Zhao Ge, a graduate from a prestigious university who was wrongfully killed by her stepmother on her first day of work, finds her soul transported to a dilapidated world by System 008, a narcissistic black furry entity she nicknames Coal Ball. The system offers her a chance to return to her original world and alter her fate, provided she completes missions by resolving the resentment of major villains and collecting Rebirth Points. Zhao Ge transmigrates into the body of Qin Yue, the eighteen-year-old daughter of the village chief of Fusu Village, at the exact moment the original host elopes with her childhood sweetheart, Lu Li. The original Qin Yue was tricked by her cousin, Qin Xing, into running away with Lu Li, only to be captured, humiliated, and forced into suicide, while Lu Li betrayed her memory and married Qin Xing instead.
Upon waking in an abandoned nunnery, Zhao Ge, now inhabiting Qin Yue's body, rejects Lu Li's advances, aware of his treacherous nature. When Lu Li attempts to force her into a hiding spot to avoid detection by the approaching villagers, she instead stages a dramatic scene of being assaulted, turning the tables on him. She feigns victimhood, claiming Lu Li knocked her unconscious and attempted to defile her. The village chief, Qin Zhong, arrives and beats Lu Li, while the villagers, swayed by Qin Yue's performance and the bloody wound on her head, condemn Lu Li as a scoundrel. This intervention prevents the original timeline's tragic war between Fusu Village and the neighboring Sangyu Village.
Despite averting the immediate disaster, Qin Zhong faces a dire reality: Fusu Village has suffered three consecutive years of locust plagues, leading to starvation and even cannibalism. To save his people, he has arranged for Qin Yue to marry the son of the Sangyu Village chief, Sang Mohan, in exchange for ten oxen and carts of grain. Sang Mohan is rumored to be both ugly and foolish. Qin Yue accepts this fate, viewing it as a sacrifice for her village. She is married off to Sangyu Village, where she discovers a stark contrast in wealth and comfort compared to her home. For three months, she lives in isolation with two maidservants, Qingqing and Cuicui, while Sang Mohan remains absent, rumored to be ill.
The narrative shifts when Sang Mohan is brought to Qin Yue in a critical condition, foaming at the mouth and convulsing. His mother, Chen Shuzhen, begs Qin Yue to consummate the marriage, claiming it is the only cure. Qin Yue enters the room and discovers that Sang Mohan is not foolish or ugly, but exceptionally handsome. However, he reveals a terrifying secret: he suffers from a bloodlust illness that drives him to crave human blood during his episodes. When he awakens, his eyes turn crimson, and he attempts to bite her neck. Qin Yue narrowly survives by mixing tomato juice with her own blood, offering it as a substitute. The blood calms him, and he falls into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Sang Mohan appears composed and cold, dismissing Qin Yue as a greedy woman who married him for wealth. Qin Yue, determined to complete her mission and reduce his Baleful Value, begins to pursue him with calculated kindness. She cooks for him, creates modern furniture like sofas, and teaches his maidservants to read and style their hair. Through these actions, she slowly chips away at his hostility. Sang Mohan, who has been isolated and mistrustful due to his condition and the rumors surrounding him, finds himself intrigued by Qin Yue's persistence and genuine care. The story follows their evolving dynamic as Qin Yue navigates the challenges of winning over a villainous boss while uncovering the secrets of his illness and the political tensions between the villages.
