In the harsh winter of 1972, adopted daughter Lin Shu discovers a startling ability to hear the true, often malicious thoughts of those she touches, revealing her relatives' plot to marry her off for political safety. Betrayed by the very family that raised her, she is swiftly sent to the countryside as an educated youth, leaving behind the only home she has ever known. Amidst the snow and uncertainty, Lin Shu must navigate a treacherous new reality where her unique gift becomes both a burden and her only shield against hypocrisy.

As she embarks on this forced journey, she wonders if survival in the rural wilderness will be harder than facing the cold truths of her own family.