The Shopkeeper's Darling

The Song family had lost its patron. The master of the household was exiled, and the first wife sold off the family’s estate before taking everyone aboard a ship to return south.

The railing on the ship was loose. The Song family’s tenth young lady, Song Tiaotiao, a concubine-born daughter, was accidentally pushed over by the seventh young lady and fell into the rushing current. In the darkness, all trace of her vanished.

Luckily, Song Tiaotiao survived. Unluckily, she was kidnapped and taken away.

Afraid she would lose value because of her high fever, the kidnapper hurried from street to street, trying to sell her off. The proprietress of a general store bought her for a pittance, and she became the playmate of a boy named Du Yucheng.

The high fever had damaged her mind, leaving her memories a blur. In an unfamiliar place, with a fierce, enormous black dog around, Song Tiaotiao lived in constant fear. But with a sharp-tongued, softhearted “mother,” a literate “father” who could keep accounts, and a mischievous, unruly older brother, Song Tiaotiao gradually began doing things she probably never would have dared to do before.

Du Yucheng was disliked by everyone, even the dogs, and was such a rascal he seemed likely to fly off to the heavens. One day, his mother brought home a little girl, kitten-like and burning with fever. For the first time, Du Yucheng carefully wiped her face and cooled her down. He learned to brew medicine, took her into the mountains to chase rabbits and down to the river to catch fish, and taught her to write. She was his “possession.”

Later on,

Song Tiaotiao held the solid little gold bead her aunt had hidden in her clothes and decided she could support the young man.

Du Yucheng inherited the family’s general store and became its young shopkeeper. Holding his abacus, he decided he could support his little wife.

A love story between two people from humble families.

After Falling on Hard Times, I Became the Shopkeeper’s Wife

Theme: Love grows with time. Never judge by appearances; look closely to see who is sincere.