Devoted, scheming heir x prickly little charmer who starts out hating men and later gets clingy
SC, marriage first, love later
The Chu family spared no expense in raising the most beautiful woman in the capital.
She hid her face behind a fan, revealing only a pair of smiling eyes, and countless young scholars were captivated by her gaze.
What the world did not know was that the Chu family's doting affection was their way of making up for their guilt, while "bewitchingly beautiful" was the very description Chu Yaohua despised most. And "spoiled" was the protective disguise she had fashioned for herself.
Chu Yaohua was beautiful and came from a good family. Once she was of marriageable age, matchmakers should have been lining up at her door.
But her reputation for being spoiled preceded her, and no one dared ask for her hand.
Little did they know, this was exactly what Chu Yaohua wanted.
*
Unfortunately, at a spring flower-viewing banquet by the lake, Chu Yaohua accidentally caught the attention of the dashing young Marquis Jiang.
Other girls flocked to him like bees to flowers, but Chu Yaohua came up with all sorts of excuses to keep her distance.
Jiang Jinnian snapped his fan shut and smiled with amusement.
Interesting.
A month later, an imperial edict arrived at the Chu residence, betrothing Chu Yaohua to become the heir's wife of the Northern Marquis's household.
*
Chu Yaohua did not dare defy the emperor's command, but she was quite confident she could make life difficult for this husband who had dropped out of the sky.
On the eve of her wedding, Chu Yaohua sat before the mirror, smiling as she covered her face with fake pockmarks.
The matchmaker and maidservants attending her could only grimace, but none dared stop her.
*
Jiang Jinnian possessed both dazzling bearing and immense power. He was the dream lover of every young lady in Xuanjing.
But he married young, taking the spoiled beauty of the Chu family as his bride, much to everyone's dismay.
On their wedding night, the bride beneath the red veil had a face smeared with grime. He paid it no mind, slowly bringing his cool fingers to her face.
His fingertips brushed across the bride's fair, freckled cheek, peeling away a loose fake "pockmark." Jiang Jinnian remained unbothered and spoke slowly.
"I hear Miss Chu is elegant and proper, virtuous and talented. I wondered why no one had asked for your hand. It turns out your face was disfigured."
Chu Yaohua had prepared a whole speech, determined to make her new husband detest her and fear coming near her. But his words left her speechless.
...Elegant and proper, virtuous and talented? Had he mistaken her for someone else?
*
The newly arrived heir's wife at the Northern Marquis's household was sharp-tongued, never backing down when she had reason on her side, and making a scene even when she did not.
Yet someone powerful had her back, allowing her to do as she pleased.
Except for one thing.
When the subject of taking concubines for the heir came up, Chu Yaohua was overjoyed. She earnestly helped him choose and plan, all to ease her anxiety about being near men.
After all, she bore the renowned Chu name. Even if her husband did not favor her, no one would dare look down on her.
Chu Yaohua was busily calculating away when the heir pulled her into their room with a cold expression.
"So eager for me to have heirs? Then why don't you do your duty as my wife and consummate our marriage with me first?"
Chu Yaohua's eyes widened. She had no time to realize that she was no longer afraid of men coming close. She only turned her head and asked instinctively, "Does it have to be me?"
Jiang Jinnian lowered his eyes, concealing the surging affection in them. He pressed his face close to hers and answered as if joking.
"Mm. It has to be you."
Theme: A destined love
