The Real Heiress Widowed in the Big Courtyard

(A recommendation for my ongoing novel, The Beautiful Heiress's Maid in the 1980s. Its blurb is below.)

Blurb:

Jiang Li transmigrates into a period novel and becomes its heroine. The male lead doesn't love her, and she is destined to suffer for half her life before winning him over.

The Jiang Li who has transmigrated into the book doesn't love the male lead, nor does she want to be harassed by the male supporting character from the original story. She plans to return to the capital and find her fiancé, a man of convenience, so she can mourn Qin Chao, who dies young in the original story.

While carrying out a secret mission, Qin Chao accidentally saves his fiancée, whom he hasn't seen in years.

Jiang Li bandages his wound. "Thank you, comrade..."

Qin Chao is surprised that his fiancée doesn't recognize him. "What brings a young woman like you all the way to the capital?"

Jiang Li considers her answer. "My fiancé died, so I'm going back to the capital to mourn him."

Qin Chao asks if she knows how her fiancé died. Jiang Li says she does, and tells the benefactor who saved her that her fiancé was killed by a bandit disguised as a hostage while rescuing hostages.

Jiang Li sets up a stall outside Qin Chao's workplace. His colleagues look after her as the family of a fallen hero, even helping drive away the ruffians who harass her.

As time passes, everyone takes pity on her and urges her to remarry. Even Qin Chao, who has disguised himself to hide his identity, can't stand it anymore and advises her, "So many people like you. You should remarry."

Jiang Li says, "I'll only remarry if Qin Chao comes back to life."

Jiang Li thinks she'll be a widow for the rest of her life, until her fiancé, who was supposed to die young, returns and salutes her. "Comrade Jiang Li, I'm Qin Chao."

The Beautiful Heiress's Maid in the 1980s is now being serialized. Blurb:

Tao Jiang starts working as a maid in Han Changfeng's home at eighteen and stays for ten years. Then Han Changfeng asks if she'll marry him. Tao Jiang has loved him for ten years, so of course she says yes.

After they marry, Han Changfeng is just as distant as he was when he was her employer. The relatives who used to boss the maid around can no longer order her about, so they sneer, "Han Changfeng doesn't love her. He's just afraid she'll get married and leave, and then there'll be no one to cook for him."

Han Changfeng is even busier after the wedding, spending all his time in the research lab. He gives Tao Jiang a pile of pills, saying they're vitamins to keep her healthy, and hands over his entire salary and bonuses. It's all very nice, but a marriage without love feels rather pointless.

When Han Changfeng collapses in the research lab, Tao Jiang learns that he found out about her illness and proposed to her that very day. Afterward, he devoted all his time and energy to researching a cure to keep her alive, and ended up working himself to exhaustion.

Han Changfeng says guiltily, "Tao Jiang, I should have proposed during your first month in my home. When I learned about your illness, I should have dropped everything and stayed with you. It feels like I've made the wrong choice at every turn. I never gave you the beautiful love you deserved."

Tao Jiang weeps. What she thought was a loveless marriage was actually the deepest, most beautiful love he had hidden away.

The two return home and make love more passionately than ever. When Tao Jiang opens her eyes, she has been reborn in 1983.

After being reborn, Tao Jiang casts off the insecurity she had in her previous life and becomes proactive. Han Changfeng backs away in alarm. "You little maid, what are you doing in my study this late at night? Get out now, or I'll fire you tomorrow."

Worried that he'll work himself to death, Tao Jiang brings him snow pear soup with fritillaria. "Finish this and go to bed, or I'll quit tomorrow."

After a while, Han Changfeng's routine is back to normal and he is full of energy for his medical research. There's just one problem: his maid is far too flirtatious. He needs to have a word with her.

After being teased for a while, Han Changfeng flatly refuses when a relative who wants to use the maid as cheap labor asks for her. "You can boss me around if you want, but what gives you the right to boss my maid around?"

A relative who wants Tao Jiang to help with postpartum care gets chewed out by Han Changfeng. "Whoever gave birth can look after the baby. Tao Jiang has to prepare for the college entrance exam. She can't afford to lose time."

After the exam, Tao Jiang gets into medical school. Han Changfeng gives a lecture there, and Tao Jiang asks him with a straight face, "Professor Han, do you have a moment? There's a pathology question I'd like to ask you about."

After night falls, Tao Jiang barges into the study and orders, "Han Changfeng, look at the time! Why aren't you asleep yet? Do you want to die young?"

During her internship, Tao Jiang follows the youngest vice dean with the utmost respect. "Dean Han, could I have a few minutes of your time? I have a difficult case I'd like to ask you about."

As she asks her question, the completely serious Tao Jiang quietly slips a hard-boiled egg into the pocket of the completely serious young dean's white coat. "A snack. Don't you dare skip your meals."

After night falls, Tao Jiang takes a bath to relax her aching legs, then playfully coaxes the workaholic bent over his desk. "I've been on my feet all day and my legs hurt. Dean Han, could you give me a massage?"

Han Changfeng feels wronged. "People are already gossiping that I'm abusing my position to seduce an intern. Could you spare me a little dignity? We've been married for three years. Can't we finally have a wedding banquet openly and honorably?"

Theme: A daughter should stand on her own.