The Leisurely Journals of Shen Si Niang

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Her father died on duty while rescuing people from a flood, and her mother shut herself away to worship Buddha. Shen Youfang recalls that it's been nearly seven years since she last saw her.

In the inner chambers, Youfang spends her days working the abacus and doing embroidery, while raising her younger sister. When she was thirteen, her maternal relatives, who had long been out of touch, came to set her straight. She began socializing beyond the household, and several marriage prospects emerged.

The first was the heir to a prince's title. This prince was the emperor's new younger brother and greatly favored, free to stay in the capital instead of going to his fief. His heir bullied men and women alike, was hated by everyone, and already had a whole brood of illegitimate children despite not having a principal wife. Of course, the situation later changed dramatically, and this marriage, which the elders had only casually mentioned, happily fell through.

The second was a cousin. He was young and renowned for his good looks, born to a ducal family, and well matched with her in status, with a bright future ahead of him. His household was troubled because of certain elders, but his good qualities outweighed the flaws, and her grandmother thought he was a suitable match. The elders of both families had practically settled the matter. Unfortunately, his mother changed her mind, and the subject was dropped.

The third was another cousin. They were related through a more distant branch, and she called him cousin along with the elders. He, too, was a talented young man. Whenever they met, he was graceful and considerate, always treating her with care and respect. They spent two years together, waiting for her coming-of-age ceremony.

Then, everything suddenly changed.

1. Traditional household intrigue | Everyone is a native of this world; no transmigration, rebirth, System, or golden finger | The male lead appears very, very, very late | Not a choose-your-male-lead story | Calm and steady, with hidden depths | Slow burn | Everyday life

2. In other words: a very, very, very long slice-of-life story, full of household gossip: this family marries off a son, that family takes a concubine, your child is a born genius, mine catches up later... The little details unfold slowly. It's all very domestic, with plenty of gossip about the noble ladies of each household.

3. Court intrigue is only a backdrop and is glossed over, so don't expect the logic to hold up under close scrutiny.

4. There are lots of interactions with her younger sister. The female lead adores her little sister, who comes first!

5. The male lead is Xi Zhaoshu. See the end of Chapter 26. He only has a cameo in the female lead's coming-of-age arc, so it's a marriage-first, love-later story. They go from mutual respect to understanding and devotion. He appears late and sparingly in the early part.

Theme: A tree that stands above the forest cannot be brought down by wind and rain.