Tian Xiaoman, a young woman from Tianjiagou Village, travels to the county town to join her fiancé, Sun Zhiqiang, only to discover him currying favor with Feng Lili, the station master's daughter, and abandoning her. Too ashamed to return to her village, she stays in the county town with just 28 yuan. On a rainy night, she is taken in by Zhou Jianguo, a cook at a state-owned restaurant. Relying on her family's ancestral recipe for braised meat, she starts out selling food at the market. Despite Liu Cuihua's repeated attempts to make things difficult for her, including stealing her stall, making false accusations, and cutting off her meat supply, she perseveres with the help of Gao Dayong and Zhou Jianguo. She eventually secures a major wedding banquet order from a printing factory and makes a spectacular name for herself. In the end, she publicly exposes the Sun family's extortion, protects her betrothal gifts and dignity, and finds true love with Zhou Jianguo. The once-abandoned country girl grows into a successful businesswoman who establishes herself in the county town.