The orphan Zhou Chuntao brought Zhao You, covered in blood, home and carefully nursed him until he finally woke up.
As they spent more time together, Zhou Chuntao secretly fell for him. Zhao You said he would repay her life-saving kindness by giving himself to her.
Zhao You solemnly wrote up a marriage contract. Zhou Chuntao couldn't read, but she kept it safe and took it out almost every day to look at it, overjoyed.
Over the next three years, Zhou Chuntao nursed Zhao You back to health, healed his leg, and spent all her savings accompanying him back to Chang'an. Only when she saw the grand mansions and extravagant pavilions did she learn that he was the young master of a dukedom, with a childhood sweetheart who loved him waiting for him to come home.
Zhao You said he was already engaged, so the marriage contract didn't count. He gave her a thousand taels of gold as thanks.
Later, after Zhou Chuntao learned to read, she found out what the marriage contract said: “My heart belongs to another, and I cannot make you this promise. This is a measure of expediency; I hope you will understand. For saving my life, I will repay you with a thousand taels of gold...”
Trying to use kindness to claim a reward really does invite retribution.
When Qin Menghe was gravely wounded and close to death, he met Zhou Chuntao. She looked at him, hesitated for a moment, then walked away carrying her heavy bundle.
A little while later, she turned back and saved him after all. Once Qin Menghe had recovered, he said he wanted to repay her. But Zhou Chuntao waved him off. She said that when you do good deeds, you shouldn't expect anything in return, or you'll suffer retribution. She had already suffered her share.
Later, Qin Menghe distinguished himself on the battlefield during a time of upheaval, earning promotions and titles and enjoying great success. He came with an eight-bearer bridal sedan to ask for Zhou Chuntao's hand. On their wedding day, Zhao You arrived with a marriage contract to stop the wedding, insisting Zhou Chuntao was his wife, married to him from the beginning...
Content warning:
The male lead changes. The second male lead becomes the main lead, and the scumbag gets his just deserts.
The male lead has no excuse. He's just a scumbag.
The heroine doesn't forgive him. She kills him without mercy.
Theme: Study hard and improve yourself every day.
