The cold beauty is reborn to marry a rough man and the brothers cry blindly

Ji Nuan, a forty-year-old woman who had spent her life serving a family that despised her, dies in a car accident orchestrated by her father. In her final moments, she witnesses the woman who stole her identity, Ji Wei, reveal the depth of her cruelty. Ji Nuan is reborn in 1985, returning to the time when Ji Wei first arrived at the Ji family home. Locked in a punishment room for a crime she did not commit, Ji Nuan realizes she has been given a second chance to escape the toxic family dynamics that destroyed her previous life.

The Ji family, led by her father Ji Jianguo and mother Tang Yinghong, has already shifted their affection entirely to Ji Wei, the biological daughter they recently discovered. Ji Nuan’s three brothers—Ji Yan, the business-minded eldest; Ji Ran, the rebellious youngest; and the absent second brother—have all turned against her, believing Ji Wei’s fabricated stories. In her past life, Ji Nuan’s attempts to prove her innocence only led to further humiliation and eventual exile. This time, she refuses to beg for their love or validate their accusations.

When Ji Yan confronts her in the punishment room, demanding an apology for allegedly pushing Ji Wei into a river, Ji Nuan coldly points out that she was the one left to drown while they rescued Ji Wei. Her indifference shocks her family, who are unaccustomed to her defiance. Later, Gu Jianping, a military officer and the son of a woman Ji Wei had previously exploited, arrives to confront the family about a broken marriage promise. Ji Wei attempts to shift the blame onto Ji Nuan, claiming she is the true debtor.

Ji Nuan seizes the opportunity to break free. She declares her willingness to marry Gu Jianping to repay the debt, a proposal that surprises everyone. Gu Jianping, initially reluctant due to his sense of duty and perceived inadequacy, is moved by her sincerity. He takes her to the hospital, where he discovers she has been suffering from a high fever and pneumonia after being forced to wear wet clothes for days. His anger at her mistreatment contrasts sharply with the Ji family’s continued concern for Ji Wei.

At the hospital, Ji Nuan reconnects with Lin Zhiyue, Ji Yan’s wife, who has always been kind to her. Lin Zhiyue helps Ji Nuan prepare for her upcoming eighteenth birthday party, providing her with fashionable clothes and emotional support. Meanwhile, Gu Jianping recovers from an old leg injury sustained while saving Ji Nuan in her previous timeline. He learns from Dean Li that Ji Nuan is engaged to Lu Yuanzheng, a man from a prominent military family, which creates a barrier between him and Ji Nuan.

Despite these obstacles, Ji Nuan remains focused on her new path. She rejects the notion of being a delicate flower and asserts her independence. The story follows her journey as she navigates the complexities of her second life, determined to build a future free from the Ji family’s manipulation and to forge a genuine connection with Gu Jianping, who has become her ally and protector.