In an age when short videos and livestreaming are all the rage, Lin Lan, an ordinary girl from a rural village in Northeast China, longs to escape poverty and live a polished, respectable life. She once believed that if she mastered the "socialite's rules" and learned how to present herself, she could cross class boundaries and turn her life around. From garment factory worker to "polished white-collar professional," from ordinary wife to short-video star, she becomes increasingly immersed in the false splendor of life through a filter. Livestream views, fans' tips, and brand deals give her a brief taste of success. But when the illusion built on lies shatters, she realizes she has already fallen into an abyss she can't escape. She uses online loans and credit cards to satisfy her material vanity, and fleeting romances to fill the emptiness inside. She cheats, gets cosmetic surgery, borrows money, and invests, swept along step by step by money and desire until her debts explode, collectors come knocking, and her family falls apart. The husband who once loved her deeply chooses to leave with nothing, while her relatives are also dragged into the mire by her choices.
