The Frail Husband's Thousand-Layered Schemes

Honest and timid ❤️ Cunning poser | Fake frailty, real strength

Jiang Xuezhi, the daughter of a minor official, was born with snowy skin and stunning beauty. Before she was even old enough to wear her hair up, matchmakers were already beating down her door.

But when Jiang was young, she witnessed some awful things. Ever since, she had developed a deep-seated fear of tall, powerful men, trembling at the sight of them. All she wanted was a gentle, frail scholar for a husband.

As it happened, the top-scoring candidate in the palace examination came from a family of a century's standing, but was also a sickly man who coughed up blood at the slightest breeze.

When the matchmaker came calling, Lady Jiang, Jiang Xuezhi's stepmother, thought fortune had fallen into her lap and immediately agreed to the match.

For the first month of their marriage, the couple treated each other with courtesy and respect.

Jiang Xuezhi carefully prepared her husband's medicine, but his illness seemed even more serious than she'd imagined. He could barely walk, and never once brought up the matter of intimacy.

With the old madam pressing them to hurry, that night Jiang Xuezhi gritted her teeth and, trembling, reached out to undo her husband's sash.

Jiang Xuezhi never imagined that her frail, helpless husband would be all solid muscle beneath his outer robe, brimming with strength.

The young woman turned pale with fright and stumbled backward.

Pei Yan had no choice but to pull her back into his arms. He coughed twice and gently coaxed her, “I've been sickly since childhood. I only took up martial arts to improve my health, and over time I ended up like this. Don't be afraid.”

The young woman nodded through her tears, believing him.

But when she finally saw just how formidable her husband was, she was frightened nearly out of her wits once again.

Pei Yan gave a helpless smile. “I'm nothing special among men. This body of mine is already far inferior to other people's.”

Jiang Xuezhi believed him again.

It wasn't until she saw her husband crack a roadside stone sculpture with his bare hands that Jiang Xuezhi realized their marriage had been a lie from beginning to end.

What do you mean, nothing special? What a load of crap!

Pei Yan was a scoundrel! A big liar!

**

Pei Yan had fallen for a young woman, but she was terrified of tall, strong men, and he was the finest specimen of one.

To trick her into marrying him, Pei Yan had to pretend to be sick for two years.

Now that she'd found out, all the better.

He'd had enough of pretending anyway.

[Blurb written on 23/07/25 and screenshot saved]

Theme: There must be no deception in marriage