Xuan Zhixia, a frail man who died alone in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, transmigrates into the body of a villainous stepmother in a novel. The original character had married into the wealthy Shang family through a favor owed to his parents, only to abuse his stepchildren, commit adultery, and die a miserable death. Xuan Zhixia awakens on the second day of his marriage, facing a household that despises him and stepchildren who have salted his medicine. His primary concern is not redemption or family harmony, but securing enough money to divorce Shang Shuji, the cold and indifferent head of the Shang family, and live quietly in comfort.
His plans are immediately disrupted when his unreliable agent, Zhen Cheng, leaks news of the marriage online and signs Xuan Zhixia to a lucrative but restrictive contract for a popular children's reality show. The breach penalty is eighteen million yuan, a sum Xuan Zhixia cannot pay. Shang Shuji, initially intending to use the show to expose Xuan Zhixia's low status and force him out, unexpectedly agrees to participate alongside his adopted children, Shang Jingqi and Shang Jingshu. Shang Shuji's motivation is pragmatic: he wants the public to see Xuan Zhixia's true place in the family and ensure his heirs are not influenced by a stepmother they dislike.
During the filming, Xuan Zhixia refuses to play the role of the subservient or abusive stepmother. Instead, he lies around, refuses to cook, and bluntly tells the children to ask their father for food. The audience, expecting drama, is instead charmed by his honesty and laziness. The children, initially hostile, find themselves outmaneuvered by Xuan Zhixia's calm demeanor and sharp tongue. In a surprising turn, the siblings begin to massage Xuan Zhixia's legs while casually criticizing their father's late-night work habits, leading to awkward and humorous interactions between the stepfather and father.
As the show progresses, the dynamic shifts. Shang Shuji observes Xuan Zhixia's genuine lack of ambition and his focus on recuperation. He realizes Xuan Zhixia is not the scheming villain of the original story. Meanwhile, Xuan Zhixia continues to plan his exit, viewing the show as a means to earn the money needed for a clean divorce. The tension between his desire for freedom and his growing, albeit reluctant, entanglement with the Shang family forms the core conflict.
Key turning points include Shang Shuji's dream of Xuan Zhixia's death in the apocalypse, which hints at a deeper connection between their pasts. Shang Shuji also begins to protect Xuan Zhixia from his parents' interference and the children's petty schemes. The relationship between Xuan Zhixia and Shang Shuji evolves from mutual distrust to a complex partnership. Shang Shuji starts to question his initial assumptions about Xuan Zhixia's character, while Xuan Zhixia finds himself less eager to leave as he experiences a stable, healthy life he never had before.
The story moves toward a resolution where Xuan Zhixia must decide whether to stick to his original plan of divorce or embrace the unexpected family dynamics. Shang Shuji, once indifferent, becomes invested in keeping Xuan Zhixia close, not just for the children's sake but for his own. The narrative explores themes of transmigration, fate, and the redefinition of family, as both characters navigate a situation that was supposed to be temporary but has become integral to their lives.
