Winter Gift in Return

Song Tan, a former Triple Crown Best Actress who vanished from the entertainment industry five years ago, returns to China with her four-year-old daughter, Song Chuqing. Born in London, Chuqing suffers from social anxiety and Asperger-like tendencies due to a sheltered upbringing and limited social interaction. Song Tan decides to leave her life in the UK behind to provide a better environment for her daughter and to address her own financial struggles. Upon their arrival at the airport, paparazzi photos of the mother and daughter leak, instantly making Song Tan the center of public speculation regarding the identity of the child’s father.

Song Tan had a brief, drunken encounter with Ji Fuxi, the cold and powerful president of Yuanhe Group, five years prior. She left before dawn, and he remained unaware of her identity or the resulting pregnancy. Now, Song Tan needs child support to raise Chuqing, but she is hesitant to approach Ji Fuxi directly, fearing he is married or that he might fight for custody. She begins rebuilding her career, aiming to become a director, but realizes she first needs to re-enter the public eye as an actress to secure funding and stability. She reconnects with her former agent, Zhao Geyun, and secures an audition for the female lead in "Great Dream," a major production funded by Yuanhe Group.

The audition process places Song Tan in direct conflict with Xue Wanwan, a rising actress and Song Tan’s half-sister, who is determined to win the role. During a pre-audition banquet, Xue Wanwan publicly mocks Song Tan’s status as a single mother and hints that her child’s father is irrelevant. Ji Fuxi, who is present at the banquet as the primary investor, overhears this. Later, when Song Tan is harassed by reporters and feels physically ill in the restroom, Ji Fuxi encounters her again. He questions her about the role and her financial situation, noting her resemblance to a man he vaguely remembers from the past. Unbeknownst to both, Ji Fuxi’s nephew, Yao Peiqiu, attends the same kindergarten as Song Chuqing, and the two children begin to form a friendship.

Song Tan successfully wins the role of the female lead in "Great Dream." However, her return to the spotlight brings renewed danger. Leaked photos of Song Chuqing leaving their residential compound appear online, exposing their home location. Stalkers begin loitering outside their apartment, causing Song Tan severe distress and fear for her daughter’s safety. The incident triggers a panic attack for Song Tan, who collapses from stress. Ji Fuxi, who is attending the same industry event, finds her in a critical state and helps her into a private lounge, offering her water and a handkerchief. His intervention marks a shift in their dynamic, as he begins to suspect a deeper connection between them, while Song Tan remains unaware that the man she seeks for child support is the same powerful figure now entering her life.

As filming commences, Song Tan balances her demanding schedule with her role as a single mother. She moves into a new home and continues to navigate the cutthroat entertainment industry, where Xue Wanwan’s family, connected to Song Tan’s estranged mother, continues to oppose her. Meanwhile, Ji Fuxi’s family pressures him to marry and produce an heir, a demand he firmly rejects. The narrative sets the stage for the eventual revelation of their past encounter and the legal and emotional complexities that will arise when Ji Fuxi discovers he is the father of Song Chuqing, forcing both characters to confront their pasts and redefine their futures.