Gu Yanshu was born a concubine's daughter and was forced upon the Xie family by her legitimate mother. The Third Young Master Xie treated her well, giving her fine clothes and food and a carefree life. But her good fortune didn't last. The Third Young Master Xie met with an accident and died.
Without her husband, Gu Yanshu struggled to get by in the Xie household. Then trouble struck her birth family, leaving her with nowhere else to turn.
Her sister-in-law suggested she conceive a child and register it under the late Third Young Master Xie's name, giving herself a chance to survive.
After much consideration, Gu Yanshu went to discuss it with the Old Madam Xie. The Old Madam believed that more children meant more blessings, and agreed at once.
She told Gu Yanshu to choose between the Xie family's eldest and second eldest masters to father the child.
The eldest, Xie Chongzhi, was the future head of the Xie family: aloof and peerless, with great power and status. But because of their past conflict, Gu Yanshu wanted nothing to do with him, so she stood up and chose the second master, a son born to a concubine.
Later, her husband, who had been dead for two years, returned to life. Her secret relationship with the second master had to end, but before she could say a word, someone pulled her into the bed curtains. A voice murmured in her ear, "But I don't want it to end yet."
Hearing the desire beneath the cool voice, Gu Yanshu's breath caught. "Xie... Xie Chongzhi?"
The hero
At first, all he wanted was to give her a child, to make up for the guilt he felt over having stood by and watched with indifference.
Then greed took hold. He wanted to be her secret lover in the shadows for the rest of her life.
And later, when her husband returned and she wanted to leave him, he refused to let her go. She was his, and could belong to no one else.
1. The second master never touched the heroine. The hero secretly took his place and slept with her.
2. The heroine is not a virgin; the hero is.
Gentle, resilient, honest widow vs. aloof, untouchable beauty who later becomes a man consumed by love.
...New story...
Reborn, I Was Hounded by the Powerful Minister I Took In
‖Rescuing a Man‖Forced Marriage + Groveling‖Misunderstandings‖Fate‖
Why? Why, after getting a second chance, did he still intend to drag her into the same ending as her previous life and push her into the abyss?
When she took Cui Zhi in again, she shut away her feelings and became distant and indifferent. Everything she did was to send the powerful minister safely on his way and keep her town peaceful.
She deftly deflected his suspiciously well-intentioned gestures.
Whenever he tried to get close, she avoided him if she could.
At last, his family came looking for him. When they asked what she wanted, she glanced at Cui Zhi, who looked certain of victory, and chose money without hesitation.
Having been reborn, she certainly wouldn't choose him again, much less step into the cage he had built for her.
The farm girl's choice took everyone by surprise. What surprised Cui Zhi even more was that the girl who had fussed over him and cared for him in every way already had someone she loved, and planned to use his money to marry that man.
He wouldn't allow it. He absolutely wouldn't.
Though her status was low and she was unfit for polite society, though she couldn't read and was no match for him, so what? Even if he kept her by his side as a plaything, she could only ever be his.
But later, after using every trick at his disposal, all he got in return was her risking her life to escape him.
The hero does not regain memories of his previous life + both are virgins + one-to-one romance
Theme: Stay strong and keep living, even when trapped in despair.
Hahaha, why do you like your sister-in-law or sister-in-law?