Everyone in the capital knew that Shen Zhiyao, the legitimate daughter of the Shen family, was gentle and refined, and that she and top scorer Lu Shian had been a match made in heaven.
But no one expected Shen Zhiyao to win the favor of Pei Yanzhi, the Regent who held power over the court, and rise from the daughter of a minor official to become the Regent's wife.
Everyone said Shen Zhiyao was lucky.
What is sweet to one is poison to another.
Only Shen Zhiyao knew this wasn't what she wanted.
It was laughable. Pei Yanzhi, once a cold, heartless living demon who kept his distance from women, had stolen another man's fiancée and somehow turned public opinion around, becoming the man every young woman in the capital wanted to marry.
All because this noble and talented Regent was devoted to his wife and never took concubines.
But Shen Zhiyao was disgusted. Pei Yanzhi had forcibly broken up her engagement to her childhood sweetheart and used her family to threaten her into marrying him of her own accord. He was a shameless ingrate.
"Yaoyao, if you dare run, everyone you care about will die because of you."
"Yaoyao, I saved your life, so you should repay me with yours. Only I can protect you."
Shen Zhiyao deeply regretted ever taking pity on Pei Yanzhi and saving him.
Pei Yanzhi had been ambushed and gravely wounded when Shen Zhiyao found and rescued him at Yunqi Temple.
He had never met a woman like Shen Zhiyao. At a single glance, he knew she would be his wife.
So what if she had a fiancé?
People who were already married could divorce. They weren't even married yet.
He didn't consider a mere top scorer like Lu Shian a threat.
But Pei Yanzhi couldn't understand why Shen Zhiyao's heart belonged only to that damned Lu Shian when he loved her so much.
It didn't matter.
This was his fault, after all. He had come too late.
At least Shen Zhiyao was already his wife, the wife who would be buried with him, rightfully, after death. In this life, Shen Zhiyao would belong to Pei Yanzhi alone.
No!
In every life, Shen Zhiyao could belong only to Pei Yanzhi. She would never escape!
Reader's Guide:
1. Both leads have only ever been with each other. The male lead forces the marriage early on, then pursues his wife through a period of regret and heartbreak, and they gradually fall in love over time.
2. The male lead is obsessive and ruthless, but only ever yields to the female lead. He utterly spoils her. The female lead is gentle on the outside and strong within, and gradually comes to like him without realizing it.
3. The second male lead is hypocritical and opportunistic, and a consummate actor. He is completely out of the picture after the regret-and-pursuit arc.
4. The female lead was never truly in love with the second male lead. Their families arranged their betrothal when they were young, so she simply assumed she liked him.
5. I'm a new writer and my prose is amateurish. Please don't be too harsh if it's not to your taste.
Guiding principle: Mutual healing, and learning how to love.
