How Did This Turn into a Love Rival Showdown?

The woman has had previous partners, while the men haven't (the couple has plenty of tricks). Romance in phases, melodramatic rivalry between men, and a messy love triangle

Jin Zhao was a rising star in Haicheng, a self-made woman who had climbed from humble beginnings to become the heir recognized by the century-old Su family. Though adopted, she was clearly valued more than the collateral relatives. After twenty-seven years of life, she never thought she would stumble over a man.

Three years ago, one of her subordinates delivered her a gift: a living person.

The young man was cold and aloof, looking like a proud peacock who wouldn't give anyone the time of day. Later, the peacock preened his feathers and willingly climbed into her bed. It could have been just another brief affair, except that the man was the true young master the Su family had struggled to find.

It had been a casual fling, so they could simply end it. But Jin Zhao never expected him to return to her after gaining the Su family's inheritance. Su Li wasn't the only one acting strangely, either. Even the friend she'd always trusted began to seem different.

[Calculating, obsessive true young master]

Less than half a month after he left, someone delivered another man to Jin Zhao.

Su Li knew he had done wrong. He didn't dare go to Jin Zhao, so he could only threaten those people in secret. He was angry, regretful, and jealous of everyone who could approach Jin Zhao so freely.

Eventually things escalated, and everyone learned that the young master the Su family had found couldn't stand their adopted daughter, Jin Zhao, and kept giving her trouble.

In a hidden corner, the young master stood with red-rimmed eyes, wanting only to stay by Jin Zhao's side.

[Gentle, refined painter]

Xu Huaichi was the happiest when the canary who had been with Jin Zhao for three years left.

He had known Jin Zhao since he was sixteen, and they had been each other's support ever since. She protected him, and he depended on her.

Jin Zhao had given him so much, but never the chance to get close to her.

A man who appeared out of nowhere had managed to climb into Jin Zhao's bed. Xu Huaichi was unbearably jealous. He had been jealous for three years, hating that he was older and that his personality was so dull.

[Sunny, cheerful young master]

Su Baoyu was a young master from a collateral branch of the Su family, practically invisible within the household. He was lively and unconventional, and the other members of the Su family often bullied him. Only one person ever stood up for him.

Jin Zhao, the adopted daughter acknowledged by the family head. Su Baoyu had heard her name, but had never met her.

One day, after his brother ruined his painting, he lost his temper and was locked in the small family shrine. Jin Zhao appeared like a goddess, took him out, and even repaired the painting he loved.

Jin Zhao was his aunt, an aunt he had to respect. He mustn't overstep, and he couldn't.

But Su Baoli, the young master who had been found, had shared a brief affair with his aunt. If Su Li could, why couldn't he?

Content warnings:

1. The heroine has had previous partners; all the male leads are virgins. The heroine can conceive, but she won't have children.

2. The characters aren't perfect. The men are love-struck, and the heroine is self-interested, with a tendency to attract everyone's attention.

Theme: If I hear the Way in the morning, I can die content in the evening