Su Ye, a modern woman with a background in computer science, wakes up in the body of a lazy, gluttonous wife in 1960 China. She has transmigrated into a historical novel where she was originally a villainous character destined to be humiliated by the smart and capable female lead. The original Su Ye had married Gu Xiangqian, a promising special forces captain, but spent her time sleeping and causing trouble, leaving her husband to sleep in the reception room. Upon waking, Su Ye finds herself in a dilapidated room with only Marxist literature and ration coupons to her name. The calendar confirms the date is January 1, 1960, a time of severe hunger and poverty. Outside her door, neighbors are viciously insulting her, calling her a curse upon her husband. Su Ye quickly assesses her situation: she is starving, has no food at home, and needs to secure a job to survive. She realizes she must change her reputation before the original female protagonist arrives to slap her face.
Su Ye heads to the military dining hall for lunch, where she witnesses the extreme scarcity of food. Another military wife greedily takes the last portion of meat and demands the cook wash the plate to save every drop of grease. Su Ye, despite her hunger, manages to get two hard, blackened steamed buns. She learns that the city residents are accustomed to waiting in long lines for basic necessities like flour and meat, which are distributed through a complex system of ration coupons. At the supply and marketing cooperative, she buys cornmeal and yeast, struggling with the limited quantities available. Back home, she borrows a coal stove and clay pot from her neighbor, Grandma Zhou, and makes steamed buns. While eating, she discovers a mysterious livestream system in her mind that rewards her with food items like pork belly for completing tasks such as cooking meals.
Using the pork belly from the livestream, Su Ye cooks a delicious braised pork dish. The aroma attracts the attention of her neighbors, particularly a man named Li Maogang who is obsessed with the smell. Su Ye shares some of the meat with Grandma Zhou, who gives her a book in return. Su Ye finds a five-cent coin inside the book, which she decides to keep as compensation. The next day, she goes to the Women's Federation to find a job. The available positions are mostly menial labor or night shifts, which she refuses. After some confrontation, she is given a list of teaching and technical positions that require higher education. Despite having only an elementary school education, Su Ye signs up for the exams, confident in her knowledge.
Su Ye takes both the elementary and middle school teacher recruitment exams. She finishes the difficult middle school exam in half an hour, impressing the proctor. Although she fails to get the elementary school position due to her lack of qualifications, she learns that the middle school exam results are not yet announced. Meanwhile, she visits a liquor factory through an acquaintance, He Meimei, and passes a simple literacy test, securing a job. She receives ten jin of high-quality flour as a reward from the livestream. Su Ye uses the flour to make hand-pulled noodles, which earns her another reward. She also attends a gathering with other military wives, where she is scrutinized for her past behavior. The women discuss her job situation, with some offering her menial positions. Su Ye navigates the social dynamics carefully, maintaining a polite demeanor while planning her future. The story ends with Su Ye having secured a job at the liquor factory and waiting for the middle school teaching results, hoping to improve her status in this difficult era.
