Su Ying, a distinguished medical professional from the twenty-first century, finds herself transmigrated into the body of a twenty-year-old girl with the same name in the 1980s. The original Su Ying had been accepted to university, but her admission spot was stolen by another student. When she traveled to the county town to demand justice, she was beaten and suffered a severe head injury. Her mother, Chen Shuyun, a timid and impoverished village woman, brings her to the city of Jiangcheng to seek medical treatment and find Su Ying's father, Su Jianshe, who had abandoned the family seven years prior to marry another woman and rise to the position of director at a textile factory.
Upon arrival, Su Jianshe initially reacts with hostility, attempting to divorce Chen Shuyun and discard them both to protect his reputation and his new family. However, after learning that Su Ying has a serious brain injury requiring expensive long-term treatment, his attitude shifts. He reveals a pragmatic and selfish motive: he intends to marry Su Ying off to a paralyzed veteran, Commander Gu Jinghong, in exchange for a substantial bride price and financial support that would cover her medical bills. The groom is a high-ranking military officer who was injured in action and now requires constant care. Su Ying, possessing the medical knowledge of a modern doctor, understands the severity of her condition and the lack of options available to her. She agrees to the marriage, but demands a high bride price, including cash, goods, and crucially, a city household registration and a job in the medical field.
The military officials, desperate to find a wife for the temperamental Commander Gu, accept her terms. Su Ying is granted a position at a municipal hospital, securing her independence and income. On the day of the marriage registration, she meets Gu Jinghong for the first time. To her surprise, he is not the frail, broken man she expected, but a sharp, commanding figure who retains his dignity and authority despite his paralysis. He warns her that military marriages cannot be easily dissolved and that she will be responsible for his care. Su Ying accepts the challenge, recognizing that this union offers her the stability and resources she needs to survive and recover.
After the registration, Su Ying moves into the military compound. She immediately notices the poor quality of care Gu Jinghong has been receiving, including the use of inappropriate bedding that has caused him bedsores. Taking charge, she begins to manage his health and living conditions, asserting her authority in the household. Meanwhile, Su Jianshe and his new wife, Zhao Yumei, continue to scheme, hoping to use Su Ying’s marriage to secure favors for their own daughter, Su Xiaohan, who is struggling academically. Su Ying, however, is focused on her recovery and her new role. She navigates the complex dynamics of the military family, earning the respect of some and the suspicion of others. Her modern medical expertise proves invaluable, and she begins to establish herself not just as a caretaker, but as a key figure in the household. The story follows her journey as she balances her past life’s skills with her new reality, confronting the challenges of a different era while building a life on her own terms.
