Keeping a Wife (Matriarchal Society)

Fang Jiaojiao is a bandit and the new leader of her mountain stronghold.

Though ruthless, she is young and beautiful, and plenty of men eagerly vie to become her husband at the stronghold.

One day, after driving off a group of ill-intentioned men, she was heading back to the stronghold when a little fool blocked her way and begged her for a bite to eat.

Fang Jiaojiao saw his disheveled appearance and small, thin frame. Only his innocent, sparkling doe eyes stood out, reminding her of an old acquaintance surnamed Ji. So she named him Xiao Ji and brought him back to the stronghold.

She planned to send the little fool to a good family once she had gotten to the bottom of what happened ten years ago, then put her bandit days behind her and return to an ordinary life.

But before she could make any headway with the investigation, the Crown Princess sent her own nephew, Yu Zhen, to the stronghold and bestowed him upon Fang Jiaojiao as her principal husband.

Looking at this troublesome gift, Fang Jiaojiao was wondering how to refuse when someone suddenly threw himself into her arms.

The little fool, usually so obedient and well-behaved, clutched his belly and tearfully protested, “My wife, you don't have to give Xiao Ji a title, but you can't let our child suffer!”

Fang Jiaojiao, who had never so much as touched the little fool's finger: ???

Ji Guanzhou survived the day his family was wiped out, but fell off a cliff while fleeing and became a fool.

After ten years of living like an animal, he recovered and set out to take revenge.

But he had nothing now, and first he had to find a way to stay alive.

He heard that the nearby Golden Phoenix Stronghold welcomed capable people, so Ji Guanzhou decided to try his luck there.

He made inquiries along the way and finally found the leader's carriage.

When he stopped it and saw who was inside, he immediately decided to keep pretending to be a fool, and managed to stay.

To find his enemies as soon as possible, he trained himself to be obedient and compliant, winning Fang Jiaojiao's affection.

Everyone in the stronghold respected him, and they all believed that he was destined to become her husband.

Ji Guanzhou thought so too. He became even more attentive each day and discreetly helped her deal with trouble, never asking for a title.

It wasn't until the imperial decree of marriage arrived that he realized some things had to be said out loud to matter.

But this time, he was going to make his wife say it herself.

#That pitiful little fool act was all fake!#

#But I like it so much#

Reader's Guide: One-on-one romance, both leads are sexually inexperienced.

1. Seahorse-style reproduction: men carry and give birth to children; everything else is unchanged. Please don't read if this bothers you.

2. This story has plenty of my own worldbuilding. No nitpicking, please. If you nitpick, you're right.

Final version of the blurb dated October 21, 2023, screenshot saved.

Theme: Time reveals a person's true nature.