Living Alone, Falling for My Rugged Neighbor Step by Step

Shen Jiao married into the Lin family three years ago, but her husband ran off with their money. Her cruel mother-in-law made sure she never had enough to eat or wear, and in the village she lived like a weed nobody noticed.

When she ran into danger gathering firewood on the mountain, Huo Zheng, a rugged man everyone feared, rescued her. From then on, he forcefully claimed her as his own.

Everyone avoided the dreaded “Huo Yama,” yet he reserved all his tenderness for her: scaling walls late at night to bring her steaming braised pork, standing up for her whenever her mother-in-law gave her trouble, and shoving every precious ration coupon and meat coupon he had into her hands.

“The Lin family won't care for you, but I will.”

With his calloused hands, he sheltered her from every storm. His roughest words concealed the gentlest love as he helped her escape the mire and spoiled her until she became the most cherished young wife in Daping Village.