Clean romance, one couple, happy ending / marriage first, love later / they think they can't stand each other, but have been in love for ages
[Upright, gentle, and virtuous mistress of the household vs. a ruthless, bloodthirsty general with a violent streak and an insatiable appetite]
In her previous life, she married into a marquis's household, walking on eggshells and dutifully serving her parents-in-law. But her husband framed her, and she died miserably in prison.
Her husband had an affair with her half-sister, the woman he loved, killed her two children, and ordered the maid who tried to clear her name beaten to death.
In this life, two bridal sedan chairs entered the marquis's estate at the same time.
But who could have guessed that on her wedding night, when her veil was lifted, the man before her would not be her former husband, but his younger brother: the second young master of the marquis's household, Zhao Chengyuan, a fearsome general with countless military accomplishments.
His gaze was appraising, his tone as icy as it had been in her previous life:
“Now that you've married into the marquis's household and become my lawful wife, Zhao Chengyuan's, you'd better behave yourself from now on, bear my children, and stop getting involved with other men.”
Before she could even understand what the second young master Zhao meant, the man claimed her body by force.
A veteran of years of war, he was powerfully built, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He left her feeling as if every bone in her body had melted.
·
It was only the next day that she learned she and her half-sister had gone to the wrong courtyard and married the wrong men.
In the main hall, her former husband knelt on the floor and confessed that he was deeply in love with her half-sister, and that they had long been secretly engaged.
The two embraced and wept, making her look like a villain who had torn apart a loving couple.
As everyone looked at her with pity, she remained composed and said, one word at a time:
“Since I entered the bridal chamber with the second young master, I am his lawful wife.”
“I have nothing more to do with the eldest young master.”
Her words were final. Silence filled the hall.
The man standing behind her lowered his gaze, his expression dark and inscrutable as he watched her.
·
That night,
The man gripped the crook of her knee and held her fast in his arms. As she lost herself in desire, he warned her by her ear, every word deliberate:
“Eldest sister-in-law, remember what you said today. If you dare betray me, Zhao the Second, we'll go to hell together.”
At the words “eldest sister-in-law,” Fang Ying trembled all over.
So she wasn't the only one who had been reborn...
She was set on revenge and making them pay for her children.
But for some reason, the brother-in-law who had always mocked her in her previous life now treated her like the most precious thing in the world, standing up for her, helping her establish her authority, and securing her a noble title.
Aside from demanding her every night with such abandon that he seemed ready to devour her whole, he was practically perfect.
.
Later, Zhao Chengyuan rose to the highest ranks of the court, and she became the wife of a Duke.
Looking at their empty inner residence, she worried people would call her jealous, so she took the initiative to arrange concubines for him.
When the man heard the news, that very night he ignored her pleas and held her in his arms, demanding her for the entire night.
“Your husband has been away from the capital for years, and you've certainly grown bold, Madam.”
“Will you still dare to arrange concubines for me?” His voice was low and powerful. His strong arm clamped around her waist, squeezing so hard it seemed he would break it.
Fang Ying wept until her eyes were blurred with tears, begging him to stop.
The two were of one heart, supporting each other and basking in glory and favor.
Meanwhile, her former husband's family was in utter chaos, unable to find a moment's peace.
Her former husband regretted everything, making a scene in the estate and begging to switch back to their original marriage arrangement.
Before Fang Ying could even speak, the tall, broad-shouldered man shielded her behind him, his gaze icy cold. “Where did this madman come from? How dare he covet my lawful wife?”
“Someone beat him to death.”
In Fang Ying's eyes, she had trusted the wrong man in her previous life, and only in this life had she found such a husband.
But only Zhao Chengyuan knew that one glimpse of her years ago had been enough for him to fall deeply in love. He had coveted her for a long time.
The man who had been betrothed to her was never his good-for-nothing elder brother. It was him all along.
Given another life, he would make sure she lived without a care in the world.
Reader's guide:
1. Clean romance, one couple, happy ending. The male lead had a secret crush on the heroine in his previous life.
Theme: You can't judge a person by appearances
