In 20th-century Britain, at the end of the Victorian era, the Schlegel family lived a prosperous life as representatives of the emerging middle-class family. The eldest sister, Margaret, the second sister Helen, and the younger brother, Dibi, live in a large and comfortable house in London. They lived a full life and loved literature and art.
Last spring, when they went on a trip to Germany, they became acquainted with the Wilcox family, a big capitalist of high society. Helen was invited to visit their Howard Estate. Not long after Helen left, Margaret received a letter from her sister. Helen falls in love with Paul, the youngest son of the Wilcox family. They have been privately determined for life.
Margaret rejoices that her sister can find true love, but Aunt Julia has been worried, after all, they know nothing about the character and style of the Wilcox family. She decided to take the train to Howard Manor to find out what was going on.
Helen and Paul fall in love after a while together. At night, when everyone fell asleep, Paul and Helen went on a date under the big tree of the manor. In the moonlight, Helen was so beautiful. Paul couldn't help but kiss her and make a lifelong deal with her.
But when Paul saw Helen again the next morning, he looked like a stranger. One night he reneged on his vows to Helen. Paul couldn't inherit his father's property, so how could he marry Helen, who was also not rich?
After the affair ended, Helen re-telegraphed Margaret, but Aunt Julia arrived at the train station. She met Paul's eldest brother Charles. The Wilcox family did not agree to the marriage, and Paul deeply hurt Helen's heart. Since this incident, there has been a gap between the Schlegel family and the Wilcox family.
Charles, the eldest son of the Wilcox family, was married. The Wilcox family hosted his wedding in London. Their wedding reception was across the street from Schlegel's apartment. They would rent the apartment for a few weeks until Charles's wedding feast was over.
To avoid embarrassment, Helen accepted Frida's cousin's invitation and left London.
The Wilcox family held a wedding, and on the etiquette, the only man in the Schlegel family, Timby, should take the initiative to visit Mr. Wilcox, but Dibby spent all day playing, and eventually Margaret came to the wilcox family's rented apartment after Helen left.
Helen went to Germany, while Paul went to Nigeria. Last summer, the two families had some unpleasantness, but Margaret was still polite and warm after meeting Mrs. Wilcox. The two of them soon became friends.
Everywhere in London there are plans to renovate old houses. One by one, they were all torn down. The Schlegel family's apartment, where the three siblings were born, raised, and lived, would be demolished eighteen months later.
After visiting Mrs. Wilcox, Margaret invited her to her house. Mrs. Wilcox felt sorry for Margaret for losing her house.
She loves Margaret. Margaret was so understanding. Charles and his new wife went to Naples. Paul went to Nigeria. The husband was busy with work all day again. When Mrs. Wilcox was lonely and depressed, Margaret was always by her side. She sincerely invited Margaret to Howard Manor, but the trip was shelved due to the return of her husband and daughter Helvie.
Mrs. Wilcox fell seriously ill after their separation. She had been looking forward to seeing Margaret again and taking her on a tour of howard manor's ranch.
After Margaret left, Mrs. Wilcox wrote a "will." She couldn't bear the Fact that the Wilcoxes were ruining her beloved Howard Estate, so she gave it to Margaret.
After Mrs. Wilcox's death, Mr. Wilcox received a letter from the head nurse of the nursing home. She was instructed to convey Mrs. Wilcox's last wishes to Mr. Wilcox after mrs. Wilcox's death.
Mr. Wilcox could not understand why the wife would give the property to an outsider. After some discussion, the Wilcox family annulled the deceased hostess's "will" on the grounds that it could not prove its authenticity and legitimacy.
In the lecture "Music and Meaning", Helen met Buster for taking the wrong umbrella.
Buster is a small clerk who has always wanted to change the status quo through hard work. He was knowledgeable and decent and humble. Soon he became a friend of the Schlegel family. But his wife was an uncultured, grumpy young woman of the underclass. They live in harsh environments. Buster's meager income made the couple worry about food and clothing all day long.
When Margaret and Helen learned that Mr. Wilcox owned millions of assets, they begged him to offer a position for their friend Buster.
