《青山是故乡》的故事，从一场突如其来的暴雨开始。村里人忙着抢收庄稼，生怕雨水冲垮了田埂，一年的辛苦就白费了。老村长拄着拐杖站在田边，眉头紧锁，嘴里念叨着：“这天儿啊，真是不让人省心。”他的儿子大成带着几个年轻人，冒着雨在泥地里来回奔波，把一捆捆稻子往家里搬。大成媳妇翠花也没闲着，一边招呼着帮忙的乡亲，一边给大伙儿递热姜汤，生怕谁淋雨着了凉。

  Meanwhile, in the city, Xiaofang, the village's first college graduate, is struggling with her own challenges. Her boss at the advertising company piles on last-minute changes to a major campaign, forcing her to work late yet again. As she stares at her computer screen, exhausted, her phone lights up with a message from her father - a simple photo of the rain-soaked fields back home. The contrast between her hectic urban life and the simpler, harder life of her family strikes her deeply.

  Back in the village, the storm reveals deeper problems. The floodwaters expose the shoddy construction of the new irrigation channels that the corrupt deputy mayor had cut corners on. Old man Zhang, whose land was most affected, collapses in frustration, crying out "They've sold our future for a few yuan!" This becomes the spark that finally unites the villagers to demand accountability from local officials.

  Xiaofang, moved by her father's photo and the news from home, makes a decision. She quits her soul-crushing job and returns to the village, bringing with her not just her education but a new perspective. At first, the elders are skeptical - "What can a city girl know about farming?" But when she uses her marketing skills to help organize the villagers' protest and document the irrigation issues, they begin to see her value beyond just being the "educated one".

  The episode ends with a powerful scene at the township government office. The villagers, led by Xiaofang and old man Zhang, present their case with evidence and dignity rather than anger. Even the usually timid village teacher finds his voice, reciting a poem about the land that moves everyone to tears. As the officials shift uncomfortably in their seats, the camera lingers on Xiaofang's face - she's found her purpose, and it was in her hometown all along.