Pleasant in the Mist [Marriage Before Love]

Polished, self-serving beauty with a scheming streak x austere, abstinent, steady fatherly type

Two powerful families, marriage first and love later x the ultimate push and pull between adults

Lin Wuyi's mother died young, and she was sent overseas as a child. She grew up wild and free, believing that "money and power are the best nourishment for a woman," and made a name for herself abroad.

Only after returning home did she discover that her biological father had secretly married several young, beautiful stepmothers behind her back. Between the legitimate and illegitimate younger siblings in the family, there were enough to fill a whole platoon.

To secure her inheritance, Lin Wuyi fought tooth and nail with her stepmothers, and keenly realized that she didn't seem to have the upper hand.

Lin Wuyi: Fine.

No wonder he's her father. He's just as focused on profit, cold, and heartless.

But there was nothing she could do. When you're living under someone else's roof, you have to keep your head down. Lin Wuyi could only find a way to turn the situation around herself.

She dug up the childhood betrothal her mother had arranged for her twenty years ago, shortly before her death.

The current head of the Qi family.

Qi Jiali.

-

Even though Lin Wuyi had spent years abroad, she'd still heard of Qi Jiali.

Proper and solemn, refined and reticent. Though blessed with a face of exceptional beauty, he had kept himself away from women for years. Since taking charge of the family, he hadn't had a single scandalous rumor attached to his name.

Lin Wuyi had once heard the well-born ladies of Shanghai tease that he lived like an ascetic. If you didn't know better, you'd think he was keeping himself chaste for someone.

There was a note of complaint in their words, but also a hint of longing.

Lin Wuyi was very satisfied with this image of him. With a single phone call, she arranged to meet him at Yong Fu Hui.

The man came as invited. It seemed the smoke of a bidding meeting still clung to his black suit. He politely nodded when he saw her, exactly as the rumors had described: rigid and dull.

After the meal, Lin Wuyi got straight to the point. "Mr. Qi, you haven't married in all these years, and I happen to need a capable husband. Would you be willing to do me a favor?"

Qi Jiali paused, but still handed her a handkerchief. After a moment of silence, he nodded in agreement.

On the day they got their marriage license, as they walked out of the civil affairs bureau, Qi Jiali looked at her and said, "...Happy wedding day."

Lin Wuyi responded graciously, "Pleasure doing business with you."

-

With the Qi family's backing, Lin Wuyi was like a tiger with wings. On the day she successfully won over the board of directors, she came home half-drunk and kicked open the door to Qi Jiali's study. "To celebrate my triumphant return, Mr. Qi, how about showing me a little appreciation?"

Qi Jiali reached out and steadied her in his arms. "Didn't you set a limit of three times a week?"

Lin Wuyi glared at him in annoyance. "That's not what I meant! And can you even keep up? If you can't, I'll find someone else!"

Qi Jiali rubbed his brow and sighed as he looked at her. "Miss Lin, ask yourself honestly: since we got married, is there anything you've wanted that I haven't given you?"

Lin Wuyi couldn't answer, so she simply tilted her head up and silenced him with a kiss.

From that day on, the rule of three times a week became meaningless.

She was a vast, surging fog, and he willingly lost himself in it.

* One-on-one romance. The male lead has a secret crush, and gets full marks for being a devoted husband.

* The female lead has low morals. Everything she does is motivated solely by power.

* Both come from powerful families, and the female lead can't stand suffering even the slightest indignity.

Theme: Money and power are the best nourishment for a woman