During the time she was Shen Xiujin's concubine, Shi Ying always knew her place, like a delicate dodder vine that could only survive by clinging to him.
Gentle, obedient, and quiet.
Shen Xiujin was very satisfied with her.
Even though Shi Ying was merely a maid in his household, and her muteness left her unable to speak.
Shen Xiujin devoted himself entirely to court affairs and had never cared much for domestic matters. A woman as quiet and inconspicuous as her saved him a great deal of trouble.
Perhaps because he had grown accustomed to her, he gradually came to feel some tenderness for his poor, mute concubine. When his household began choosing a principal wife for him, he even made a point of asking them to find someone who would be tolerant.
Shen Xiujin believed he had given Shi Ying far more affection than her status warranted, and that she could have no complaints. But then he learned that his mute concubine had thrown herself into the river!
Shi Ying had always been cautious in the Shen household. She knew her beauty was a curse she had been born with, and she knew her status was low.
Even though she had won the favor of the eldest son of the Shen family, he still treated her as nothing more than a diversion.
Shi Ying thought she would endure a little longer and save up some money. Once Shen Xiujin tired of her, she would find a chance to escape.
Until news came that Shen Xiujin was going to marry, and Shi Ying touched her belly.
She knew she could wait no longer.
Later, Shen Xiujin met a woman in Jiangnan who looked exactly like Shi Ying.
The difference was that she was no longer meek and submissive. Every smile and frown of hers was bright and carefree.
When Shen Xiujin, frantic, blocked her way and called her "Yingying," the woman only replied coolly, "You've mistaken me for someone else, sir."
Then she took the hand of a child of two or three and brushed past him.
As if she had never known him.
One-on-one romance, both leads' first time
A beautiful mute girl x a cool, refined young nobleman
A groveling pursuit after the breakup + melodramatic pregnancy escape. The male lead does not marry.
The female lead is unable to speak early on, but regains her voice in the middle or later part of the story.
Neither lead is a perfect saint; both have their flaws.
Theme: A groveling pursuit after the breakup
