Jiang Wanting dies in her past life after discovering her husband of twenty years has been using her family's wealth to support another man while maintaining a secret family. Having sacrificed her entire life for a marriage that was built on lies and exploitation, she dies of alcohol poisoning at a cemetery, mourning both her wasted life and the young soldier who had died saving her from attackers over a decade earlier. Upon awakening, she finds herself reborn in a rural village setting, being drowned by a man named Niu Zi who claims her family owes him money. Her mother, Chen Meiling, begs for mercy and offers to take her place, but Jiang Wanting negotiates a deal to repay double the debt instead.
Through fragmented memories and questioning, Jiang Wanting learns she has been reborn into the body of an eighteen-year-old girl whose grandmother, Old Lady Jiang, sold her to settle a hundred-yuan debt. The family had borrowed money to send their granddaughter Jiang Daya to college, but Old Lady Jiang decided to default and instead sell Jiang Wanting to the village chief's son. Jiang Wanting also discovers that Wang Jianmin, the educated youth who had shown kindness to the original girl, is actually her future husband from her past life—the man who betrayed her. This revelation shocks her, as in her previous timeline Wang Jianmin never attended university.
When Old Lady Jiang beats Chen Meiling for bringing Jiang Wanting sugar water, Jiang Wanting strikes the old woman with a shovel, knocking her unconscious. That night, she steals food from the locked cabinet, sets fire to the kitchen to create chaos, and escapes with her mother. The next morning, after learning that Jiang Daliang went to collect more money from the village chief, Jiang Wanting and Chen Meiling report the human trafficking attempt to police officers Captain Wu and a young policewoman. Jiang Wanting produces evidence from Jiang Daliang's pocket—a note acknowledging receipt of two hundred yuan in exchange for delivering her as a wife.
The village chief, fearing scandal and legal consequences, mediates a settlement. Jiang Wanting demands the return of the two hundred yuan, fifty yuan in compensation for damaged reputation, and formal household division so she and her mother can live independently. Under police supervision, the family agrees. Jiang Wanting and Chen Meiling move into an abandoned educated youth settlement, receiving a household division certificate and allocated land.
While traveling to the county town to seek business opportunities, Jiang Wanting rescues a young girl named Cuini from Niu Zi, who attempts to assault her in a cornfield. In a panic triggered by Niu Zi's facial scar—which matches the scar of the man who attacked her in her past life—Jiang Wanting stabs him severely. She and Cuini flee, agreeing to keep the incident secret. Cuini reveals she gathers lingzhi mushrooms from the mountains to sell. Jiang Wanting recognizes a business opportunity and partners with Cuini to sell the mushrooms at higher prices.
After initial failures selling to state-run markets and restaurants, Jiang Wanting uses her knowledge of proper business etiquette from her past life. She enters a Western-style hotel in the provincial capital, speaks English to gain the attention of management, and secures a contract to supply lingzhi at twenty-five yuan per piece. With this income source established, she purchases fabric for herself and her mother, beginning her new life with financial independence and freedom from the abusive Jiang family.
