女主人公，曾经是一位优雅贤淑的少奶奶，瞬间就变成一贫如洗、拖着七个孩子的寡妇。她以无比的勇气面对人生，缝纫纺线，摆地摊，开包子店，辛苦挣钱，以使一家人不至饿死。儿女在母爱的呵护中成长，在社会上遭受屈辱，却得以保持自信自尊。他们不明白也不去质问家庭的原罪，无可奈何地接受命运的不公。及至"文革"开始，全家陷入了更大的劫难......这连失败者的故事都算不上，因为他们从未试图抗争。(The heroine, once as a graceful young mistress, shifted into a poor widow burdened with her seven children. With amazing courage, she endeavored every means to make a living such as sewing, spinning, setting up a stall and running a steamed stuffed bun store, thus to present her family from starvation. Her children grew up with care from their mother. Though received insult in the society, they kept self-confidence and self-respect. They neither knew nor questioned the original sin of their family and accepted unfairness of the destiny helplessly. Up to the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, the family suffered a greater disaster. It is not a story of the losers as they never try to fight for themselves.)