Forced to Marry My Late Husband's Older Brother

[Abstinent, powerful official / beautiful widow]

Lin Wanyu's husband was gravely ill, and everyone around her was eyeing the family fortune. With no other choice, Lin Wanyu sent a letter to her brother-in-law, whom she had never met, asking him to help her for the sake of his bond with her late husband.

At her husband's funeral, the man arrived as promised. He wore coarse cloth clothes, faded from washing, and looked exhausted, with the weariness of a long journey evident on his face.

"Don't be afraid, sister-in-law. I'll help you."

Lin Wanyu nodded, tears of gratitude in her eyes.

In the end, things didn't go as hoped. The family fortune was divided up, and she was driven from her husband's home, left with nowhere to go.

At that point, Gu Yunzhou asked her in his simple clothes, "Sister-in-law, would you come with me to Bianjing? Once I pass the exams, I'll come back and help you reclaim your inheritance."

She clutched her handkerchief for a long while, then quietly nodded.

In Bianjing, they lived in a small courtyard. The young man earned money and studied outside, while she took care of the household. Their life was poor, but fulfilling.

Lin Wanyu counted the money the young man gave her again and again. It was for books, brushes, ink, and a decent outfit for him. She would save whatever was left so he could marry a wife one day.

Lin Wanyu smiled contentedly. It seemed their lives were getting better and better.

Until one day, she saw the man from afar, dressed in finery and accompanied by a beautiful woman. Only then did she realize it had all been a lie. She had been deceived.

-

Gu Yunzhou returned to the Gu family to watch them tear one another apart, but the woman treated him like her only lifeline, thanking him with tears in her eyes.

She had skin like ice and jade, a slender waist, and tearfully confided her troubles to him. Gu Yunzhou's heart stirred, and he immediately decided to keep up the act.

She remained devoted to her late husband. Though she had nothing left, she still planned to live in the mountains and observe three years of mourning for him. Gu Yunzhou sneered. With a little manipulation, he took her to Bianjing.

Gu Yunzhou put her in the smallest, most modest courtyard and only visited in his spare time. She never complained. She even happily budgeted for their life together, sewing clothes for him by lamplight, buying brushes and ink, and tending to his every need. Seeing how obedient and thoughtful she was, Gu Yunzhou thought he might as well keep the act going.

But as time passed, he grew tired of pretending. He no longer wanted to be her older brother, and began to entertain other thoughts.

That night, he cornered the woman against the wall, trapping her beneath his arms. "Wan Niang, why can't I?"

All she did was cry and shake her head.

There was no need for Gu Yunzhou to hurry. He had all the time in the world to melt her heart.

But he underestimated her resolve. The seemingly fragile woman left without a word, leaving him with an empty courtyard.

The refined, gentle mask he'd worn for so long was torn away completely by the madness in his eyes.

Reading note: The female lead is not a virgin; the male lead is. 1v1.

Theme: Dare to pursue what you want, and stay true to your original intentions