When Mr. Wilcox learned that Buster was working as a clerk at Pfinin Insurance, he suggested that they remind him to get a job as soon as possible. Because Pfinin will be acquired before Christmas. Mr. Wilcox values profit and despises inferiority. He refused to offer Buster jobs, and even if there were, there would be hundreds of people running for office.
Margaret and Helen fear that Buster is unemployed due to Puffinen, and they strongly recommend that he change to a new job as soon as possible.
Mr. Wilcox slowly fell in love with Margaret after coming into contact with her. He took advantage of the opportunity to help Margaret find a house and often dined with her. After his daughter Haiwei got married, he was willing to let Margaret's family move in for a long time.
After Mrs. Wilcox died, her children also became a family and left. Mr. Wilcox was more lonely alone. He finally plucked up the courage to ask Margaret to be his wife.
The children of the Wilcox family fear that the Schlegel family has misdemeanor the Wilcox family's property, especially Margaret, who was the heir to Howard Manor, is plotting to take their place as the mistress of their late mother.
Puffinin was acquired. The acquirer was indeed Mr. Wilcox. Pfis did not go out of business, but Buster, following Mr. Wilcox's advice, took a job with a sharply reduced salary.
Helen regretted that she had once made a suggestion to Buster. But as Mr. Wilcox's wife, Margaret had to support her husband's decision.
Mr. Wilcox despises the poor, is indifferent, indomitable, and focuses only on personal gain. Seeing that her sister Margaret was married to Wilcox, there was also a gap between Helen and Margaret.
Mr. Wilcox asked Margaret to store the old furniture in Howard Manor, which was so quiet and elegant that Margaret loved the first time she came here.
Buster's new company laid off employees, and the last employee to join had to leave first, and he lost his job. Helen believes that Buster's encounter was caused by her and Margaret and Mr. Wilcox. Buster is struggling to work and survive, while the Wilcox family holds a wedding for Helvey at the castle in Shropshire. The wedding is extremely luxurious and grand.
Helen took the Busters to the wedding scene. Margaret saw the almost insane Helen and accused her of bringing two people from London who were starving to death to her husband's daughter's wedding.
She settled the Busters and asked her husband to offer Bust a position. Mr. Wilcox acceded to his wife's request.
But when he meets Buster's wife, Jackie, he recognizes her as his lover from ten years ago.
Margaret was heartbroken, but forgave him anyway. Mr Wilcox will also no longer provide any jobs for Buster.
Jackie's father was a clerk in the foreign trade business. After her mother's death, Jackie lived with her father, but her father also drowned in an accident. Jackie was sixteen years old and remained alone in Cyprus. In order to support herself and raise money for the road, she became Mr. Wilcox's mistress. After they broke up, she married Buster. Although his parents had always opposed the affair, he married Jackie, as he had promised at the beginning.
Helen sympathized with Buster's plight and was touched by his affection. While playing in the boat, they had a relationship.
The next day Helen left London, and she asked Dibby to transfer five thousand pounds to the Busters to cover their living expenses.
After Helen left, Margaret missed her sister terribly. Aunt Julia was sick and she didn't come home. She asked where Margaret's furniture and books were. After getting her books, she will return to Germany again.
Seeing Helen again, she was on the verge of giving birth. The Wilcox family believed that Helen's unmarried pregnancy was a bad thing. Fearing that the "will" would be revealed, Howard Manor became the property of the Schlegel family, and Mr. Wilcox even refused Helen's request to spend a night at Howard Manor.
The Wilcox family was disdainful of Helen's behavior. Charles was even angrier when he learned that the father of the child was Buster. Buster learns that Helen is staying overnight at Howard Manor, but when he arrives at the manor, he dies of a heart attack caused by Charles slapping him with his sword.
Charles was imprisoned for manslaughter. Margaret also decided to divorce Mr. Wilcox's selfishness.
After Charles was imprisoned, Mr. Wilcox did not want to lose his new wife after losing his son. After deliberation, he announced his will, Howard Manor, which after his death was left to Margaret, who would no longer be involved in other property distributions. Mr. Wilcox's other children received property other than Howard Manor. After Margaret's death, Howard Manor will be inherited by Helen's son.