It wasn't until her younger brother passed the highest imperial examination that Zhao Jingchun learned that the boy she had relied on for six years was actually Xie Jingling, the prime minister's grandson.
Years ago, to right a grave injustice, her father had risked his life to bring home the only son of the late Censor-in-Chief, raising him as her younger brother.
The prime minister's family couldn't wait to bring their grandson back home. Seeing how alone Zhao Jingchun was, the prime minister's wife meant to look after her and offered to let her stay at the residence as a cook.
Then Xie Jingling said coolly, "My sister is uncouth. She might sully the prime minister's kitchen."
Zhao Jingchun thought she had raised an ungrateful wretch. Calmly accepting the reward money from the prime minister's household, she cut ties with him for good.
When the doctor at the mouth of the alley heard she intended to marry, he hurriedly sent a matchmaker to propose. He was an honest man, long past the age of marriage, and had been waiting for her all these years.
Zhao Jingchun vaguely remembered that when she had been burning with fever and unable to get up, he had made medicine and fed it to her. Seeing his embarrassed face and fidgeting hands, she lowered her eyes with a faint smile and accepted the matchmaker's proposal.
On their wedding night, she waited a long time in the bridal chamber. Just as the red candles were about to burn out, the heavy stench of blood filled the air. A slender, sharply jointed hand lifted her veil and tilted up her chin.
Zhao Jingchun was forced to look up. Her younger brother's exquisite, indifferent face was still spattered with blood, someone else's blood.
He smiled tenderly, but his voice was cold. "You drank the medicine I fed you, so why are you still thinking of marrying someone else?"
A moment later, Xie Jingling bent down and said hoarsely, "If you've forgotten how I helped you take your medicine, I don't mind letting you experience it again."
Note: Younger man, the woman is twenty-two and the man is eighteen / pseudo-incest / coercive pursuit
Theme: Becoming a better version of yourself
