The story is set after the Cultural Revolution when the Communist Party was promulgating the idea that all citizens were equal. Mr. Chiu is a recently married man from Harbin. For his honeymoon, he chooses to go to Muji City, located three hundred miles away. The story opens with Mr. Chiu eating lunch with his bride in the square near Muji Train Station, just as his two-week honeymoon is ending. Mr. Chiu is concerned about his acute hepatitis that he had suffered from three months earlier and is afraid of a relapse. A policeman throws tea in the direction of Chiu and his wife while they eat. Their feet get wet, an altercation begins, and Mr. Chiu is unjustly arrested. He asks his wife to catch their train and have someone get him if he does not return by tomorrow.
Mr. Chiu is charged with sabotage. The police chief suggests that Chiu should be punished more severely because he is a Communist Party member. Mr. Chiu refuses to acknowledge guilt and proclaims his innocence. While in jail, he asks a guard to provide him with medical attention for fear that his hepatitis has flared up again. He warns them that they will be responsible if anything were to happen to him. The guard does not heed his warnings or his concerns. Mr. Chiu is unfazed by the fleas in the mattress, and is amazed to find that he doesn't miss his wife a lot. He makes up his mind that when he gets out he will write about his experiences and expose the police force.
He remains in jail throughout the entire weekend. On Monday morning, Mr. Chiu spots Fenjin tied to a tree in the backyard of the jail. Mr. Chiu realizes that Fenjin is the rescuer sent by his bride. He is told that Fenjin was subjected to punishment for calling the chief a bad name. In return for the release of Fenjin and himself, Mr. Chiu signs a statement acknowledging his "crime" and promises to never do it again.
When the two men are released, Mr. Chiu and Fenjin eat at several restaurants near the police station, eating no more than two bowls at any of them. Mr. Chiu keeps wishing he could kill all of his punishers. "Within a month, over 800 people contracted acute hepatitis," six died, including two children.
