Xu Jinye is a modern college student who travels back in time to the Republican era, inhabiting the body of a young woman raised by her comatose aunt, Xu Xiaoyun, within the household of Warlord Wei. The Wei family is a powerful military dynasty in Jiangzhe, where Warlord Wei rules with an iron fist but dotes on his third concubine, Xu Xiaoyun. Jinye, now a sophomore nursing student, navigates the treacherous dynamics of the warlord's mansion while trying to maintain her independence and avoid the political marriages arranged by the matriarch, Madam Wei. Her primary conflict arises from her secret physical relationship with Wei Liangchen, the Warlord's second son and a formidable young marshal known for his ruthlessness and arrogance. Despite their intense physical connection, Jinye views their arrangement as temporary, believing Liangchen harbors feelings for his so-called white moonlight, Miss Ling, who is returning from abroad.
The story intensifies when Liangchen returns from a military victory and demands Jinye greet him in a cheongsam, a request she partially fulfills by wearing the dress but avoiding the public appearance. Their interactions are marked by a volatile mix of dominance and submission, with Liangchen asserting control through both physical intimacy and psychological manipulation, reminding Jinye of her family's dependence on his father's generosity. Meanwhile, Madam Wei arranges a blind date for Liangchen with Ning Xiujun, the daughter of a provincial governor, to secure a political alliance. Jinye is also pressured into attending this meeting with Zhou Siwei, the third son of the local police chief, who presents himself as a gentle and educated alternative to the warlord's son.
At a horse farm gathering, the tension between Jinye and Liangchen becomes public. Liangchen, visibly jealous of Zhou Siwei's attention toward Jinye, forces his way into a horseback race with her, displaying possessive behavior that alarms Ning Xiujun. During a shooting competition, Jinye deliberately matches Ning Xiujun's score round by round, refusing to let her win easily, which further strains the potential alliance. Liangchen's jealousy escalates when he discovers Jinye's growing rapport with Zhou Siwei, leading to a confrontation where he physically restrains her and demands she stay at his mountain villa, rejecting the notion of a clean break despite Jinye's insistence that their arrangement should end now that he is pursuing another woman.
The narrative reveals that Liangchen's pursuit of Ning Xiujun is a facade to satisfy his father and the political elite, particularly the influential former governor Song. In reality, he spent the night away from the villa, returning only to maintain appearances, and immediately seeks out Jinye upon his return. He dismisses her attempts to distance themselves, listing the debts she owes her family for medical care and protection, and insists she remain under his control. The story concludes with Jinye facing social hostility at university from Ling Shaomin, who mocks her status as a kept woman, while Liangchen secretly investigates Zhou Siwei's background, sensing a threat to his claim over Jinye. The central conflict remains unresolved, with Jinye trapped between her desire for autonomy and the inescapable grip of the Wei family's power structure.
