The second month after she married Ninth Prince Yin Ce, he became a hostage, and Zhong Lingyu was sent along with him to the enemy country as a member of his household. The pampered young lady had barely enjoyed a few days of comfort before she had to suffer alongside Yin Ce.
Before Zhong Lingyu could even shed a tear, a strange thing called a System told her this was the world of a novel called Claiming the Nine Provinces, and her husband Yin Ce was the overpowered male lead.
But Zhong Lingyu wasn't the heroine. She was Yin Ce's spoiled, troublemaking ex-wife, a cannon-fodder character. During the lowest period of Yin Ce's life as a hostage, she would bully and humiliate him, never giving him even a hint of a lover's warmth. She would even sleep with an enemy prince and cuckold Yin Ce.
The real heroine was a maid by Zhong Lingyu's side. For years, she stayed by Yin Ce through thick and thin, forming a sharp contrast with Zhong Lingyu.
System: Host, if you want to live, start giving your all right now and win over the male lead.
Zhong Lingyu readily agreed.
- -
One moment, Zhong Lingyu picked up firewood to cook for Yin Ce. The next, she pricked her hand and gave up.
She'd leave the chance to do a trivial thing like cook to the heroine.
One night, Yin Ce was ambushed. Zhong Lingyu saw how vicious the assassins looked and how dangerous their blades were, so she ran away.
A dangerous task like that was better left to the heroine.
System: You really are hopeless, even when I give you a chance.
Zhong Lingyu: No rush. I have the upper hand.
- -
Later, what the System feared most still came to pass. Zhong Lingyu had been coming and going at odd hours lately, with a shy, blossoming smile on her face.
The System demanded an explanation.
Zhong Lingyu: But... the young gentleman who gave me a sachet is as gentle as jade and treats me so well. He's nothing like Yin Ce's deathly pale face...
She hadn't finished speaking when the System's reminder made her turn around.
Yin Ce's gaze was dark as he approached step by step. "You still have time to think about someone else? It seems I've not been giving you enough attention as your husband."
Theme: When disaster strikes, I won't know what hit me. Worst case, I'll just hang myself
