In a world of living fruit, Mama Peach pours gold over her son Goldie and cement over her daughter Cem, sending one to a noble school and the other to a slum school. Cem, the "cement girl," is told to stay away from water — yet she dives into a flood to save drowning children, and her cement shell never cracks. Water also reveals the truth about her brother: Goldie's golden skin was only paint, washed off when a rich girl pushes him into a pool. Cement-gray now, he blames his sister and joins their mother in scheming to steal her gold.
But Cem's worth is real, not painted. Her cement turns to true gold, and no trap, rumor, or upper-class bully can take it. She exposes the fake Cherry, topples tycoon Mr. Lemon, and even the House of Gold — a mansion of aristocrats whose gilded shine is all a lie — crumbles before her light. Cem saves everyone, even her enemies, teaching that gold cannot be given or stolen; it must be earned by staying true.
Her mother and brother finally repent, and the former cement girl returns home as the light that shines for them all.
