Ye Zhenzhen, a female court official in the Palace Administration Office, is as beautiful as the first light of spring, her looks unmatched among the palace women.
At a peony banquet, she is ostracized and accidentally wanders into the gathering just as the emperor is arranging a marriage for Ning Xuye, the modest young heir to the Duke's estate.
The drunken young man glances up casually and points at her below the steps. "Her, then." With that, her marriage is decided on a whim.
Everyone says that, born to a humble family, she has struck incredible luck by marrying into the Duke's household and becoming its mistress. Even her parents, who once despised her and sent her to the palace, come smiling to curry favor.
At first, Ye Zhenzhen is full of hope. Cautious and obedient, she serves him faithfully, hoping only to warm his cold, unyielding heart.
But in the three years after their wedding, Ning Xuye spends far more nights in his study than in their marital quarters. They rarely see each other, and his expression toward her is nothing but distant and cold.
It is only after one intimate encounter, when he rises as usual to straighten his robes and leaves without looking back, that she is left alone on the empty bed, suddenly understanding the truth. He has always had someone else in his heart: a childhood sweetheart from a family of equal standing, the woman he had long intended to marry.
She gave her whole heart to the wrong person, and all she feels now is resentment.
She has had enough of this marriage in name only.
At dawn the next day, Ning Xuye finds nothing on his desk but a divorce agreement.
*
As the legitimate son of a ducal family, Ning Xuye was born into nobility. Distinguished and polished, he commanded the forces around the capital while still young and was always arrogant and unruly, the unreachable dream of countless noblewomen in the capital.
Yet when it comes to his wife, he is at a loss. She is so beautiful, and her nature is as gentle as a pool of spring water; even her voice is soft.
He is constantly anxious that his own fierce temperament might frighten her, so he deliberately keeps his distance and sleeps in his study. Even when they are intimate, he dares not stay long, afraid of imposing on her.
The tender regard he thought he had kept so carefully hidden earns him nothing in the end but the cold divorce agreement on his desk.
Ning Xuye catches the lingering scent of lychee on his fingertips and suddenly laughs in fury.
His wife does not need to be treated gently.
Then he will drag her back, keep her by his side, and tell her to her face just how much he loves her.
Extra scene
After leaving the capital, Ye Zhenzhen walks along a mountain path when a band of armed bandits suddenly rushes out of the woods and surrounds her. Yet they hesitate to approach, milling about where they stand.
One of the bandits leans close to their leader and whispers, "That lady looks rich. She's an easy mark. Why aren't we robbing her?"
The bandit leader glances at the road nearby, spits under his breath, and signals for him to look behind them.
At the end of the mountain path, Ning Xuye rides a jet-black steed, loosely holding the reins as he trails behind at an unhurried pace. His plain black robes cannot hide his imposing presence. His gaze stays fixed on Ye Zhenzhen's back, never once shifting away.
The bandits wouldn't dare provoke such a fearsome figure. They can only watch the young lady walk away, not daring even to breathe too loudly.
PS: One-on-one, both leads are each other's first and only love, bittersweet
Theme: Life is an open wilderness. Be bold and keep moving forward.
Congratulations on the new business😋Happy holidays🌹