Stealing Love

Kou Kui was frail and unremarkable. Her adoptive parents dumped her at the entrance to a brothel, and the wealthy young customers couldn't even be bothered to step on her.

Some even spat on her. In the eyes of her adoptive parents, the customers, and passersby, Kou Kui was a worthless thing whom not even a brothel would take. No one would hire her as a servant, not even as a concubine's maid.

But then, as luck would have it,

Young Master Ju Yu tripped over her and actually said he would marry her.

In truth, though,

there was no betrothal gift, wedding contract, formal engagement, or wedding procession. Ju Yu merely gave Kou Kui a title. And he treated her with perfect civility, courtesy, and gentleness, never mind sharing a marital bed.

Even in front of others,

Ju Yu spoke only of business and never treated her like his wife. Even the servants in his household bullied her and treated her as less than human.

Kou Kui struggled through each day. On the surface, she was Madam Ju, but in reality, she was treated worse than even the lowliest maid in the Ju household.

All she could hope for was...

that Ju Yu would die soon.

As it happened, Ju Yu learned only after their marriage that he suffered from a hidden illness and might not have long to live. Meanwhile, Kou Kui remained bewitchingly beautiful and alluring.

He couldn't help growing wary of her.

As he had planned all along, he intended to burn her after crossing the river: once he had used Kou Kui to build up the Ju family's business, he would cast her aside. He even planned to secretly frame her and have her put to death. But while Ju Yu was seriously ill, his younger brother, Ju You, felt sympathy and compassion for Kou Kui and her miserable, unfortunate situation.

Ju You had also endured the harsh discipline and suppression of his father and brother within the Ju family. He had long wanted to replace his older brother. He exposed the true face hidden behind his brother's modest, gentle, and refined demeanor, cleared Kou Kui's name, vindicated her, and rescued her from her plight.

Besides... in private, Ju You and Kou Kui had long since grown close, opening their hearts to each other and quietly falling in love, like two kindred spirits.

One day,

Ju You brought her a marriage contract and a token of their love. "Kui'er, I'll give you everything my brother failed to give you."

Kou Kui said, "But... what will you tell your brother?"

Ju You glanced at Kou Kui and chuckled. "Tell him what? He never hired the matchmakers, sent the betrothal gifts, or brought you home in an eight-carriage wedding procession. And I... will make up for all of that, so you can truly become a daughter-in-law of the Ju family, my wife, Ju You's wife, Madam Ju. Everyone else thinks you're guilty, but only I know that you've done nothing wrong. Your only crime is... that I met you and fell in love with you."

Theme: Everyone has a responsibility to make society better