[Clear-Eyed, Self-Interested Heroine] [The Hero Knew All Along] [Takes the Money and Runs] [Humble Pursuit of His Wife] [Both Flawed; An Imperfect, Healing Romance]
Duan Qingran lived foolishly and died miserably in her previous life.
Desperate to escape the wretched fate of being trampled underfoot, she took a reckless gamble: she impersonated the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister's household, who had fled her wedding out of fear, and married into a disgraced marquis's family that the whole country shunned.
For three years, the whole world rejected him, and only she stayed by his side.
Marquis Xiao Jinhui gave her every tenderness and all the affection in the world, cherishing her beyond measure.
She basked in his tenderness and coveted his wealth, naively believing that his special affection would guarantee her a lifetime of security.
But three years later, just as the marquis's family was cleared of its charges, the real heiress returned. Her fake identity and sham marriage were exposed, and she fell from grace in an instant.
Unwilling to accept it and terrified of sinking back into the depths of poverty, she clung to him obsessively. In the end, her mother-in-law lured her into the household under the pretense of wanting to talk, then locked her in a cold courtyard, where she died of hunger and cold.
Reborn, she returned to the third year of her sham marriage, with six months left before the real heiress came back and the tragedy repeated itself.
This time, she cut off her feelings, gave up on wealth, and focused on three things: saving money, stockpiling valuables, and waiting for a chance to run!
Xiao Jinhui gave her money, jewelry, and deeds to land. She took it all.
When he offered her his wholehearted affection, she avoided him like the plague. Don't. It could cost me my life. Just give me money!
Xiao Jinhui grew more and more anxious.
When the real heiress returned, she took the money and left.
Xiao Jinhui came back from investigating a case to find his sweet, soft wife gone. He went mad.
In truth, he had seen through her false identity on their wedding night.
In his previous life, he had held back and weighed his options, losing the love of his life. He spent the rest of his days alone and consumed by madness and regret, before finally taking his own life at her grave.
After she left, long-buried memories came rushing back. He buried his tenderness, and his obsession grew wild. All he wanted was to atone and beg her to come back.
