[Draft in progress, please add to your collection]
The Xie family had a pair of twins famous throughout the capital. The elder brother, Xie Changzhao, was a man of great learning who held a position at court. The younger, Xie Changshuo, was fiercely proud and had become a general while still young.
Xie Changshuo had never liked his elder brother's fiancee. She was spoiled and playful, never considerate of his brother, and did nothing but cling to him with that bewitching face of hers, making his upright and stern brother abandon his official duties to indulge in frivolous fun with her.
Unexpectedly, disaster struck one day. His brother was ordered to travel far away to investigate a case, and not long afterward, word came back that he was dead.
With his brother gone, the old betrothal between their families fell to him in turn. But he was unwilling to marry her and flatly refused.
He thought he would have nothing more to do with her for the rest of his life. He never expected her to come looking for him, eyes red from crying.
Her family was forcing her to marry a wastrel. Knowing that Xie Changshuo was also fed up with the marriage his family had chosen for him, she suggested that they pretend to marry. They would simply share a household, and once she had arranged a way out for herself, they could part on good terms.
After weighing the matter, Xie Changshuo agreed.
After the wedding, Shu Yan seemed like a different person: quiet and well-behaved, never crossing a line.
Xie Changshuo remained wary and secretly tried to figure her out. But the more he investigated, the more he found himself staring at her, lost in thought.
He gritted his teeth in secret. She must be up to some new trick.
*
Shu Yan found it strange that Xie Changshuo had recently taken to staring at her for no apparent reason. Perhaps he regretted marrying her. It seemed she would have to hurry up and build up her own assets so she could divorce him as soon as possible.
Why had Xie Changshuo been helping her with her work so often lately? If he wanted to help, fine, but why was he acting so awkwardly about it? Had she accidentally gotten hold of some kind of leverage over him?
Brother Changzhao was actually alive! He had come back. But Xie Changshuo was stopping them from meeting, saying it would be improper. What kind of propriety was that? Had something gone wrong with his head?
*One woman, two men; a love rivalry between brothers
Synopsis saved on 2026/04/30
Theme: The heart reveals itself with time
