After Parting Ways with My Husband

[Blurb for the upcoming novels "A Yuan," "Huai Tao," "Hibiscus Hues," and others included below. Please add them to your reading list!] In the third year of Ji Luo and Zhao Chengjia's marriage, the cousin he had always secretly loved, his famously cold-hearted moonlight, suddenly changed her ways. Not only did she abandon her former coldness, she also unhesitatingly divorced the husband she'd been married to for years, brazenly moved into their home, and devoted all her attention to Zhao Chengjia. She stayed up all night to make him a bowl of chicken soup. To afford the birthday gift he wanted, she stayed awake embroidering handkerchiefs to sell. She even risked her life, taking a fatal blow for him to save him. She placed her passionate love before him without holding anything back. At first, Zhao Chengjia paid no attention to her advances. Whenever he had to make a choice, he stood by Ji Luo without hesitation. Ji Luo thought he truly no longer had feelings for his cousin. But when his cousin finally lost all hope and agreed to marry someone else, he stopped her sedan in the street and pulled her into his arms, heedless of propriety and social convention. Only then did Ji Luo realize that his feelings for her had never changed. On the day of their divorce, Zhao Chengjia stared at the divorce agreement in his hands for a long time. For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were supposed to grow old together. **************** Upcoming Novel One: "Huai Tao" **************** Everyone in the capital knew that Xue Huaitao had begged on her knees for the marriage to Zhao Cheng'an. Huaitao was from Qingzhou. Her family had been merchants for generations and had once been quite wealthy. But five years ago, disaster struck. Her father and brothers were killed by bandits, and her mother followed them in death, overcome by grief. Huaitao had planned to keep the family business afloat, but her uncle and aunt, who had once treated her like their own daughter, showed their true colors. They seized the family fortune and, to eliminate any future trouble, planned to sell her to a brothel. Seeking protection, she had no choice but to take the old marriage contract to the Zhao residence. The years Xue Huaitao spent married into the Zhao family were miserable. It wasn't just that Zhao's mother made things difficult for her. Her sister-in-law never showed her any respect, and even the maids in the household looked down on her. Zhao Cheng'an disliked her even more. A merchant's daughter reeking of money, he thought. Just as calculating as you'd expect, even using her own marriage as leverage to collect on a favor. But since she was already his wife, no matter how much he disliked her, he had to show her some basic courtesy. For three years of marriage, they had managed to live in peace. Sometimes he saw her making clothes for him, stitch by stitch, staying up all night to prepare ginger soup for him, or keeping vigil by his side day after day when he was gravely ill from poisoning. Zhao Cheng'an couldn't help thinking that, selfish and scheming though she might be, she was at least sincere in her feelings for him. Living like this wasn't so bad. But one day, beneath a cascade of wisteria, he saw with his own eyes the wife who had always seemed to have eyes only for him press a handful of silver into the hands of a handsome, refined-looking man. In a lowered voice, she said, "Hurry and leave. Don't let him see you." ******************** Upcoming Novel Two: "Hibiscus Hues" ******************** When the Emperor brought Zhao Yihuai back from Qingzhou, a timid little girl was with him. The girl's name was Xu Lingfu, and she was Zhao Yihuai's betrothed. Zhao Yihuai had spent seven years living away from home, and the Xu family had taken care of him. After something happened to the Xu family, he naturally agreed to the marriage. When Lingfu first arrived in the capital, she could only follow Zhao Yihuai around in a daze. She didn't know the rules of the palace and could barely understand the officials' crisp, proper speech. Lingfu knew that everyone in the imperial city was someone important, and even an ordinary palace servant looked down on her. Zhao Yihuai grew busier and busier, and she could hardly ever see him. It seemed that everyone but her had forgotten about their engagement. But Lingfu continued to wait faithfully, thinking that once he had finished doing what he wanted, she could marry her dear Yihuai. Until she saw Zhao Yihuai take the Emperor's beloved Consort Min into his arms. Once the truth is exposed, some things become impossible to restrain. Lingfu suddenly realized that Zhao Yihuai's feelings for Consort Min had been obvious all along: from the handkerchief embroidered with the character Min, to the sweet fragrance of a woman on his clothes, to the painting in his study that no one was allowed to open. She watched helplessly as Zhao Yihuai grew more and more unhinged in his pursuit of the woman who should have belonged to his father, until he raised an army in rebellion. During the chaos of battle, someone panicked and held a knife to Lingfu's neck, threatening Zhao Yihuai and demanding his surrender. Lingfu looked up in terror and met his utterly cold gaze. She saw his lips move. "She's just a peasant girl. So what if she's killed?" ******************** Upcoming Novel Three: "A Yuan" ******************** A Yuan was sold into the Minister of Works' residence as a maid when she was eight. The person she feared most wasn't any of the fierce-looking matrons, but Miss Gu Lanqing, who was widely renowned for her kindness. A Yuan had seen how she tormented people. She could drive someone to their death without anyone being the wiser. But A Yuan had always been cautious and meticulous, never giving anyone a chance to find fault with her. So she managed to live in peace in the Minister's residence. That is, until the day she saw Yu Jing, the servant Gu Lanqing had bought from outside. * Yu Jing had once saved A Yuan. On a long street stretching beyond sight, he had given her a plain steamed bun when she was starving. So A Yuan wanted to save him in turn. When he was framed and sold into servitude, she stood firmly in front of him to shield him. She even drank the bowl of soup laced with poison in his place. That night, Yu Jing held her body, black with blood, in his arms and swore to make them pay for everything they had done to her. And he did. In just two years, he found evidence to overturn the old case and, thanks to his achievements, became even more illustrious than before. Meanwhile, the Minister's residence was implicated in its old crimes and fell into ruin. For two taels of silver, Yu Jing bought the once lofty young lady of the Minister's residence and brought her home as the lowliest of servants. He humiliated and trampled her every day. Even the daily medicine A Yuan took to dispel the poison contained an ingredient made from blood drawn from Gu Lanqing's wrist. A Yuan thought Yu Jing hated Gu Lanqing. But one day, she saw Yu Jing holding the woman tightly in his arms, as if he wanted to press her into his very bones... Theme: Treasure yourself