In the 1930s, 20-year-old Zhang Naiying (Tang Wei) escaped from marriage to study, but was abandoned. After taking refuge with her fiancé Wang Enjia (Yuan Wenkang), Zhang Naiying still could not escape the fate of being abandoned. Fortunately, she met Xiao Jun (Feng Shaofeng), a progressive young man working in a newspaper, and the two fell in love. Through Xiao Jun, Zhang Naiying met female editor Bai Lang (Tian Yuan), Luo Feng (Zu Feng) and his wife, as well as literary writers such as Nie Gannu (Wang Qianyuan). After changing her name to "Xiao Hong", she was approved by Lu Xun (Wang Zhiwen) and Xu Guangping (Ding Jiali). Later, she met Hu Feng (Feng Lei), Mei Zhi (Yuan Quan) and his wife, Jiang Xijin (Zhang Yi), Ding Ling (Hao Lei), Duanmu Hongliang (Zhu Yawen) and others. Under the mutual encouragement of contemporary writers, although the war continued and she was displaced, Xiao Hong gradually moved towards the "golden age" of creation.