[Strong female + wife + marriage first + love later + substitute + redemption + favoritism + younger age + jealous husband｜bearing a daughter's wealth × abandoning an illegitimate child]
The legitimate daughter of the Mu family, Mu Wanshi, had been in love with her childhood sweetheart for many years, but at the critical moment, she was cheated on and broke off the engagement, causing her face to fall into disgrace. The family's will stipulates that only after getting married can she be qualified to take over all the Mu family's property.
The whole city was waiting to see her marriage to stop losses, but she unexpectedly took back Zhou Yiheng, an abandoned illegitimate son who was three years younger than herself and only 20 years old, and recruited him as her surrogate son-in-law. Rumors spread, and everyone ridiculed her for ruining her future. Mu Wanshi just said lightly: She is young, in good health, and it is enough for her to suit my liking.
The elders and relatives of the Mu family covet the family property, making things difficult for her, evading her authority, and accusing her of disrespecting their elders. Mu Wanshi never argued, and was thorough in everything she did when she was in power, making it impossible for anyone to find fault. Whenever someone slandered Zhou Yiheng, she defended her in public: "Although my husband is young, he is not weak in ability."
The two were originally married by contract. Zhou Yiheng knew that he was from a humble background and just wanted to retire when the contract expired. But Mu Wan shielded him from the wind and rain time and time again, giving him his only partial favor. The young man gradually fell into despair, greedy and longing for her complete sincerity.
After a drunken drinking session, Mu Wanshi called out Bai Yueguang's name in her sleep. Only then did Zhou Yiheng realize the cruel truth. He was just a stand-in for a similar face. He broke down and asked with red eyes, only to receive an indifferent reply from her: "It's you who wants too much."
An accident forced Mu Wanshi to fake his death and escape. When he returned, the docile boy he once was had already turned into a paranoid man. He didn't care about his identity as a substitute, he would use any means to rob her, and he insisted on imprisoning her.
