In the 1970s, devastating floods ravage Jiangnan. Lin Xiuhe, wearing a conspicuous red headscarf and holding her young son, who is burning with a high fever, is stranded on the rooftop waiting for her husband to rescue them. To her disbelief, Zhou Jianchuan ignores his wife and child and rescues their neighbor's younger sister, Su Lanxiang instead. He then makes excuses, claiming that an eye injury prevents him from distinguishing people's silhouettes. Using her rescue as an excuse, Su Lanxiang moves into the Zhou household, pretending to be weak and helpless at every opportunity while trying to take Lin Xiuhe's place. She steals the child's food and breaks a silver bracelet left to Lin Xiuhe by her late mother. Every time, Zhou Jianchuan takes the outsider's side. Heartbroken, Lin Xiuhe removes her red headscarf and takes her son to the city to find work and survive. Zhou Jianchuan finally realizes his mistakes and sets out to find her, but Su Lanxiang follows them, deliberately framing and sabotaging Lin Xiuhe. Her true colors are eventually exposed in front of everyone. Lin Xiuhe firmly decides to divorce him and build a life for herself and her child.