If You're His Friend or Foe, Inherit His Wife

[My next story: The Cool, Straight-Laced Woman Takes a Stand, Then Falls into a Battle for Her Affection]

1. Recently, a curious tale has been circulating in the capital: Gu Changxin, the eldest legitimate son of the Marquis of Yong'an, married a stunning beauty.

The beauty was named Jiang Lian. She had the delicate look of a frail, innocent maiden, just as her name suggested, and inspired everyone to cherish her.

But she was only a merchant's daughter.

Gu Changxin, on the other hand, came from a prominent family. He followed his father into the army as a boy, earned numerous military honors, and was made a general.

A man like him was determined to marry a merchant's daughter, and not even a legitimate one. As expected, many people opposed the match.

His younger brother, Gu Changzhao, raised his brows and scolded him, contempt for Jiang Lian written all over his face. "You're rough and uncouth. How could a delicate woman like that possibly love you? She must be greedy for your money."

His longtime friend Huo Zhou glared coldly, his words full of disdain for her. "You're dull-witted and softhearted, easily led astray. She's using you so she can become the wife of a nobleman!"

No matter how others tried to talk him out of it, Gu Changxin insisted on marrying Jiang Lian. He even ruined the engagement Jiang Lian's family had arranged for her, earning himself a reputation for taking her by force.

Their married life was fairly happy, but it didn't last long. By imperial decree, Gu Changxin was sent off to war.

Before leaving, Gu Changxin specifically asked his younger brother and friend to look after Jiang Lian. Though neither was pleased, they had no choice but to agree.

After Gu Changxin died, Gu Changzhao and Huo Zhou still couldn't stand Jiang Lian, but for their late brother's and friend's sake, they did their best to look after her.

Jiang Lian accidentally fell into the water.

Huo Zhou was usually arrogant and unruly, but now he climbed into her bed to warm her with his own body, spouting nonsense. "You've caught a chill. I have a family remedy. All it takes is for me to channel my inner strength into you, and you'll be cured."

Gu Changzhao was as upright as bamboo and naturally cold-natured. He stayed by her side day and night, carefully feeding her medicine himself. "It is only right that I look after you now that my elder brother is gone. Besides, my late brother appeared in a dream and gave me permission to marry my sister-in-law. You needn't stand on ceremony."

Jiang Lian looked ready to cry and hid her face as she sobbed. "You... You're his closest kin. How could I betray my husband?"

She thought things had settled down, but then... her ex-husband came back.

Not only that, she discovered that her ex-husband had become a demon spirit.

It turned out demon spirits really did exist.

And there was more than one demon spirit around her.

Note: All intimate relationships begin only after her relationship with her husband has ended.

Heads-up: 1. Multiple men compete for the heroine, leading to a dramatic love-triangle scenario. There are more than three male contenders.

2. The heroine is a sweet, scheming little cat with strong survival skills.

PS: Character art by bs Meigu.

Completed harem reverse story: I Had No Choice but to Force a Kiss on Four of My Nemeses to Be a Jerk

Next story: The Cool, Straight-Laced Woman Takes a Stand, Then Falls into a Battle for Her Affection [Everyone's Favorite]

Xie Ziqi is a despairing heterosexual woman.

After transmigrating into an ABO world, Xie Ziqi has never been able to adapt to its rigid ideas about gender.

Even though Xie Ziqi is an Alpha, she only likes men and can fall for male Alphas, too.

As ridiculous as it sounds, in some places, people in Alpha-Alpha relationships are even arrested.

To avoid trouble, Xie Ziqi can only insist that she's an ABO-world heterosexual.

To this day, Xie Ziqi is still single.

Fortunately, her younger sister is single too. They're both female Alphas, and though their family was blended, they're very close and practically inseparable.

But their peaceful life was shattered one day when Xie Ziqi and her sister ran into their boss while having a meal.

Their boss was gorgeous, and in private she'd said all sorts of lewd things about him to her sister, not because she liked him, but out of spite.

After all, who doesn't hate their boss? Right?

That day, their boss was acting strangely. He sat at the next table and fidgeted the whole time. Xie Ziqi suspected he had hemorrhoids.

When she and her sister were about to leave, he seemed to steel himself and came over.

Apparently too embarrassed to speak, he pulled out his phone. Xie Ziqi curiously leaned in to look.

It said: Are you two female Alphas dating?

Unbelievable. She'd thought he was a handsome, cool, abstinent man with a hot body and a firm butt, but he turned out to be an idiot.

From that day on, people kept asking if she was really not into women.

She was furious and denied it vehemently.

Some people were happy. Others were disappointed.

Wait, what exactly are you all happy or disappointed about?

Then things got even stranger.

Her cold-faced boss shyly took Xie Ziqi's hand and moved it upward, asking whether his pectorals were firm.

A colleague she'd beaten up was whimpering halfway through, making indecent noises.

Her usually fully clothed younger sister even took off her clothes in front of her. It turned out her sister wasn't who she thought she was.

A cheerful, lustful, but slow-on-the-uptake wisecracker. The heroine has no special abilities, but can mark people of any gender.

Includes nonhumans.

Inspired by an internet meme where someone shows another person their phone, with the words "Are you two women who date women?" on the screen.

Theme: Keep striving to live.