Character setup: A beautiful, honest, easygoing widow who lets others take what they want x a greedy, ruthless, unrestrained, obsessive villainous hero
1,
At the funeral of the eldest son of the Ren family, everyone in attendance knew that the family had gained a new madam.
The new madam had a red mole at the corner of her mouth. Even in plain black mourning clothes, she could not hide her striking beauty. She stood alone before the coffin, beautiful and fragile.
Everyone felt sorry for her. What a shame her husband died so young. With no one to protect her, and the new heir to the Ren family so difficult to deal with, who knew how long she could stay there?
Everyone was waiting to see how the drama would unfold. Some were already hoping she would be cast aside, left unattached, and available for them to claim.
2,
Shi Hao died in an accident. Just as she had lost all hope, she was bound to a villain-raising System.
The System showed her a picture of the villain, Ren Poqing. He looked seven or eight, huddled in a corner, covered in bruises and skinny as a kitten. His ill-fitting clothes hung on him like a sack. He looked so pitiful.
Shi Hao thought he needed a proper caregiver, so she accepted the System’s mission.
An accident during her transmigration sent her to the already-corrupted, twenty-five-year-old Ren Poqing.
As an adult, Ren Poqing was ruthless and trusted no one. He was especially merciless toward his family. With his machinations, the other contenders either went mad or fled, the designated heir died in an accident, and his biological father was driven out of the family. He hardly needed a caregiver.
Shi Hao wanted to back out, but since she had made a deal with the System, she had to continue the mission.
The System gave her a new identity. Posing as the girlfriend of Ren Poqing’s critically ill older brother, Shi Hao moved into the Ren family home and became Ren Poqing’s sister-in-law.
She diligently carried out her mission, fulfilling Ren Poqing’s every request, all so she could leave as soon as possible.
3,
Ren Poqing’s early life was full of hardship. At twenty, he was brought back to the Ren family. In just five years, he defeated every rival, rising from a despised illegitimate son to the family’s de facto leader.
But one woman was his undoing.
He didn’t care about Shi Hao’s identity. He enjoyed the warmth she gave him.
All he had to do was show the slightest hint of weakness, and she would come to him like a tide, accepting him and enveloping him completely.
Ren Poqing kept taking from her, believing they were in love.
Until he discovered that Shi Hao could give the same things to other people. Ren Poqing snapped. He locked her in a room and kept demanding more. “Qiaoqiao, you’re only allowed to look at me.”
Reader’s guide:
1. A melodramatic, sweet romance. One-on-one, both leads sexually inexperienced, happy ending. Written to cater to particular tastes, around 300,000 Chinese characters.
2. The heroine is 23, the hero is 25. They are two years apart.
3. The heroine’s pregnancy is fake, arranged by the System. No children.
4. A vulnerable heroine, focused on romance. Every element is there to serve the love story.
5. Cover character used with template authorization. Artist: Ting Yu Ge-MILKY Niu Nai.
6. Note added on May 28, 2026.
Next novel: Is It Wrong to Look After My Subordinate’s Wife?
If you don’t look after her, someone else will
A reserved, highly principled old-school gentleman who gradually grows twisted x a gentle, resilient, down-to-earth, honest heroine who works hard and gets on with life
Shang Kaixing comes from a prominent family. Raised from childhood to be a gentleman, he is courteous and gracious, always knowing how far to go. Everyone who knows him praises his high moral character.
The first time he saw Nan Chun, she was bent over pruning a tree branch. Her pale skin glowed in the sunlight, and her long black hair was casually tied back. She was so focused on her work that she didn’t notice him arrive.
Shang Kaixing approached her, and soon learned that she was married. Her husband was one of his subordinates.
The next time he saw Nan Chun, a sudden downpour had caught her outside. She stood beneath the eaves, half her clothes soaked through. Her face was red from the cold, and she shivered in the wind.
Shang Kaixing pulled up in front of her and offered her a ride. As it happened, they were going the same way: Nan Chun was heading to the company to bring lunch to her husband.
He watched Nan Chun wait downstairs for her husband, then leave without a word. He thought they would never cross paths again, but a week later, he saw her at home. The housekeeper explained that Nan Chun had been hired as a plant-care consultant, specifically to tend to the ailing plants in the garden.
Shang Kaixing watched Nan Chun work from upstairs, keeping his distance.
A friend came over and couldn’t stop praising Nan Chun. Then he asked Shang Kaixing, “Do you think she’d agree if I asked her out to dinner later?”
The usually gentle and refined Shang Kaixing’s expression changed instantly. He questioned his friend, enunciating every word. “She’s married. Are you trying to be the other man? Knowingly becoming a homewrecker is a sign of low character and utter moral corruption.”
Later, Shang Kaixing realized that Nan Chun was unhappy in her marriage. Every time he saw her, she wore old clothes and looked thinner. She worked outdoors for meager wages, spending all day in the cold until chilblains appeared on the backs of her hands.
Shang Kaixing helped her again and again, slowly crossing a line as his intentions changed.
“Mr. Shang, I can’t accept your help anymore. Please take it back.” Nan Chun’s eyes were clear and sincere, and her voice was gentle but firm. “Otherwise, my husband will be unhappy.”
“A husband who makes his wife live in hardship is incompetent.” Shang Kaixing scoffed, ignoring her refusal. “If he can’t take care of you, there are plenty of people who would. As your boss, I’d be more than happy to take over.”
Shang Kaixing backed her into a corner, but put on a high-minded air as he said, “What I mean is, you don’t have to get divorced. You can keep letting me take care of you.”
Theme: Crossing a thousand mountains and rivers to meet again
