Nineteen-year-old Sun Yulan refuses to accept the marriage arranged by her father and takes her younger sister to the provincial capital to make a living. She starts out washing dishes at a restaurant, learns sewing in her spare time, earns money through sewing jobs, sets up a street stall, and eventually opens her own shop while supporting her younger sister's education. Her sister-in-law, Liu Qiaoyun, also finds work in the city and grows through learning and experience. The story follows ordinary women who change their lives through hard work and learning, finding independence, confidence, and the courage to choose their own paths through mutual family support.