A Fake Betrothal

Shen Manjing was an honest, hardworking widow, but her mother-in-law threatened to kill herself unless Shen gave her late husband an heir. As luck would have it, she ran into an injured man while gathering herbs in the mountains that day. He was extraordinarily handsome, and even unconscious, he had an air of nobility about him. She sat beside him and pondered for a long while. A man had fallen from the sky. Heaven must be taking pity on her loneliness. If she was going to borrow a man to have a child, she might as well choose the best one. So she gritted her teeth, half-carrying and half-dragging him back to her little courtyard. She fed him medicine, washed him, and carefully tended to him for half a month. When his injuries had nearly healed, she worked up the courage to straddle his waist in the dark. Before she could make a move, the man woke up, his gaze distant and wary. She hurriedly straightened her clothes and tried to scramble away, but the man grabbed her by the ankle. He scolded her for being shameless while gripping her waist. Later, the man left. Shen Manjing thought she would never see him again. But a few days later, he came back and said he wanted to take her as his wife, coldly warning her not to entertain improper thoughts. They would only be a couple in name. Only then did she learn that he was Xie Linsu, the current grand secretary. They were worlds apart, and she wouldn’t dare harbor the slightest feeling for him. But the way he looked at her grew increasingly strange. That night, the door swung open. His elegant figure advanced step by step, and she backed away until her back met the bedpost. “You said I wasn’t allowed to have improper thoughts.” He lowered his head and captured her soft lips, his voice awkward. “You want a child, don’t you? Better I make that sacrifice than let you seduce someone else.” [Reader’s note] 1. Couple: gentle, soft-hearted widow × dignified, awkward powerbroker. Both chaste, happy ending. 2. Romance: The heroine develops feelings first, then gives up after being rejected. The hero realizes his feelings too late and gets a taste of his own medicine, then aggressively pursues his wife in a sweet and angsty push and pull. (This blurb was posted on 2026.5.30 and has been screenshotted as proof.) Ongoing and upcoming stories: The Female Shadow Guard Wrecked the Prince! Master, You’ve Broken Your Vows The Humiliated Spirit Pet Is the Demon Lord Theme: Stay true to your heart