sun filtered through, the night breeze blew leisurely, and the pumpkins squatting on the ridge of the field cuddled up, reliving the days when they were digging out the soil and pulling seedlings. Three days later, the skin of the pumpkins had the flavor of time. The sunlight they absorb on the body makes the skin tone calm like an oil painting, with a little roughness. Moving other pumpkins away, Wang Laogui carried the big millstone pumpkin to the main room. The main room is not big and is generally used as a place to worship ancestors. When an elderly person in the family dies, the funeral must be in the main room. The door of the main room faces the courtyard door, and no one lives there, so as not to disturb the ancestors' coming and going. When building the granary, his son once blocked Wang Laogui.

This book is set in the northwest rural areas before and after the founding of New China. It revolves around the ancient custom of "tightening the skin" and describes the rough and arduous life of a generation of "tightening skin hands" and the ups and downs of the surrounding villagers under specific historical circumstances.

It was already the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month when folklore professor Miao Zekuan rolled into Baziying like snowflakes. For those who have just returned to their hometown after the Spring Festival, the tone of greetings from Baziying people is more or less indifferent. The twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month is when the Kitchen King ascends to heaven. When the Kitchen King went to heaven, he had counted the population of each family, and when praying, each family also prayed for peace for those outside. In the eyes of Baziying people, Miaozekuan, who returned to his hometown after the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, is like a sunflower popping up in a wheat field waiting for the sickle to fall. It would be a pity to cut it down, but standing alone without cutting it would not be so pleasing to the eye. It's also like a black spot suddenly appearing on the steamed bun that was carefully taken out of the cage during the Chinese New Year. If you dig it out, it will leave a pit on the steamed bun. If you don't dig it out, it will feel a bit annoying.