Based on the story of the same name by A.P. Chekhov.

Ivan Brovkin finishes serving in the army with the rank of sergeant and, together with a group of comrades after demobilization, decides to go to the development of state farm. He arrives at his native collective farm and meets there a cool welcome: the chairman of the collective farm, the bride Lyubasha and mother — consider him a traitor. The planned wedding is canceled, and Brovkin leaves for the state farm. Brovkin comes to the state farm at the time of plowing the land. He joins the team. Winter passes after working days. In letters home he writes that everything is fine with him. News about how Ivan lives is spreading throughout the village. Lyubasha is seriously thinking about running away from home to the state farm...

Young Leningraders, yesterday’s schoolchildren, are entering adulthood. Sonya is in love with Styopa, but he loves Tanya, and Tanya prefers Fedya. The rejected Styopa leaves for a distant Siberian city and starts working at the factory, studying at the evening institute. Sonya leaves after him and gets a job at the same factory. Tanya and Fedya, having married, go to college, and the young husband has to earn some money as a driver to support his family. The selfish nature of Tanya refuses to put up with the modest position in which the newlyweds are forced to be, and she starts an affair with an elderly composer...