Tian Qiao suffered a high fever as a child that left her mentally impaired. After witnessing her mother's death, she regained her senses but continued pretending to be foolish to escape abuse from her father and stepmother. Hiding her mother's red headscarf and a secret notebook, she seized the opportunity to leave her family through a marriage arranged for five yuan and half a sack of corn. Lu Zheng, a carpenter with an old facial scar and an injured leg, treats her with respect. Together, they build a livelihood by selling chilies, wooden goods, and homemade chili sauce. Despite her husband's family impersonating their business to sell counterfeit sauce and steal their profits, and her own family demanding money and trying to drag her back, Tian Qiao perseveres. Starting with a market stall, the couple gradually establish a transport team and a workshop. She protects their reputation, recovers her mother's belongings, and secures a processing partnership despite competition from a food factory. Eventually, Lu Zheng recovers and no longer needs his crutch. Their first shipment of 500 jars is loaded for delivery across three counties, and Tian Qiao sets off with Qiao Xiang to negotiate sales in the provincial capital.