Zhuang Yiqing, daughter of a minor official, is accomplished, graceful, and virtuous. Though her family is of modest standing, suitors come one after another.
But one day, the Empress Dowager arranges her marriage to Xie Jinyu.
The Jingyuan Marquis's residence is a grand mansion, home to a family of high rank. But Xie Jinyu, the heir, is notorious in the capital as a hell-raiser. Despite his fine clothes and lavish meals, he is lazy and uneducated, and causes so much trouble that everyone avoids him.
Her parents sigh day and night, and many people in the capital feel sorry for her, but Zhuang Yiqing remains unfazed.
No one knows she fell for him long ago, when he saved her from being trampled by a horse.
Unfortunately, Xie Jinyu doesn't like her. He even spends their wedding night elsewhere and makes a deal with her:
They will divorce after a year.
Zhuang Yiqing knows that a melon forced off the vine isn't sweet, so she won't push him. After they marry, she does her duty and never pries into his private affairs.
But lately, she's noticed that Xie Jinyu has been acting strangely...
For example, he comes back to their room every day and insists on sharing her bed.
He follows her around all day, questioning her closely whenever she goes out, and sometimes even accompanying her.
And she once noticed that Xie Jinyu had opened the box where she kept their divorce papers.
Xie Jinyu is angry, too.
He accidentally learns that one reason his wife agreed to marry him was because he had once saved her.
But he knows very well that it was his friend who saved her that day. He was in the carriage at the time.
And besides...
Now that they're married, Zhuang Yiqing should share a bed with him in life and be buried with him in death. How dare anyone else covet her!
*
On a quiet, snowy night, Xie Jinyu carefully tosses the divorce papers into the brazier.
Just as he turns around, he sees Zhuang Yiqing approaching with a puzzled expression. "What are you doing, husband?"
He quickly pokes at the coals, then walks over with a smile and wraps her in his arms. He buries his face against her shoulder and kisses her cheek.
He says with concern, "You get cold easily, so I added more charcoal."
Xie Jinyu runs his fingers through her hair, his eyes fierce. So what if they've been promised to each other? So what if they've known each other since childhood? Zhuang Yiqing can only be his!
Theme: Treat others sincerely. Love can overcome any obstacle.
