Lin Zhihua, Xu Weibiao, Wang Lei, and Zhang Peng are childhood friends with different personalities who parted ways and took different paths due to their choices during a time of change, leading them to stand on opposite sides.

Old factory workers from a state-owned enterprise in the North, who, amidst changing times, break free from constraints, innovate, and continually transform as they pursue their industrial ideals.

In the 1980s, the Mu siblings chase their dreams amid a rapidly changing world. As they navigate careers in education, industry, journalism, and the arts, they face challenges, ethical dilemmas, and family conflicts. Over the years, their ambitions drive innovation, justice, and reconciliation, shaping their futures and the lives of those around them.