Shu Wan, a world-renowned fashion designer and embroidery master in her previous life, wakes up to find herself transported into the body of a cannon fodder female supporting character in a novel set in 1980s China. The original owner of this body had married Captain Huo Zhengye, a cold and disciplined military officer, through dishonorable means. The marriage was a disaster, characterized by the original owner’s hysterical behavior, infidelity rumors, and financial dependence on her manipulative elder sister, Shu Fangfang. The original owner eventually borrowed money from a man named Du Wendong, fell into gambling, and was sent to prison to work on a sewing machine after a forced divorce. Determined to avoid this tragic fate, Shu Wan resolves to change her destiny by securing her independence and ending the marriage on her own terms.
Upon arriving in the new timeline, Shu Wan immediately rejects Du Wendong’s request for money, causing confusion for the man who expected the original owner’s subservience. She returns to her dilapidated home in the military compound, where neighbors gossip about her reputation as a lazy and greedy woman. Instead of engaging in drama, Shu Wan begins cleaning her filthy living space and confronts the gossips by splashing water on them. When Huo Zhengye returns from a mission, he is shocked to find his home clean and his wife calm and composed. He interprets this sudden change as a trick to prevent divorce, but Shu Wan agrees to the separation, asking only for time to find employment before moving out. Huo Zhengye, suspicious but resolute, agrees to wait, provided she secures a job.
Shu Wan uses her knowledge of her past life as a top designer to plan her financial recovery. She discovers she owes approximately 108 yuan to various neighbors, a significant sum in the 1980s, which was largely siphoned off by her sister Shu Fangfang. Shu Fangfang had manipulated the original owner into borrowing money for Du Wendong while using Shu Wan’s allowance to fund her own lavish lifestyle. Shu Wan confronts Shu Fangfang in front of the neighbors, exposing the sister’s greed and forcing her to repay the debt. With the money recovered, Shu Wan pays back her neighbors, gradually improving her reputation in the compound. She also clarifies the misunderstanding regarding Du Wendong, revealing that he was merely a financial parasite using her sister, which dispels rumors of infidelity.
Seeking income, Shu Wan visits a tailor shop where she encounters her former apprentice, Xu Xiaoling, and the arrogant senior apprentice, Li Shengnan. When a customer complains about a poorly made dress, Li Shengnan refuses to take responsibility. Shu Wan steps in, offering to fix the garment within two days in exchange for payment. Simultaneously, Huo Zhengye attempts to file for divorce but is stopped when the Political Commissar informs him that Shu Wan is pregnant. Believing she is carrying another man’s child, Huo Zhengye’s anger turns to a twisted sense of responsibility, and he decides to cancel the divorce, assuming she is plotting against him. He returns home, acting coldly but protective, unaware that Shu Wan’s nausea was merely from overeating and that she is not pregnant.
Shu Wan works diligently on the dress alteration while Huo Zhengye remains in the house, observing her changes. He notes her cleanliness, her polite demeanor, and her cooking skills, which contrast sharply with the woman he knew. Despite his suspicion that she is playing a long game, he finds himself drawn to her competence. Shu Wan, focused on her goal of financial independence, continues to push for divorce, unaware of the pregnancy rumor. She accepts Huo Zhengye’s presence as a temporary arrangement, treating him as a roommate rather than a husband. The story follows her efforts to establish her tailoring business while navigating the complex dynamics with Huo Zhengye, who is slowly beginning to question his hatred and the assumptions he made about her character.
