Villager Foster Chow received a 2000-yuan fine after Hazel Hayes, a law student who had benefited from the Chow family's kindness for years, reported him for straw burning in his field. The village committee announced the penalty publicly, instantly destroying years of goodwill. Hazel insists on acting in accordance with the law, stating that personal favor cannot override legal principles. The Chow family is heartbroken and decides to cut off all contact with her. Old Mr. Hayes still comes to the Chow household asking for help as a matter of course, and throws a tantrum at the door when he is refused. Ming Chow witnesses all of this, and is determined to apply to law school to understand the boundaries of the law, vowing never to become a cold, unfeeling person like Hazel Hayes.
