Hongxia, a woman burdened by a tragic fate, escapes from her cruel in-laws who treat her like prey. Taking her daughter with her, she encounters Mancang, an unmarried middle-aged man, when they are at the end of their rope. Mancang takes them in as his adopted daughter and granddaughter. Through eighteen years of hardship and unwavering protection, he gives the mother and daughter a home that may not look like a family but feels more like one than anywhere else. As the years pass, misunderstandings intertwine with genuine affection. Hongxia eventually breaks free from her chains, finds true love, and, together with the kind-hearted Mancang, enters her later years with a life that is bitter yet filled with hope.