The Village Girl Got Divorced, and the Rough-and-Tough Men Fight to Win Her

(1970s + Countryside + Tough Husband Protects His Wife + Building a Better Life) Twenty-two-year-old Ye Xiu had been married to Zhou Jiabao for two years. A month after their wedding, her husband left to seek his fortune elsewhere. She stayed behind with the Zhou family, dutifully bearing the hard, impoverished life until her father-in-law passed away. Zhou Jiabao had claimed to be making his way in the world, but in fact he had climbed the social ladder. Now he returned home in grand style with his new, high-status love. Taking advantage of Ye Xiu's gentle, timid nature, he brazenly claimed she was the wife of Zhou Shuo, the hunter next door. Her spiteful mother-in-law schemed against her at every turn, hoping to ruin her reputation and bring her to disgrace. When the village bully tormented Ye Xiu, the usually solitary Zhou Shuo, feared by everyone in the village, stepped in without hesitation. He even accepted Zhou Jiabao's ridiculous lie as truth, shielding her from whatever came her way! After seeing how cold and calculating Zhou Jiabao and his mother really were, Ye Xiu's heart died completely, and she left the marriage behind. With Zhou Shuo's protection and influence, she shed her timidity and grew into her own. Through hard work and cleverness, she built a thriving life for herself. Zhou Jiabao, who had abandoned his wife in her time of need, saw the transformed Ye Xiu and was consumed by jealousy and regret. “The divorce wasn't real. Xiuxiu is still my wife!” Zhou Shuo boldly tossed down their marriage certificate. “There's nothing fake about it. She's mine for the rest of her life!”