A Noblewoman’s Private Novel Collection

In the capital, there is an unspoken secret: ever since they were young girls, the well-dressed wives of the nobility have kept their noses in books. Even after marrying and raising children, they still keep a tale by their side. The Duchess of Dingguo, Shen Lingyu, is one of them. Her husband, Xiao Yanzhi, became a marquis while still young and commands a powerful army. Yet once he comes home, he often will not even lift his eyelids. Others secretly sigh at the sight, but Shen Lingyu has cultivated a talent all her own: she forcefully reinterprets every one of her husband's cold silences, turning each slight into proof of his profound, selfless devotion to the country. Her personal maid, Chunhe, is astounded by her mistress's logic every single day. The noblewomen of the capital have quietly formed a little group, teasing one another and finding excuses for their husbands' indifference. Their laughter and chatter fill the room. Beneath the laughter lies nothing but heartache. In the cage-like confines of their marriages, novels are the only little world where they can shed every identity, entrust their private thoughts, and simply be themselves. This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.