A Gem by My Side

【Currently revising. Pirated copies are jumbled and incomplete. Please support the official version. I’m not responsible for errors in pirated copies. Be sure to read the content warnings below the blurb before starting.】 Lin Zhan didn’t like his sister-in-law. She was the woman his elder brother had married while posted to the frontier. Unlike the noble young ladies in the capital, she wasn’t pretty enough, was dull-witted, came from a lowly background, and was a crude butcher’s daughter. His elder brother, meanwhile, came from a distinguished family. He was upright, handsome as the bright moon, and had already secured an important position at court at a young age. His future was boundless. They were a terrible match. Lin Zhan was certain this woman had used despicable means to make his brother marry her. After his posting ended, his brother returned to the capital, and the family wanted to arrange a new marriage for him. But his brother, that man of such pure character, actually defied his elders, taking the woman’s hand and insisting she was his one and only wife, the bride he had married with all due ceremony. Lin Zhan scoffed in disdain. She must have put a spell on his brother. She had gone from a butcher’s daughter to the wife of a successful scholar, rising from the branches to become a phoenix. Lin Zhan was sure her greedy, lowly nature would show itself one day. As his sister-in-law, she naturally looked after him. But Lin Zhan disliked her and picked fights with her at every turn. She always lowered her eyes and kept her head down, never getting angry, as if all his teasing was nothing more than childish behavior. Lin Zhan disliked her more and more, yet she kept appearing in his damp, stifling dreams. * The second year after she married into the family, Lin Zhan’s elder brother died. He watched his sister-in-law weep until she nearly fainted, then stepped forward to support her and whispered words of comfort. “Sister-in-law, even though my brother is gone, you still have me.” * Lin Tan was gravely injured and fell unconscious. When he awoke, he had lost a stretch of his memory. His younger brother brought a girl to meet him and said, “Brother, this is my fiancée.” Lin Tan smiled warmly, but his younger brother’s fiancée kept her head lowered, afraid to look at him. She was slow and timid, yet as resilient as a little flower that could not be broken. At first sight of her, Lin Tan, a man as flawless as jade and as upright and restrained as ever, decided he would steal his younger brother’s fiancée. * Aloof nobleman from a great family X naturally dull, honest girl X sharp-tongued, gloomy mad dog Content warnings (please read): To emphasize this right at the start, do not insult the heroine because you feel sorry for one of the male leads. Both male leads love only the heroine. Don’t pick a favorite and then blame the other, you’ll only end up feeling even sorrier for him, thanks. This is a 1v2 story, and all three are physically and emotionally inexperienced. Both male characters are male leads, so they both get plenty of scenes. The blurb is told from the two male leads’ perspectives because it works better that way, but the actual story is still told from the heroine’s perspective. The heroine only begins a romantic relationship with the younger brother after the elder brother fakes his death and their marriage is dissolved. The heroine really is an honest, dull-witted person, timid and submissive, and quite pathetic early on (important: she will be bullied and looked down on, but she will earn people’s respect through her own abilities. She’s just a simple girl with little guile and isn’t capable of being calculating. She’s a soft, sweet, honest girl, so please don’t hold a girl who’s only in her teens to unreasonable standards of character. If this bothers you, don’t read). Later, she’ll be torn between them. Sorry, I’m trash who likes seeing honest people bullied. This is extremely melodramatic, with an amnesia plot and other outrageous events, like her dead husband coming back to life and fighting her current lover. My tastes are terrible, so if this isn’t for you, please heed the warning. This is just a story indulging my kinks (important, important). If this isn’t your thing, don’t force yourself to read it… P.S. I’ll say it again: if you read my previous novel, think carefully before reading this one. The heroine here is very different from the heroine in my previous book. As the blurb says, she’s pathetic and honest. That’s her basic nature, and although she’ll change somewhat later, she won’t become some brave, independent girl. She’s old-fashioned and traditional in her thinking, and indecisive. Readers who only like pure, exclusive 1v1 romance should not read this (important). The heroine won’t choose just one of them; she’ll take them both. If you only like one of the male leads, don’t force yourself to keep reading. Please don’t insult the heroine, don’t insult the heroine. If you can’t stand it, click the back button and leave. You don’t need to tell me you’re dropping the book. She’s just an honest person, so what did she do wrong? As I’ve said, she’s honest, so there will definitely be scenes where she’s bullied and made to feel miserable and aggrieved. Please prepare yourself before reading, ahhh! This really is just a melodramatic, lowbrow indulgence fic. Those with strong moral sensibilities, please stay away. Theme: The past cannot be reclaimed, but there is still hope in what lies ahead