After Marrying Up

[70% of the bonus chapters can be unlocked for free. Thanks for the five-star reviews!]

Powerful man lowers his head | Marriage before love | Both virgins

Plainspoken, beautiful farm girl x cold, unhinged prince of a vassal state

To repay the bandits who had saved his life, the Prince of Zhao arranged for his eldest legitimate son, Wei Heng, to marry a bandit's daughter.

Years later, the Prince of Zhao passed away, but the childhood betrothal, made without the couple's knowledge or consent, still stood.

Everyone knew that Wei Heng, heir to the prince's title, was as handsome as a jade orchid and the most exceptional young nobleman in the capital.

His future was bright, yet he had to obey his late father's wishes and marry a country girl.

With a single flaw marring an otherwise perfect jade, Wei Heng became a laughingstock among the nobility. Even the old princess felt sorry for her son and found fault with her daughter-in-law at every turn.

After their marriage, Wei Heng was quiet and aloof, but he never mistreated Shen Qingtang. The two of them were, by and large, respectful toward one another.

Shen Qingtang gradually relaxed. Her parents had died young, and now her only family was the husband she had just married.

The trouble was that, aside from their customary monthly conjugal visit, Wei Heng never spent the night in her bedroom.

The few tender moments they shared came in bed, when Wei Heng stroked the small mole behind her ear and kissed her gently.

In those moments, Wei Heng was no longer aloof and unreachable. Like the family Shen Qingtang had lost, he would call her Qingqing.

-

One day, Wei Heng's childhood sweetheart and cousin came to visit. The old princess deliberately kept Shen Qingtang away and entertained her niece herself.

The old princess embraced her niece and lamented that Shen Qingtang had no shame, stealing her niece's match.

While bringing over a plate of fruit, Shen Qingtang overheard them and thought little of it.

But as she saw the cousin off, she happened to notice a familiar little mole behind her ear.

Then she learned that the cousin's childhood nickname was also Qingqing.

Only then did Shen Qingtang understand: Wei Heng had merely treated her as a substitute for his cousin. As a gentleman who valued his word, and out of respect for his father's dying wish, he could not disobey.

Wei Heng's affection for her had all been false.

Heartbroken, Shen Qingtang sent Wei Heng a divorce agreement and ended their relationship.

-

Later, Wei Heng and Shen Qingtang crossed paths by chance in a border town.

At the time, Shen Qingtang was looking after her godson. She was distracted for just a moment, and the child went missing.

The child got lost in the bustling streets and cried out for his mother. By chance, he ran into Wei Heng.

When Shen Qingtang unexpectedly encountered her former husband, she did not exchange pleasantries. She simply held out her hand and said, "Give me the child."

Wei Heng's phoenix eyes were icy as he asked coldly, "Yours?"

Shen Qingtang nodded. "Mine."

For years, Shen Qingtang had been nowhere to be found.

After a long absence, Wei Heng finally saw his former wife again, only to learn that she had married and had a child.

Hearing the child call her "Mother" again and again grated on Wei Heng until his good temper vanished.

Beneath his sleeves, his fingers curled as fury surged through him.

...When had she married another man?

(The blurb contains a point-of-view error. The novel itself takes precedence.)

We collect evidence and take legal action against all unauthorized reposting. If you don't like the story, you can stop reading, but we despise all forms of theft.

Please respect the author's hard work. Thank you!

1. The aloof beauty goes mad, and the powerful man lowers his head. Later, he relentlessly pursues her. Angsty, satisfying push and pull.

If this isn't your thing, feel free to drop the story. Let's not torment each other by insulting the author. We can all enjoy the stories we like.

2. Heng is pronounced like "heng" and means jade.

3. Shen Qingtang is 18, and Wei Heng is 24. They are six years apart.

There are vicious male and female rivals. This is not a story where everyone is friendly and affectionate, so read with care. Drop it if it's not for you.

The main characters are not based on any historical figures. Please don't speculate. Thank you.

4. Updates may not be daily. There may occasionally be a day between updates.

Blurb recorded on December 28, 2024. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reposting and plagiarism will be prosecuted.

Jiang Wanyin was sold by her own father to her husband's family as a child bride.

Her husband's family was dirt poor. As a daughter-in-law, Jiang Wanyin had to serve her parents-in-law and look after her husband's daily needs.

Then, the year her father-in-law died, people came from the capital to say he was a son born out of wedlock to the Marquis of Qiyang. Now that he had been recognized by his birth family, his descendants could all return to the capital and live in comfort.

Jiang Wanyin became the granddaughter-in-law of the Marquis of Qiyang. She no longer had to get up before dawn to work in the fields and support the family.

Unfortunately, dazzled by wealth and status, her husband grew to despise Jiang Wanyin for her rural origins. He spent his days at brothels and courtesan houses, then died of a sex-related illness on New Year's Eve...

Widowed at a young age, Jiang Wanyin was branded a husband-killer and despised by her mother-in-law.

The men who had once supported the family's branch were all dead. The marquis's servants treated people according to their status, and grew increasingly cold toward Jiang Wanyin and her mother-in-law.

They were neglected in every aspect of daily life, and even their winter clothes and heating fuel were often cut back.

In the depths of winter, snow blanketed the ground, and their bedding was thin.

Unable to bear the cold, Jiang Wanyin spotted a faint glow from a distant courtyard. She hesitated for a moment, then braved the snow and went out.

-

Gu Junyan, the eldest grandson of the marquis's main household, was the head of the powerful Gu family.

Before he had even turned thirty, he had entered the Grand Secretariat and become a third-rank official, a rare genius indeed.

After leaving the Secretariat, Gu Junyan's affliction flared up.

He disliked being touched by others, so after taking his medicine alone, he went to the outer courtyard to ease his symptoms.

Just as he was about to close his eyes, he heard the soft crunch of footsteps in the snow outside.

He looked up to see the door crack open, revealing a beautiful woman leaning against it, snow dusting her coiffed hair.

She was dressed lightly, as radiant as a hibiscus. Her slender figure trembled slightly with each hurried, shallow breath.

The beautiful woman held out a pair of rough, red hands, frozen by the cold, and explained nervously and fearfully,

"I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone was inside. It's so cold. I just wanted to lean by the door and warm myself by the fire..."

Her voice was timid and gentle, and she seemed so frail she might break in a breeze.

She looked pitiful.

Gu Junyan glanced at her, his cool gaze settling on the alluring stretch of pale neck exposed beneath her lowered head.

After thinking for a long while, he finally remembered.

So she was the widow left behind by that disgraceful younger cousin from the side branch...

[Reader's guide]

1. Strong male lead and vulnerable female lead. The heroine is not a virgin; she is a widow. The hero is a virgin. They are nine years apart (she is 18, he is 27).

2. Young widow x elder brother-in-law. The heroine's husband is truly dead and will not come back.

Theme: Pursue the one you love