The Little Widow

Her husband died young, leaving Ye Wanqiu a widow while she was still in the prime of her life. The neighbors worried about her in private. How would she manage from now on?

Fortunately, Ye Wanqiu's family, who had been missing for years, found her. They turned out to be from a noble marquis's household in the capital. But the household already had a daughter, a false heiress who had been raised there for years, and they had grown attached to her. Feeling they owed Ye Wanqiu but also fearing that having a widow in the family would tarnish their reputation, her parents gave her a large sum of money and sent her away from the capital.

With a fortune in hand, Ye Wanqiu went about smiling every day. She wanted to find a strong, healthy man and savor the pleasures of love. She set her sights on the newly arrived constable: tall and muscular, with handsome features, just her type.

After a few rounds of teasing, the constable took the bait. They kissed and embraced, their passion burning like fire. Even in the midst of their tender affection, he remained heartless. "I won't marry you. What we have is just a fleeting affair."

Ye Wanqiu nestled into his arms and smiled. She thought so too.

Later, when the man was about to leave, he held her close and breathed softly. "Come back to the Lu household with me. I'll take care of you."

He meant he would keep her as a mistress, didn't he?

Ye Wanqiu smiled and coyly replied, "My lord Lu, I'm not going. I want to stay here."

Lu Qingzhou thought it over and agreed. Once he had everything in the capital settled, he would come back for her.

Who knew that the day after Lu Qingzhou left, Ye Wanqiu would leave too? Her parents, feeling sorry for her, had found her a match: the eldest son of the Duke of Qing's household. He was sickly, but the ducal family was wealthy, and she could live a comfortable, carefree life after marrying him. Ye Wanqiu agreed.

Three months after the wedding, the couple were getting along well. The gentle and courteous eldest son of the Lu family took her hand and introduced her: "Wanqiu, this is my second brother."

Ye Wanqiu froze for a few seconds, then greeted him. "Second Brother."

Lu Qingzhou smiled ominously, his eyes falling on her belly. He had heard his new sister-in-law was pregnant.

Reader advisory: 1. The female lead has no sexual experience, while the male lead has had prior partners.

2. The female lead will be married to a supporting male character. She will not sleep with the male lead or develop feelings for him while married. Her feelings for him only develop after that relationship ends.

3. The child is the male lead's.

Theme: Live with clarity