After being appointed to the plant as a magna cum laud graduate, the young engineer Danailov has plans to overhaul the outdated organization of work. He gradually submits to the manager`s patronizing attitude. Attracted by the prospects of a breath-taking career under the manager`s wing, he surrenders to the aggressive advances of his daughter Ruzha and breaks with Lena, his fellow-student sweetheart. Through the fault of the chief engineer, the plant produces a large amount of shoddy feedstock. A commission is formed to look into the incident. The plant management sends Danailov as their representatives. They hope that he will cover up the manager`s guilt and will shift the blame onto Zaharieva, an innocent scapegoat. Her attempted suicide and an unexpected encounter with Lena restore to Danailov his sense of responsibility, and he decides to fight for the truth.