Su Ci, a modern corporate worker who died from overwork, transmigrates into a 1970s military marriage novel as the greedy, troublesome female side character destined to die miserably in a cowshed. Upon waking, she finds herself in the body of a girl being pressured by her stepmother Liu Guilan and stepsister Su Yan to marry Lu Si, a paralyzed veteran known as the "Living King of Hell." While the original Su Ci would have refused and been sent to the Northwest, Su Ci calculates the benefits: Lu Si’s high allowance, housing, and food rations, combined with his inability to demand marital duties, represent the ultimate laid-back lifestyle she has always dreamed of. She eagerly agrees to the marriage, shocking her stepfamily who had hoped she would resist.
Su Ci travels to the Military Region General Hospital to meet Lu Si, who is bitter, volatile, and isolated after his injury. Instead of showing pity or fear, she bluntly states her interest in his financial support and household resources. Her straightforward, money-driven attitude confuses and amuses him. She moves into his military compound home, where she immediately begins improving their living conditions by cooking elaborate meals like braised pork and using his allowance to buy supplies. Lu Si, initially hostile, gradually softens as Su Ci proves herself to be a capable and protective partner. She defends him against neighborhood gossip at the supply cooperative, loudly asserting his status as a war hero and demanding priority purchasing rights for disabled veterans.
Their relationship evolves through daily interactions. Su Ci forces Lu Si to engage in light rehabilitation tasks like shelling nuts, while also caring for him during painful flare-ups caused by weather changes. When Lu Si falls in the bathtub and loses control of his bladder due to pain, Su Ci cleans him without disgust, offering comfort and physical closeness that helps him sleep through the night. This act of unconditional care breaks down Lu Si’s emotional walls, leading to a mutual understanding that they are both seeking stability and companionship.
The conflict escalates when Su Yan and her boyfriend Zhao Gang visit the compound to mock Su Ci, expecting to see her suffering. Instead, they find her living in luxury, with Lu Si obediently peeling oranges for her. Su Ci humiliates them by highlighting their insignificance compared to Lu Si’s heroism and her own comfortable life. Later, during a return visit to her family home, Su Ci and Lu Si arrive in a military jeep laden with gifts, asserting their status and forcing Liu Guilan to acknowledge Su Ci’s authority. Lu Si publicly challenges the family to return Su Yan’s stolen job quota, further destabilizing the Su household.
A key turning point occurs when Su Ci discovers a hidden compartment in a piece of scrap wood she bought from a recycling station. Inside is a medical notebook belonging to the Chen family, containing acupuncture techniques for treating severed meridians—potentially the cure for Lu Si’s paralysis. Recognizing its significance, Su Ci resolves to find the Chen family doctor, giving Lu Si hope for recovery. The story concludes with Su Ci and Lu Si united in their goals: she continues to enjoy her comfortable life while supporting his rehabilitation, and he, in turn, provides her with the security and resources she desires. Their transactional arrangement has transformed into a genuine partnership, with Lu Si vowing to protect Su Ci and ensure she always has a home, while Su Ci remains dedicated to improving his health and their shared future.
