The Dutiful Wife Wants a Divorce

Huai Zhi was born to a poor family. She was so honest and slow-witted that she had yet to marry at eighteen.

Later, she hit it off with a sickly young gentleman, and they decided to marry so she could bring him good fortune.

Cui Jingci was mild-tempered and exceptionally handsome. His only flaw was his poor health.

But to Huai Zhi, that was a good thing too.

Only on their wedding night, when she saw her husband's strong waist and met his deep gaze, did Huai Zhi belatedly realize he had tricked her.

His health was perfectly fine!

As time went by, Huai Zhi discovered that her husband was rigid, domineering, and proud. He disliked her having much to do with other men, and wouldn't even let her talk to them. He had plenty of energy and always found new ways to wear her out.

Huai Zhi thought he was sick in the head and gradually regretted marrying him.

*

Cui Jingci had once been praised by all as a fine young gentleman. Everything others envied was his for the taking. Only later, when circumstances left him no choice, did he have to pretend to be sick.

But he was nearing thirty. He needed a wife and a child.

Huai Zhi was the perfect choice.

He didn't understand love. But on those nights of pleasure, when he saw his wife blush as she tried to keep quiet, saw her swollen lips, and watched her lie on top of him in tears, he thought that living like this for the rest of his life wouldn't be so bad.

But later, for some reason, Huai Zhi grew more and more distant from him. She even laughed and chatted with other men. Cui Jingci argued with her about it, only to hear the usually timid Huai Zhi summon her courage and say, "If you find me so unbearable, why don't we divorce?"

Some filthy thing outside was trying to seduce his wife.

His wife had become unfaithful to her husband.

Men deserve to die. Wives deserve to be punished.

Before marrying Huai Zhi, Cui Jingci had thought her timid, weak, poor, and lowborn. He never expected that one day he would fall for her, willingly bowing his head and begging for what he couldn't have.

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Blurb: Meng Zhi was known as the most beautiful married woman in the village. Unfortunately, she already had a husband.

Her husband was as dull as a block of wood, but he had lost his parents and treated her well.

Then one day, her husband rescued a man and brought him home. She was furious, but there was nothing she could do. The man was already in their house, and they couldn't get rid of him.

The man they took in was exceptionally handsome and kind. He seemed grateful for their help, too. Meng Zhi thought that once he recovered, she'd make sure to get some money out of him.

But before they could send the man away, her husband died outside, and Meng Zhi became a widow overnight.

The man asked if she was willing to go home with him.

Meng Zhi looked at him through tear-filled eyes, then finally nodded.

*

Xiao Mingzhuo was a nobleman of high birth. He had already made a name for himself as a young man, but one day he was ambushed and nearly lost his life.

The woman who cared for him was an ignorant village woman from the marketplace. Apart from her beauty, she had nothing going for her: vulgar, foolish, greedy, and mercenary.

But later, she became a widow.

Xiao Mingzhuo only brought her home out of pity for an ignorant woman.

That widow began appearing in his dreams for no reason. Xiao Mingzhuo remembered the sounds coming from next door, night after night.

Once he had her, that should have been enough. But gradually, Xiao Mingzhuo found himself unable to be satisfied.

In short, her husband was already dead. Why not take his place?

Theme: When one road ends, another opens.