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In the third year of her marriage to Fu Huaisheng, Wen Lingsu dreams that she is living in a storybook. Her husband is the male lead of a tragic romance who loves his cousin, the moonlight in his heart, and treats her with utter indifference. She is the ill-fated wife who is about to die a miserable death.
At first, Wen Lingsu does not believe it. That is, until Fu Huaisheng's cousin comes to stay with them, turning her life upside down. They spoil the cousin until she becomes utterly unruly, while her mother-in-law grows ever more critical of Wen Lingsu. Fu Huaisheng also comes home less and less often.
Worse still, Wen Lingsu's health steadily declines. The doctor says she is nearing the end of her life and may not have much time left.
As reality and dream begin to overlap, Wen Lingsu thinks it over and decides to trick Fu Huaisheng into returning to her parents' home for a visit. In truth, she plans to run far away.
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Fu Huaisheng and Wen Lingsu were betrothed when they were children. Later, the Wen family fell into decline, and his mother insisted on calling off the marriage. But he married Wen Lingsu anyway, against all odds.
When Wen Lingsu first came to the Fu household, she was not yet of age. He personally taught her everything, from how to behave to how to read and write. Though they had already been married for three years, the young woman still blushed shyly whenever she saw him.
So Fu Huaisheng never doubted that Wen Lingsu loved him.
Until, after half a month away handling official business, he returned home to find that Wen Lingsu still had not come back.
He assumed the young woman had gotten carried away having fun. Just as he was about to write to her, he found the divorce letter she had left under her pillow: "I have gone far away. Please do not think of me. I wish you and your cousin a long life together, growing old side by side."
At the end of the letter, Wen Lingsu had scrawled in an irritated hand: "Thank you, husband, for taking care of me these past three years, even though life in the Fu household was incredibly hard. Also, Mother keeps blaming me for not getting pregnant. Perhaps you should take a good look at yourself, too!"
The paper crumpled in his grip. Fu Huaisheng's gaze darkened ominously. What was wrong with him? Hadn't he held back because she was still so young...
He had thought he had taught Wen Lingsu well, but after three years, he still hadn't managed to teach her proper handwriting.
More troublingly, it seemed he had forgotten to teach her how to love him.
Still, he had plenty of patience. If he had once taught the young woman to read and write, then from now on, he could teach her to fall in love with him.
[Reading Guide]
1. Both leads are each other's first and only partners. Age gap: the male lead is six years older.
2. There is no transmigrate-into-a-book plot. This is a pure historical romance, and the heroine's dream about a "tragic romance that abuses its female lead" reflects her mistaken perception.
3. Includes a groveling pursuit after losing her, plus mild forced-romance elements.
Theme: The road is long and far, and I shall seek high and low.
