Lian Qiao lived a life of relentless toil, building a successful enterprise alongside her fiancé, Zhao Hongbin, only to be betrayed on her deathbed. She discovered that Zhao Hongbin had fathered a child with her stepsister, Lian Rou, and that her own father, Lian Hai, had allowed her to be exploited while they planned to seize her assets. In her final moments, Lian Qiao burned their home down, killing them all. She awoke in 1987, the day before her wedding to Zhao Hongbin, finding herself standing outside the bedroom window where the couple was currently consummating their affair.
Rather than repeating her past mistakes, Lian Qiao kicked open the door and exposed the scandal in front of relatives and neighbors. She violently assaulted the cheating pair, forcing her father to intervene. When Zhao Hongbin attempted to manipulate the situation by claiming it was a misunderstanding and insisting on proceeding with the wedding, Lian Qiao demanded an immediate divorce. She reported him to his workplace for corruption and adultery, effectively ending his career. She then hired locals to loot the bridal chamber, reclaiming all the furniture and goods she had purchased with her own money, leaving her stepmother and stepsister with nothing.
With her divorce finalized and Zhao Hongbin forced to marry Lian Rou, Lian Qiao fled to Manzhouli, a border city, to stay with her cousin, Yang Chunmei, who was married to a soldier named Li Guozheng. Lian Qiao’s goal was to establish a new life and capitalize on the upcoming border trade boom. However, her temporary visa was expiring, and without a local household registration, she faced homelessness and social ostracization. Her cousin suggested she marry a military officer to secure her place in the compound.
Lian Qiao went on several blind dates but found them unsuitable. One candidate, Liu Xinjun, was too traditional and wanted a housewife, which conflicted with Lian Qiao’s ambitions. Meanwhile, she clashed with her neighbor, Niu Aixiang, who constantly borrowed household items without returning them and allowed her unruly children to trespass. Lian Qiao firmly confronted Niu Aixiang, asserting her boundaries and earning the respect of the compound guards.
Her cousin then revealed that Chen Lang, the battalion commander, was looking for a wife. Chen Lang was a man of high status and good character, but he was reluctant to marry because his mother was terminally ill with cancer, and he feared a wife would demand he have children to continue the family line of martyrs. He had rejected many suitable candidates, including the regimental commander’s daughter, Meng Qing, who had harbored feelings for him since childhood.
Lian Qiao sought out Chen Lang and proposed a marriage of mutual benefit. She disclosed her inability to have children and her desire to work, offering him a partner who would not burden him with familial expectations or demand children. Chen Lang was initially hesitant, believing she deserved better, but Lian Qiao insisted, arguing that her agenda matched his. Impressed by her directness and suitability, Chen Lang agreed. They met his terminally ill mother, who accepted Lian Qiao, and his grandmother, Shi Sue, who strongly opposed the match due to Lian Qiao’s divorce and lack of children. Despite the family opposition, Chen Lang proceeded with the marriage application, leaving Meng Qing heartbroken and vowing to wait no longer.
