Yu Mu is the wealthy heiress and fiancée in an old-school domineering CEO romance.
In the book, she has been the male lead's intended wife since childhood. The two are the golden couple of Beijing's elite circle, a match made in heaven.
Raised by her family, she sees marrying the male lead as her life's purpose.
Until he breaks their engagement for the female lead, ignoring his promise and turning Yu Mu into a laughingstock.
Her faith crumbles, and love turns to hate. She joins forces with the villain who admires her, repeatedly hurts the female lead, and fights the male lead, only to meet a tragic end.
But on the day she first frames the female lead and falls down the stairs, Yu Mu awakens.
What kind of world-class sucker gets brainwashed for so many years?
She's rich, beautiful, and capable. Why should she grovel before a man?
[System: Villain awakening detected. To change your predetermined fate, Host, collect the main characters' favorability points.]
For the sake of favorability points, Yu Mu takes the initiative and breaks off her engagement early, giving the male and female leads their happy ending.
Male lead: "Are you playing hard to get? I don't like women who play hard to get."
"What a coincidence. I don't like narcissistic, greasy men with something wrong in their heads, either."
[Male lead favorability: -1000]
Yu Mu: I don't need those favorability points!
When Yu Mu's father learns she's ended the engagement, he flies into a rage. "Everything you have came from the Yu family. Without us, you're nothing!"
Yu Mu turns around and pushes her wheelchair out of the family home, taking nothing with her.
Secretary: "Chairman, it's been three months since you kicked Miss out."
Yu's father: "Has she admitted she was wrong?"
"No, but Miss is about to swallow up our company."
Yu's father: "What?!"
Everyone knows that the Yu family's delicate flower was thrown out of her home after the Sheng family broke off her engagement.
Everyone waits to laugh at Yu Mu when she falls into misery.
But all they see is the Sheng and Yu families going into decline, while Yu Mu shines in splendor with the young heir of the Ruan family at her side.
Only then do they understand: a true phoenix won't turn into a drowned rat, no matter where it flies.
Only then does Yu Mu's father realize that his daughter has changed. She's become more independent and stronger, and even gives him and Yu Mu's mother a copy of the Tao Te Ching each when she comes home.
Yu's father: ...
That's my girl.
[Bonus scene]
Yu Mu stares at the great villain in front of her, who's about to join her in plotting an evil scheme, and lifts her chin with a haughty air.
"I don't want to work with you to take on Sheng Nanzhu anymore. I'm turning over a new leaf."
Ruan Qingsui, hopeless romantic: "Is it because you hate me and don't want anything to do with me?"
Yu Mu shakes her head and tries to talk him around. "You don't have to do this for me. Stop liking me and find someone who likes you back."
Ruan Qingsui: "Then will you help me?"
Yu Mu feels guilty. "Sure."
Ruan Qingsui: "Then help me by liking me. That way, I'll have found someone who likes me back."
Yu Mu: "..."
This hopeless romantic is beyond saving!
[An ambitious, mature, take-no-nonsense big sister who awakens × a loyal, sweet villain with ten years' worth of bottled-up jealousy]
Theme: Someone will always love you. Don't make yourself suffer