Cherished Beauty

Yaoniang accompanied her husband to the capital for the imperial examinations, never expecting him to die after drunkenly falling into a lake.

Before she could recover from the shock, the gambling house came to collect his debts. If she failed to repay the money by the deadline, they would sell her to a brothel.

Yaoniang wiped away her tears, changed into an apricot-colored jacket and skirt, applied a light dusting of makeup, and leaned by the door. Seeing a dignified, handsome man approach from afar, she tossed him a sprig of osmanthus and stammered nervously, "M-Milord, would you like to come in and sit for a while...?"

I've changed the premise I previously posted. This is the latest version. (Blurb provisional as of September 3, 2021.)

Theme: Stay hopeful even in adversity.