Ye Man is a twenty-seven-year-old auditor living in Winter City, a city marked by its harsh winters and his own bleak existence. He is a man defined by his unluckiness, a face that fortune tellers would pity, and a life devoid of achievement. He works a low-paying job, owns nothing, and is burdened by significant debt accumulated from student loans, medical bills, and a scam by a former boyfriend who stole ten thousand yuan from his credit card. His childhood was marred by an abusive father and a mother who enforced strict, fear-based routines, leaving Ye Man with deep-seated anxiety, insomnia, and a profound sense of unworthiness. He survives on discounted vegetables, avoids social interactions, and views himself as an observer of life rather than a participant. His only solace is a ritualistic cleaning of his small, damp apartment and a collection of superstitions—dreamcatchers, talismans, and prayer beads—hoped to cure his chronic sleeplessness.
The trajectory of his life shifts abruptly when he wins one hundred million yuan in a lottery scratch-off. The win does not bring immediate joy but rather a disorienting shock. He spends the night in a state of numbness, calculating taxes and wondering what to do next. The next day, he attends the prize collection disguised in a frog mascot costume to avoid attention, a surreal experience that highlights his social anxiety. After depositing the money and paying off his debts, he finds himself empty. He seeks professional help from an expensive psychologist, hoping to understand his inner turmoil, but is met with cruel judgment. The therapist accuses him of being selfish for wanting to cut ties with his abusive parents, causing Ye Man to spiral into self-blame and shame. He deletes the contact, convinced that all experts are scammers, and retreats into his isolation.
In a desperate attempt to feel something other than emptiness, Ye Man withdraws twenty thousand yuan and visits a KTV, where he hires male models for companionship. The experience is a mix of awkwardness and fleeting comfort, but it ends in disgust and vomiting when one of the models attempts to coerce him into a more intimate encounter. It is there that he meets Han Jing, a tall, rugged man in his mid-thirties who intervenes to stop the harassment. Han Jing warns Ye Man not to show off his wealth, a piece of advice that Ye Man takes to heart. Despite his inferiority complex, Ye Man is drawn to Han Jing’s commanding presence and pays for his KTV bill anonymously.
Their paths cross again when Han Jing, who is from Qinghai and traveling through the region, contacts Ye Man to thank him for the payment and invites him to join his group for a meal. Ye Man, seizing a rare opportunity for connection, invites Han Jing to a local restaurant instead. The dinner is tense; Ye Man feels out of place among Han Jing’s adventurous friends and is haunted by the appearance of his abusive college ex-boyfriend and his roommates at a nearby table. The ex-boyfriend’s mocking remarks trigger Ye Man’s trauma, causing him to flee the restaurant in tears. Han Jing follows him, apologizing for his earlier comment about the male models and asking Ye Man what kind of person he likes. Ye Man, in a moment of vulnerable honesty, admits he likes Han Jing’s type but believes it is impossible. Han Jing, intrigued by Ye Man’s timid yet sincere nature, proposes they date seriously if they are to kiss. Ye Man agrees, and they share their first kiss under the streetlights.
The relationship develops rapidly. Han Jing picks Ye Man up the next morning, bringing breakfast, and they spend a rainy day together in Ye Man’s small apartment. The intimacy is gentle and respectful, with Han Jing accommodating Ye Man’s need for physical touch and reassurance. Ye Man, who has never experienced genuine care, finds himself falling for Han Jing, despite knowing that Han Jing is only passing through Winter City. The story concludes with Ye Man finding a temporary sense of belonging and happiness, though the underlying tension of his past trauma and the transient nature of his new relationship looms over their budding romance.
