Li Wenxiu, a Han Chinese girl who grew up in Altay, is determined to pursue her literary dream in a big city. However, she repeatedly encounters obstacles and is forced to return to her hometown to rely on her mother who runs a small shop. After meeting Kazakh boy Batay, Wenxiu gradually discovered the beauty of the local area.

The 12-episode series follows Wang Xiang, an ex-train driver who had worked his whole life at the steel plant in a fictional small town in North China, as he attempts to solve the mystery behind a brutal murder during the autumn of 1998. For more than 20 years, the murder has haunted him and other people who worked at the steel plant as they struggled to come to terms with the loss they’ve experienced.