I was Born to Be Obedient and Single-Minded

Shen Zhaoning was born dark, sturdy, and imposing, never fitting the conventional standards of a delicate maiden since childhood. Her family saw her as a burden, and when she was selected to enter the palace, she became an anomaly among the palace's delicate beauties. In the grand hall, a single sneeze from her shook the roof tiles, leading Emperor Xiao Yan to regard her as a divine beast for warding off evil and protecting the household. He casually bestowed upon her the title of Duanfei and banished her to the remote and desolate Yonghua Palace. While others in the palace vied for favor and power, she chose to settle in her secluded corner, clearing weeds, cultivating a vegetable garden, and dedicating herself to growing radishes. She read military strategy books, played leisurely games of chess, paid no homage to the Empress Dowager, avoided the hustle and bustle, and stayed out of palace intrigues, living freely and with integrity. In the face of mockery and provocation from other concubines, she never took it to heart, handling everything with calm indifference.

I am Su Yixian, the Matriarch of the Marquis of Changping’s household. In my previous life, I exhausted everything to raise my legitimate son, Shao Wenyuan, helping him top the imperial examinations and achieve the title of Zhuangyuan. Yet, he insisted on marrying a merchant’s daughter, Ruan Jinzhu, abandoning his career and defying social order, trampling all my painstaking plans underfoot. When I risked my life to stop him, I was slandered for competing with my daughter-in-law for favor, becoming the laughingstock of the entire capital. Ultimately, my own son presented me with the white silk cord, and I hanged myself in shame and indignation, dying with a heart full of hatred. Reborn, I have returned to the day of my son’s wedding. In this life, I will no longer be the devoted, loving mother. I will watch with cold eyes as the household is deceived and flattered by Ruan Jinzhu, personally lifting them to the clouds only to let them crash down.

Shen Wanli, a genius materials researcher, was infatuated with her senior, Xie Yunshi, for ten years. For him, she gave up top opportunities, willingly worked as an assistant, and even suffered severe injuries to save him. After a kidnapping incident, Xie Yunshi, out of guilt, became engaged to her. Shen Wanli thought she could melt the iceberg, but she witnessed Xie Yunshi’s indulgence and favoritism toward her junior, Ye Xi. When her core research achievements were casually given to Ye Xi by Xie Yunshi, and she was publicly belittled as a "menial assistant," years of pent-up grievances and disappointment finally overflowed. She resolutely sold the engagement house, canceled the wedding, severed all ties, and accepted the call from the National Northwest Aerospace Research Institute, leaving her hometown far behind.

Su Wanji, a rising star in the Beijing legal community, is forced to resign and return to her hometown to escape a frame-up. There, she unexpectedly meets her downstairs neighbor, Li Ransen. As she gradually falls for him and becomes deeply infatuated, she takes the initiative to pursue him, only for Li Ransen to begin pulling away. It isn't until later that Su Wanji discovers Li Ransen had already fallen in love with her long before they officially met. Yet, as Su Wanji walks firmly toward him, his heart—once so full of restraint—finally begins to waver.

Meng Zhuang is reborn and returns to the pivotal moment of his parents' divorce. In his previous life, his mother, Jiang Lan, quit gambling after a demolition payout, making him a wealthy heir, while his sister, Meng Yan, committed suicide due to depression while living with their stepmother, Zhou Haimei. Having also been reborn, Meng Yan chooses to live with their gambling-addicted mother, leaving Meng Zhuang with no choice but to join his father, Meng Zhongren. However, what Meng Yan doesn't know is that in the previous life, Jiang Lan only quit gambling because Meng Zhuang, who was suffering from a brain tumor, worked himself to the point of coughing up blood to pay off her debts, which finally forced her to change. Upon moving in with his stepmother, Zhou Haimei, Meng Zhuang discovers that this seemingly cold woman is also terminally ill and has little time left. As the two uncover each other's secrets, they find a deep, mutual understanding and solace in one another.

While attending a banquet, Lu Sheng is cornered by Shen Xue, the childhood friend of her husband Gu Yanche. Shen Xue accuses Lu Sheng's brother, Lu An, of assaulting her and demands that the Lu family take responsibility. Facing public condemnation, Lu Sheng reveals Lu An's true gender—the "young master" of the Lu family is actually the second young lady. Just as everyone assumes this was a farce orchestrated by Shen Xue, Lu Sheng's husband, Gu Yanche, unexpectedly turns against her, leaving the Lu sisters trapped in a public relations deadlock once again.

Zhang Xiuhe takes the blame for her husband Xue Changqing and sister-in-law Bai Lian, enduring immense suffering in prison. After her release, she attempts to expose the truth but is betrayed by her own children. In a moment of despair, with her brother's support, she makes a stunning return to the fashion runway, tearing apart the scandal involving her husband and his mistress, leaving the audience in awe. Faced with her suddenly remorseful children and her stroke-stricken husband, she chooses forgiveness but turns and walks away—this time, she lives only for herself.

Zhao Chenxin breaks off her engagement for "true love," abandoning her fiancé Ren Yong. Ren Yong calmly agrees, but then at the board meeting, he forcefully withdraws his investment, pulling out the core funding from the Zhao family's business. A broken capital chain and a plummeting stock price follow in quick succession, and the scoundrel Guo Yaoguang also reveals his true colors. Zhao Chenxin suddenly realizes that what she destroyed was not just her engagement, but the entire Zhao family enterprise. In the end, she can only watch helplessly as Ren Yong acquires the Zhao family business, paying the price for her recklessness.

42-year-old Jiang Lan has served her family for twenty years, only to be betrayed by her husband's infidelity and her son's cold shoulder. At her son's high school entrance exam celebration, he publicly declared that he was most grateful to his father and the other woman, leaving Jiang Lan heartbroken and divorcing him. She leaves with her daughter and unexpectedly encounters Fu Yexiao, her fiancé whom she had run away from twenty years ago. He has been devoted to her for many years, and the two rekindle their romance. A few months later, Jiang Lan stands beside Fu Yexiao, pregnant, facing her remorseful ex-husband and son, having begun a new life.

Zhao Yumin, an eighth-grade skilled worker, sold his ancestral home to save his father-in-law, only to be treated as an outsider by the Shen family and cheated out of three new apartments. In a fit of rage, he stopped providing their medication, filed for divorce, and sent his extortionist sister-in-law to the police station. Before his father-in-law passed away from anger, he left behind a land deed as an apology. Zhao Yumin left the marriage with nothing, ventured into business, and successfully transformed into a factory director, eventually acquiring his former bankrupt employer. While his ex-wife was reduced to working as a laborer for a small business, he drove his Santana, knowing his best days were just beginning.