Lin Qingyi married Song Qinian at sixteen. They had been husband and wife for three years, deeply in love.
Song Qinian loved and respected her, hoping only to pass the imperial examinations soon and take her to the capital to live a life of wealth and comfort.
But on the way to the capital to sit the exams, he encountered bandits in the mountains and was killed.
Out of regard for their friendship as classmates, Wei Xingzhi personally brought the news to the Song family.
There, he happened to witness Song family uncles barging into the household of the second branch, furiously trying to drive Lin Qingyi out and seize the family's property.
Seeing the woman, her belly just beginning to swell, driven into a corner, Wei Xingzhi felt his heart stir and changed his mind.
He said that before Song Qinian died, he had entrusted him to care for his wife, and that he had come today to take her to the capital.
Seeing that Lin now had the support of a newly crowned top scholar, the Song uncles no longer dared make trouble and could only slink away.
Lin Qingyi was grateful to Wei Xingzhi. She knew that as a lone, defenseless woman, it would be difficult to get by if she stayed there.
After much deliberation, she finally went with him to the capital.
Once they arrived in the capital and entered the Wei residence, Lin Qingyi settled down to care for her pregnancy, vowing to continue her late husband's only bloodline.
But as time passed and the child in her womb grew, it became increasingly difficult for her to move about in her daily life.
Wei Xingzhi had often seen Lin Qingyi walking around the courtyard, but when he suddenly noticed that she rarely went out, he, usually so proper and self-restrained, could not help going to visit her.
Seeing how heavy her body had become, he worried that giving birth would be difficult if things continued this way. He took it upon himself to massage her limbs and ease the swelling caused by her pregnancy.
Whenever he massaged her just right, Lin Qingyi could not help letting out a few soft murmurs. When she realized what she had done, blushed, and lowered her head, the man beside her felt his heart stir restlessly.
Thus, as he watched the frail beauty before him finally grow plump under his care, her fair skin glowing like fine jade, the forbidden thoughts in Wei Xingzhi's heart became harder and harder to suppress.
In private, he thought that if he was going to care for her, he ought to care for both her body and her heart.
At first, Lin Qingyi did not notice that her late husband's friend, a man of noble character, had developed forbidden feelings for her.
That was until one afternoon, during a nap, when she suddenly felt something soft and sweet against her lips.
Lin Qingyi jolted awake in fright. Before her eyes was Lord Wei, normally so proper and restrained, holding her hand tightly, his gaze filled with indescribable emotion.
Once she understood, Lin Qingyi could not accept it and begged Wei Xingzhi to leave her alone.
She reminded him that she was his friend's wife.
But as soon as he heard this, his expression changed, and he pulled her forcefully into his arms.
In a gentle voice, he coaxed, "Sister-in-law, do you know what Brother Nian said to me before he passed away?"
"He begged me to marry you, care for you, and stay by your side until we were old, in his place."
Full of panic, Lin Qingyi heard this and still could not believe it. "Did my husband really say that?"
"Of course. Have I ever lied to you?"
"..."
Reading Guide: Female lead is not a virgin; male lead is a virgin. Includes childbirth.
Theme: Be kind to yourself and love life.
