Did the Wife I Stole Really Force Herself on Me?

A wily, wealthy heiress vs. a scheming second-in-command bandit

Yi Ciwan gets kidnapped, and to make matters worse, the carriage carrying her is then robbed by bandits. After bouncing around inside for more than two hours, she finally lands on the ground and finds herself the second-in-command’s wife.

Her circumstances have changed completely in a single day. What terrible luck!

Fortunately, the second-in-command is away, and their marriage hasn’t been made official. Yi Ciwan decides to sneak off under cover of darkness while no one is looking.

The first time she tries to escape, she’s halfway through the window when someone yanks her back.

The second time, she gets stuck between the rails of the stockade wall and is caught by a passing patrol.

The third time, she finally evades her pursuers and runs two li without stopping.

At last, she’s escaped! Yi Ciwan makes it out and happens to meet a handsome young man, kind-hearted and eager to help. She follows him around in circles, and half an hour later, she’s back at the entrance to the stockade.

The gatekeeper rushes over and embraces the young man.

Yi Ciwan hears him call out, "Second-in-command! You’re back! The first-in-command found you a wife." Then his gaze falls on Yi Ciwan, who is drowsily raising a hand from inside the carriage. "Huh? Isn’t that your wife?"

Yan Zhi Que thinks: Of course she is! Who else do you think I went to all that trouble to trick into coming here?

Her affections misplaced, the wife herself faints on the spot.

She swears:

She won’t rest until she gets revenge. So on the first day after waking up, she grabs the second-in-command by the collar and swings a pillow at him left and right, letting out all her pent-up anger.

Yan Zhi Que gets beaten, has his things stolen, and is then forced to escort her down the mountain.

You’d think they’d have become sworn enemies.

But as he escorts her, Miss Yi starts looking at him in increasingly strange and shameless ways. At first, she only wants to recruit him. Gradually, her intentions become less than innocent.

"Young Master Yan, as they say, three strikes and you’re out. You’ve turned me down twice, so you have one last chance!"

"Stop right there!" Yan Zhi Que refuses righteously with a wave of his hand. "Miss Yi, you’d be better off giving up on recruiting me."

Yi Ciwan simply stops asking. "It’s fine if you don’t agree. I’ll just kidnap you."

Later...

Yi Ciwan is set on personally escorting Yan Zhi Que to the bridal sedan. A smile tugs at her lips. "Kidnapping you is still the safest bet."

Yan Zhi Que: "All right!"

Yi Ciwan: "Huh?"

Yan Zhi Que was born into a noble family and made a name for himself at a young age. His painting skills were unmatched across the provinces, and after passing the highest imperial examination, he rode through the streets in triumph, basking in the glory of spring.

Then his entire family was convicted of a crime. His relatives were scattered and sent into exile. At his lowest point, a fortune-teller saved him. From then on, he went into hiding and wandered the world, intent only on laying his family to rest.

While searching for his family, he learned that the fortune-teller had died suddenly. He hurried back to Yunxiang and became indebted to the Min family, who had arranged the burial. He joined the mountain bandits, devoting himself to their protection.

He thought the rest of his life would be lonely and bleak.

Then he met Yi Ciwan, a girl with a radiant smile and a particularly domineering nature.

He deceived her, and at first he felt guilty. Later, he was simply glad he had...

Here’s an upcoming third story, I’m Determined to Live Off My Wife, featuring a male cross-dresser vs. a female cross-dresser.

Also check out my completed novel, Tang Branches Cannot Be Plucked: a clever, composed, wealthy heroine vs. a gentlemanly judge.

Theme: Wherever you fall, build a wall there and climb to the heavens.