[A revenge-driven, career-minded sickly woman vs. a deranged, love-obsessed deposed crown prince]
Gu Miaosheng is a master of mechanical engineering, but she is a woman and frail with illness. Her parents dislike her, and only her younger sister loves and protects her.
To seize power, Second Prince Xiao Huai used her younger sister to force her to build crossbows, tormenting her through two lifetimes.
The good news: Gu Miaosheng has been reborn for the second time.
The bad news: Her enemy has also been reborn.
To protect her younger sister, Gu Miaosheng takes a dangerous gamble and joins forces with Xiao Yan, the disgraced and deposed crown prince who defeated Xiao Huai in her previous life.
Xiao Yan is notorious, a madman whose moods change without warning. Gu Miaosheng doesn't care about his reputation. She wants his power, because he can help her get revenge.
At their first meeting, Gu Miaosheng thinks the rumors must be wrong. He is clearly a suspicious and cunning man.
Later, she sees his ruthless cruelty and refusal to tolerate anyone, and thinks the rumors might have some truth to them.
Later still, she decides there's something wrong with his head.
Xiao Yan has always been betrayed by those around him. After several brushes with death, he became unpredictable and stopped trusting anyone.
Until he met Gu Miaosheng, who is single-minded about revenge yet unwilling to become a villain. Xiao Yan finds her ridiculous and wants to force her to fall into depravity.
After Gu Miaosheng died in her previous life, Xiao Huai became haunted by her. Given a second chance, he decides to find her early and keep her by his side. Surely he'll get tired of her eventually.
Little scene:
Xiao Yan: "Shengsheng, what's mine is yours, and I'm yours too!"
Gu Miaosheng refuses coldly: "Leave the things. I don't need you. We're taking revenge, not dating."
Xiao Yan turns around and ties up Xiao Huai.
Gu Miaosheng: ...
Reader's Guide:
1. One couple, both pure, happy ending.
2. The heroine has a character growth arc. Neither lead is an entirely good person.
3. Set in a fictional world, with a hodgepodge of dynasties.
Theme: Love is both a shackle and a salvation!
