Yang Suyun, a woman from a poor background, and Tang Shuhan, a young master, fall in love but are forced apart only for Yang Suyun to learn she is pregnant with their child. She decides to raise their child alone, but her lover secretly manages to escape his family especially his mother Chen Mangqing's incessant refusal to acknowledge him and his love for Suyun and the two live together as a couple in poverty. Suyun is illiterate but works hard to support her husband's painting career despite his lack of talent. Meanwhile someone else attempts to tear them apart but the couple's undying love prevails.

前来上海探亲的贫家女杨素云与唐家二少爷唐书涵因为郊外遇险发生了感情。书涵还家后，素云发现自己怀有身孕，善良而坚强的她独自将孩子生下。后书涵找到素云，冲破母亲陈曼青的重重阻碍与刁难，离家出走与素云过起贫苦的日子。书涵是个不成器的画家，素云虽大字不识，但却义无反顾的努力赚钱支持书涵的绘画事业，为他吃尽苦头也不觉委屈。谢佳音年少时和佣人秋香的儿子陈致远相爱，因为佳音父亲的反对，致远跳海殉情而亡，佳音对致远一往情深，念念不忘。面对和致远长得一模一样的书涵，佳音自私地想要倾尽所有得到他的爱，但书涵与素云感情深不可分。素云最终得到了婆婆的认可，几个年轻人也领悟了爱的真谛，收获了各自的幸福。