[I will never abandon this story, please add it to your favorites~~]
[Reborn / Married First, Love Later / Love by Force]
Shen Ru Nan is the beloved daughter of the Chancellor, a well-bred young lady from a distinguished family.
In her previous life, she set her heart on becoming empress, only to meet a tragic end. Before she could ever ascend the throne, a scoundrel killed her.
Given a second life, Shen Ru Nan decides to stay away from that scoundrel, then take her revenge.
To find a powerful ally, she turns her attention to the regent, Huo Zhi Jin.
Though crippled in both legs, he wields immense power at court and is a living demon whose name makes everyone tremble.
In public, Shen Ru Nan charms and teases Huo Zhi Jin, telling him again and again that she likes him, until the emperor issues an edict arranging their marriage.
In private, Shen Ru Nan is busy using the regent's influence to take revenge, with no interest in love.
She never notices Huo Zhi Jin's burning gaze or his exceptional care for her.
But once she has settled the scores from her past life, Shen Ru Nan leaves him a divorce letter and runs away.
Shen Ru Nan thinks she can live out the rest of her life in peace in her new refuge. Little does she know that Huo Zhi Jin will soon come looking for her.
On the bed, Huo Zhi Jin's expression is inscrutable as he half-closes his eyes and holds her captive in his arms.
"You went out to enjoy yourself without taking me along, my dear. How heartless."
"A divorce letter? You must be mistaken, my dear. I've never seen one."
"You took such good care of me before. Now that my legs are well, it's my turn to look after you myself."
Huo Zhi Jin practices what he preaches, and Shen Ru Nan is kept so busy being "looked after" that she can't sleep at night.
With an arm wrapped around her waist, Shen Ru Nan furrows her brow in her half-sleep and hears someone ask in her ear:
"My dear, are you going to run away again?"
1. One-on-one romance, happy ending, both leads have no prior romantic or sexual partners. The setting is fictional, so please don't nitpick historical accuracy.
2. The male lead is a cold, powerful official at first, then becomes a dark, obsessive man who takes love by force.
3. The leads marry first and fall in love later, with mutual devotion and sweet romance.
4. The ex-husband gets his just deserts, reduced to ashes with no chance of reconciliation.
Theme: Become a better version of yourself.
