In the summer of 1978, on the eve of the college entrance exams, 18-year-old prodigy Lin Xiujin’s family is thrown into turmoil when her mother falls seriously ill. Forced to give up her dream of university to raise money for surgery, she resolutely takes up her embroidery needle and shoulders the burden of supporting her family. Starting out by selling embroidered handkerchiefs, an act branded “speculation and profiteering,” she uses her extraordinary skill and boldness to seize the opportunities of reform and opening up, becoming Qizhen’s first private entrepreneur. With the selfless support of her sweetheart, Zhou Jianguo, and the guidance of designer Su Manting, her embroidery workshop grows from a small courtyard business into an enterprise known around the world. Though rival Zhao Yongqiang repeatedly tries to sabotage her, she overcomes every crisis and turns setbacks into opportunities. In the end, she not only establishes her own brand, but also founds a training center, leading the women of her hometown to prosperity and bringing Jiangnan embroidery to a wider stage. Thus unfolds a tale of success belonging to ordinary people.
