Ye Yao, a woman who lived a prestigious life as a beautiful and intelligent goddess in her previous existence, wakes up after a plane crash to find herself reborn into the body of an eighteen-year-old girl with the same name. The new body is severely overweight, covered in pockmarks, and considered ugly by the standards of the compound where she lives. Her past life memories are intact, but she struggles to reconcile her former elegance with her current physical limitations. The original Ye Yao was the daughter of Zhang Qiufeng, a widow who had been supported for years by the Zhao family after Ye Yao's father abandoned them. Despite their poverty and social standing, Ye Yao was engaged to Li Cheng, the most outstanding young man in the compound, through an arrangement made by their fathers decades ago.
The story begins with Ye Yao facing immediate hostility from Zhao Qingqing and her group of friends, who mock her appearance and demand she abandon her engagement to Li Cheng. In a dramatic shift from the original owner's timid personality, Ye Yao fights back, physically repelling her bullies and slapping Zhao Qingqing. This act of defiance shocks everyone in the compound, including her own mother, who is accustomed to submission and humiliation. Ye Yao resolves to change her life, starting with a rigorous weight-loss regimen despite her body's exhaustion and lack of coordination.
Her transformation is complicated by the arrival of Li Yukun, a man from a nearby village who had been secretly manipulating the original Ye Yao. Li Yukun convinced her to push for the engagement with the Li family so he could access the betrothal money, planning to elope with her and then abandon her. When Ye Yao discovers his true intentions, she decides to turn the tables on him. She pretends to agree to his plan, revealing to Zhao Qingqing that she intends to elope with Li Yukun the following night. Zhao Qingqing, eager to see Ye Yao humiliated, agrees to help spread the word and catch them in the act, unaware that she is being used as a pawn in Ye Yao's revenge.
Meanwhile, the Li family is grappling with the rumors surrounding Ye Yao. Wang Guihua, Zhao Qingqing's mother, and Li Cuilan, Li Cheng's aunt, confront Zhang Qiufeng, accusing Ye Yao of infidelity and demanding the engagement be canceled. Shen Yun, Li Cheng's mother and a refined woman who values honor, listens to their complaints but remains noncommittal. She later visits Ye Yao's home, seeking to understand the situation directly. Shen Yun reveals that her husband, Li Guoxiong, made the engagement promise to his late brother, Ye Yao's father, and feels bound by duty despite the social mismatch. Shen Yun suggests a compromise: if Ye Yao truly loves another, the Li family could adopt her as a goddaughter and arrange a proper wedding for her and her lover, thus preserving the family's honor while freeing Li Cheng.
Ye Yao navigates these complex social dynamics while continuing her physical transformation. She endures public mockery, including being pelted with mud by local boys, but uses her martial arts training from her past life to assert dominance when necessary. Her relationship with her mother, Zhang Qiufeng, evolves as Ye Yao takes charge of their household, cooking meals and managing their finances, which surprises her mother who had always been the caretaker. The narrative sets the stage for Ye Yao to expose Li Yukun's deceit, clear her name, and redefine her future on her own terms, all while dealing with the lingering expectations of the Li family and the ongoing hostility from the Zhao family.
