Shi Li is a traveler who moves between fictional novel worlds, inhabiting the bodies of supporting characters to interact with male leads. For years, she followed a mandatory script that forced her to betray and hurt the men she cared for at critical moments, erasing all goodwill she had built. After breaking free from this control and returning to the real world for only two hours, she was dragged back into the first novel she ever entered, Devoted to You. Her mission is to reduce the hatred value of the male lead, Shen Jingyan, to zero to earn her freedom. She returns five years after her original departure, finding that Shen Jingyan has transformed from a frail, sickly orphan into a powerful, cold-hearted billionaire who inherited a vast empire from his biological father.
Shen Jingyan’s hatred for Shi Li is at its peak because, five years prior, she had cruelly mocked his illness and declared her affection a lie right in front of him before vanishing. When Shi Li reappears, destitute and wearing mud-stained clothes, Shen Jingyan initially orders her to leave. However, Shi Li discovers that her suffering and displays of vulnerability cause his hatred value to drop. She accepts menial labor in his estate, enduring harsh physical work under the scorching sun and freezing rain. When she collapses from exhaustion and heatstroke, Shen Jingyan brings her inside and forces her to stay as a servant, assigning her to clear weeds and perform other grueling tasks.
As Shi Li continues her strategy of self-sacrifice, she navigates Shen Jingyan’s volatile temper. He frequently insults her and tests her resolve, yet he also provides her with medical care when she is injured and allows her to eat his leftovers. This arrangement creates a complex dynamic where his hatred fluctuates but gradually decreases. Shi Li realizes that his intense hatred stems from deep-seated pain and lingering attachment. She attempts to rebuild trust by cooking for him and caring for him during his recurring health crises.
A significant turning point occurs when Shen Jingyan suffers a severe illness episode. Refusing help from others, he locks himself in his room. The butler insists that only Shi Li can care for him. Shi Li enters the dark room and tends to his needs, wiping his sweat and changing his sheets despite his angry protests. During this intimate care, Shen Jingyan experiences a moment of physical closeness that confuses him, leading to a surge of conflicting emotions. He warns Shi Li not to make him hate her even more, revealing the depth of his internal struggle.
Throughout these interactions, Shi Li remains focused on her goal, carefully balancing her actions to lower his hatred without triggering his defensive anger. She learns that Shen Jingyan’s cold exterior masks a fragile interior, much like it was five years ago. The story follows her efforts to navigate his hostility while uncovering the truth behind his current demeanor. As their relationship evolves from pure animosity to a tense coexistence, Shi Li must determine whether she can truly redeem herself or if the damage from her past betrayal is irreversible.