Zhao Xiaoyu, a modern woman who survived a zombie apocalypse, transmigrates into the body of an eleven-year-old girl in the Great Xia Dynasty. The original host had attempted suicide by jumping into a river to escape being sold as a concubine to an elderly man by her greedy grandfather. Upon waking, Zhao Xiaoyu quickly assesses her situation, realizing she is in a peaceful era far superior to the wasteland she left behind. She discovers she has inherited a twenty-square-meter pocket dimension, though it is initially empty, stripping her of the gold and diamonds she had hoarded in her previous life. Her new family consists of her kind but oppressed father, Zhao Dashu, and her gentle mother, Madam Song. They live as the lowest branch in a large, patriarchal household headed by her scheming grandfather, Old Master Zhao, and his stingy wife, Old Sun Shi. The family is deeply divided, with Zhao Dashu being exploited to fund the imperial exam studies of his arrogant eldest brother, Zhao Laoda, who was the primary instigator of the sale.
The core conflict arises from the Zhao family's systemic abuse and exploitation. The grandparents favor the eldest and second branches, who have produced male heirs, while treating Zhao Dashu's family as disposable laborers. Despite this, Zhao Dashu initially remains submissive, fearing social ostracization and the lack of a male heir to carry on the family line. Zhao Xiaoyu, however, refuses to accept this fate. She uses her modern knowledge and sharp wit to turn the tables on her abusers. After recovering from the near-drowning, she pretends to be frail to buy time, then reveals a newfound ability to identify medicinal herbs. She claims a white-bearded immortal appeared to her in a dream, granting her this knowledge, which serves as a plausible cover for her sudden expertise.
Zhao Xiaoyu identifies honeysuckle growing wild on the nearby mountain and convinces her father to help her harvest and sell it in town. The venture is a success, earning them significant silver that they keep secret from the rest of the family. This financial independence emboldens Zhao Dashu, who begins to assert himself against his parents. When the grandparents discover the family has been neglecting field work to gather herbs, they threaten to expel Zhao Dashu's branch. In a pivotal confrontation, Zhao Xiaoyu orchestrates a public scene by feigning abuse, drawing the attention of villagers and forcing the grandparents to back down to protect their reputation. This incident marks a turning point, as Zhao Dashu realizes the futility of pleasing his parents and decides to demand a formal family division.
The story progresses with Zhao Xiaoyu and her family continuing to harvest and sell wild herbs in secret, accumulating wealth while maintaining a facade of obedience. The tension escalates as the grandparents grow suspicious of the third branch's sudden independence and refusal to submit to their authority. Zhao Xiaoyu navigates the complex family politics, protecting her younger sister from child labor and challenging the unfair distribution of food and resources. She strategically uses the threat of public scandal and the involvement of the Village Chief and Clan Leader to force her grandfather into granting her father a respite from labor. The narrative establishes a trajectory where Zhao Xiaoyu plans to use her accumulated wealth and pocket dimension to eventually achieve full separation from the toxic Zhao family, securing a better future for her parents and sister while outmaneuvering the greedy relatives who seek to exploit them.
