The story follows the life of Stepan Ovsyanikov, a peasant who has recently become a landowner. Stepan, who was once a serf, is now the proud owner of a small estate. Despite his newfound freedom, Stepan's life is far from easy. He struggles to manage his land and make ends meet, and his relationships with his family members are strained. As the story unfolds, we see Stepan grappling with the responsibilities that come with landownership. He tries to be a good landlord to his serfs, but he is also forced to collect rent from them in order to pay off his own debts. Meanwhile, his son Vasya, who has been educated in the city, has grown distant from his father and sees his new status as a landowner as a burden. Read in English, unabridged.