Down-on-his-luck scientist Li Wentian endures hardship for love, marrying into a wealthy family and becoming a stay-at-home husband, only to be constantly humiliated by his wife Xu Banxia and her family. When Xu Banxia's first love, Gu Huaizhi, returns to China, Li Wentian and his daughter, Li Niannian, are cruelly abandoned. As his terminal illness strikes, Li Wentian reveals his true identity. Xu Banxia is filled with regret, but it's too late. In the end, Li Wentian starts a new life with his daughter, Xu Banxia suffers a mental breakdown, Gu Huaizhi is imprisoned, and the wicked get their just deserts. The story concludes with Li Wentian forming a new family with his gentle secretary, Xu Ling, showcasing the theme that "love only happens once, and once missed, it's gone forever.
