The heroine's story
There are two great merchant families in Suzhou. They're rivals, they can't stand each other, and they decide to marry off their children so they can form an alliance against the merchants from Huizhou and remain united forever.
Gu Wenzhu is delighted. She's secretly been longing for him for a long time.
But on their wedding night, the man she loves produces a divorce agreement and says coldly, "One year. When the year is up, we'll divorce, and you'll leave the Gu family with your reputation intact. Let's make a contract to prove it."
With tears in her eyes, she stubbornly signs.
The next day, her husband falls from his horse and loses his memory.
She presses a hand to her pounding heart and, without betraying a thing, strokes his long, knuckly fingers. "I'm your wife. We grew up together and are deeply in love. We were just about to have a son and two daughters and grow old together."
*
The hero's story
Shen Yu is the son of a merchant, but he has no interest in business or accounting. He only wants to pass the imperial exams, serve his country, and fulfill his ambitions and ideals.
He doesn't like the daughter of his so-called rival, either. She's skilled in commerce and loves money and riches. She's certainly not the kind of wife he dreams of.
Who could have guessed that one careless moment would cost him his memory, leaving him fooled by that little woman?
When his memories return, resentment knots in his heart. He hates that she deceived him.
But when she brings out the contract and turns to leave, why does his heart ache uncontrollably, with countless tiny stabs of pain?
"Since you're already here, why don't you stay?"
He never imagined he would politely and quietly beg her to stay, but now he does so willingly.
Theme: Seize the moment and pursue love bravely
