I Married My Late Husband's Older Brother After I Was Widowed

[Quietly Saving Money, Little Widow x Scheming, Wealthy Heir]

Song Yumian was the second daughter born to a concubine in the household.

In her previous life, she was forced to take her elder half-sister's place and marry the gravely ill third son of the Duke's estate. Her husband died three days after the wedding, leaving her a widow before she had even settled into married life. To make matters worse, she was unjustly branded a husband-killer.

With no one to rely on and everyone looking down on her, life was already difficult. A year later, her elder half-sister arranged another marriage, this time to the fourth son of the Xie family. After marrying into the household, she made things even harder for Song Yumian at every turn.

In the end, the Xie family drove her to a country estate outside the capital, claiming she was cursed and destined to bring misfortune to her husband. She died of illness in a dilapidated, freezing shack in the countryside.

**

When Song Yumian opened her eyes again, she had returned to the day her late husband's funeral was held, more than a year earlier.

She had another chance, but the marriage was already a fait accompli.

She couldn't return to the Song family, and there was no one in the Xie household she could depend on. But life had to go on, and after careful consideration, Song Yumian found herself a new path.

She would live well and save diligently. The day she left the estate would be the day she became free. As long as she had money in hand, she could go far away and live life on her own terms.

Turning her savings into cash was no easy task. Several times, she nearly got caught by Xie Yanci, the heir to the ducal estate, the most exalted and eccentric man in the household.

Song Yumian could only do her best to placate him, keep things from him, and deal with him as best she could.

A year later, her elder half-sister married into the household. Song Yumian was counting down the days until she could leave, but one night, as she took the banknotes hidden beneath her pillow and counted them, smiling as she dreamed about the future, that exalted young heir appeared outside her window, his face dark with anger.

"You didn't look like this when you used to sweet-talk and deceive me."

Song Yumian hid the banknotes in her hand. Huh?

Thinking back on all those times she'd only been pretending, she wondered: Aren't men the ones who are supposed to be best at this? How did he take it seriously?

Watching the expression on her face change, Xie Yanci finally understood.

His anger surged, but in the end he only let out a cold laugh. "I'll give you the position of principal wife, along with the money and the deeds to the land."

Then, in a gentler voice, he said, "If I do that, will you stay for me?"

Core theme: Fate works in mysterious ways