1970s Matriarchy: What Should I Do When Everyone's a Cherished Darling?

Jiang Yan is the only daughter of the Jiang family. Her mother is a powerful, high-ranking figure: solemn, imposing, and used to having the final say. Her father is a young master from a wealthy family, born into a distinguished clan, well-read, gentle, and virtuous.

Though Jiang Yan grew up under the strict, forceful rule of her mother, who would brook no disobedience, she was rebellious to the core and refused to submit.

She hated the way her mother spoke to her like a subordinate, and hated even more how her mother took charge at every major turning point in her life, forcing things to go the way she wanted.

Ha. She wasn’t her mother’s subordinate. She had no reason to obey her or do as she pleased.

So from the moment she was old enough to understand, she knew she couldn’t fight her mother yet. But to spite her, she loudly recruited younger followers and made herself a local power outside the home, while at home she defied her mother at every turn and refused to do anything her way. Seeing her mother struggle to suppress her anger always made her happy.

Her behavior was childish, but deeply satisfying.

It was precisely her rebellious, unruly nature that led her mother to send her to the countryside as an educated youth with a single transfer order when she was seventeen, hoping to make her suffer a little and wear down her defiance.

Three years later

Another transfer order summoned her back.

But by then, her twin daughters had just been born and were crying for food. Her frail, delicate husband clutched the hem of her clothes while holding the babies, his eyes brimming with tears. Jiang Yan cupped his face and promised that this time she would soon bring all three of them back with her.

But she never expected to learn that her powerful mother had secretly arranged a marriage for her to her childhood sweetheart...