Li Xia transmigrates into the body of a disposable side character in a 1970s novel titled The Delicate Sweet Wife of a Military Marriage in the '70s. The original Li Xia died of illness at the start of the story after being abandoned by her first love, Zhou Qingshan, who had used her money to bribe his way into university. Now inhabiting the same name and situation, Li Xia finds herself in a guesthouse in Luxian County, where Zhou Qingshan confronts her, claiming he is about to marry another woman and urging her to stop bothering him. Instead of succumbing to despair, Li Xia demands the return of the five hundred sixty yuan Zhou Qingshan stole from her. When he refuses, she threatens to expose his fraudulent admission to the Worker-Peasant-Soldier University. Zhou Qingshan, terrified of losing his future, pays her back, but Li Xia simultaneously submits an anonymous report to the university, ensuring his expulsion. With the money secured, she turns her attention to her four-year-old son, An An, who has been left in the care of her greedy uncle and aunt in Daxi Village. The original Li Xia had despised her husband, Gu Weicheng, a rugged military officer, and refused to follow him to the army base, squandering his monthly allowance on Zhou Qingshan and her relatives. An An has suffered neglect and abuse under the care of his grandparents, who starved him and forced him to perform heavy labor. Li Xia rescues An An, revealing the truth about his father and deciding to relocate to the military base. Before leaving, she confronts her uncle and aunt, who had drugged her into marrying Gu Weicheng years ago to secure financial stability. Li Xia tricks them into revealing where they hid their savings, steals the money back, and sets fire to the woodpile as a diversion. She and An An escape under the cover of darkness, boarding a train to the army base. During the journey, a human trafficker attempts to kidnap An An by pretending to be his father. An An, remembering his mother's safety lessons, exposes the trafficker by calling out to Gu Weicheng, who happens to be on the same train. Gu Weicheng, who had never visited his wife in five years, is shocked to discover he has a son who resembles him perfectly. He captures the trafficker and reunites with Li Xia and An An at the guesthouse. Initially believing Li Xia had run off with Zhou Qingshan, Gu Weicheng is relieved to learn she came to join the military family. He applies for housing and begins to build a relationship with his son, who finally calls him Daddy. Li Xia, seeking a fresh start and a stable environment for An An, settles into life at the base, while Zhou Qingshan faces ruin after his expulsion and abandonment by his new fiancée. The story follows Li Xia as she navigates her new role as a military wife, protects her son, and rebuilds her life away from the toxic influences of her past.
