After a Substitute Marriage, the Easygoing Stepmother Lives a Laid-Back Life

One day, Shen Lingmiao, an art student, transmigrates into the body of the eldest daughter born to a concubine of the Wenchang Earl's household in Bianjing.

Her stunningly beautiful mother, a concubine, dies, leaving behind a young son and daughter. With no choice, Shen Lingmiao relies on her inability to read the room or pick up on hints, along with a face as thick as a fortress wall, to protect her young siblings. Oblivious to everything, she makes it to the age of twenty.

She plans to keep freeloading at the earl's household until the end of her days, but out of nowhere, her legitimate younger sister's engagement suddenly falls to her???

The Pei clan of Hedong is a renowned aristocratic family in Bianjing, powerful and illustrious, with generations of outstanding figures. Pei Heng is a paragon of talent and virtue, accomplished in both letters and arms. He has reclaimed the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun and earned countless military merits. His family has produced two marquises, enjoying unmatched glory.

Though he is a widower, he is still a highly sought-after match. Under the gaze of all Bianjing, Shen Lingmiao's attitude is: If you dare to mess with me, then congratulations, you've picked a fight with a pillow. I'll just melt like cream~

Her mother-in-law wants to lay down the rules? She turns into an octopus, piling food in her mother-in-law's bowl until it's a mountain. Once she's full, she won't have the energy to make trouble, right~

Her husband is cold and taciturn? She turns into a little chatterbox. Pei Heng practices swordsmanship, and she claps and cheers. Pei Heng studies, and she plays music for him. Yi ya yi ya yi~ When Pei Heng bathes, she sings little songs nearby: Once upon a time there was a gentleman, a little cold and a little secretly passionate...

Her stepson is arrogant and domineering? She turns into a white lotus. When he does something wrong, she tattles. When he gets beaten, she sheds tears. When he's punished, she feels for him!! If her stepson is arrogant, she's even more arrogant. She hits someone, and he takes the blame. She scolds someone, and he worries whether she's thirsty.

Shen Linglan has a dream. In it, the reigning emperor has no sons, and Zhao Zhan, an unambitious member of the imperial clan, succeeds to the throne. Somehow, her half-sister Shen Lingmiao becomes empress.

Meanwhile, Shen Linglan marries into the Pei clan, where the marquis's household is a deep and dangerous place. Her mother-in-law dislikes her, her husband is cold, and her stepson is domineering. Her life is unbearably bleak, like a stagnant pool.

Heaven has shown her favor after all, granting her this foreknowledge. She is determined to claim the throne's most important woman's seat!

Shen Linglan goes to great lengths to marry Zhao Zhan, while her half-sister takes her place as the marquis's bride.

Days pass, but then her half-sister Shen Lingling enters the palace and gives birth to a prince?!

And her half-brother, whom she never thought much of, climbs higher and higher in the ranks.

Her half-sister seems to thrive after marrying into the marquis's household, even growing plumper??

The mother-in-law who disliked her takes her half-sister to one banquet after another. The cold Pei Heng asks the emperor to reward her half-sister with honeyed shaved ice. The domineering stepson even climbs a tree in front of everyone to pick flowers just to make her half-sister smile.

A greedy, lustful, tear-prone, carefree girl × a solemn, self-possessed, refined gentleman

Marriage first, love later

A cozy food-and-daily-life story

Chen Yuanzhen has three wishes in life. First, uncover the truth about her birth and avenge her birth mother! Second, care for her adoptive mother until the end! Third, leave the palace, buy a little house, and live a quiet life.

She grows up in the Cold Palace, but is forced to disguise herself as a boy and become a little eunuch. She gets a new identity: her adoptive mother, Consort Dowager Zhou, calls her Anhe, while the palace servants call her Little Anzi.

Later, she gets another new name: Bao'er.

She has no idea when she catches the current crown prince's eye. She is moved from the Cold Palace to the Eastern Palace, becoming the crown prince's new favorite eunuch in one fell swoop.

Everyone says the current crown prince is gentle, courteous, and eager to recruit worthy talents. He is a true gentleman, beloved by the officials and people, respected by the palace servants, and the perfect model of a crown prince.

At first, Chen Yuanzhen thinks so too, until one day she stumbles upon the crown prince's secret...

Only Chen Yuanzhen knows just how wicked Crown Prince Xie Lanling is beneath that radiant, noble facade!

-

One day, after being whipped, Xie Lanling passes by the Cold Palace. It is a bright and beautiful spring day, with warm sunshine and a gentle breeze. He sees a fair face, smiling boldly and freely in the sunlight.

Like a bright, lively little bird.

Xie Lanling thinks, how can someone so vibrant and radiant exist in the palace?

Hmph, and she has the fox eyes he hates most. But those fox eyes blink so innocently, without the clever scheming he despises, that she seems laughably stupid.

Xie Lanling has her brought to him, keeping her by his side for amusement, as if he were raising a little bird.

But how can his little bird fly to someone else's branch? Bao'er, you must be punished for being naughty!

When Xie Lanling learns that his Bao'er shares the same filthy blood as he does, the first thing he feels is not shock, but excitement!

Later, on countless nights, Xie Lanling holds Bao'er and murmurs like a demon, "Bao'er, Bao'er, how can you not be my younger sister..."

His Bao'er should share the same filthy blood as him. How can he make his Bao'er carry his blood?

He and Bao'er are a match made in heaven! Inseparable! Together forever!

Xie Lanling has gone mad!

Chen Yuanzhen knows all too well that Xie Lanling is a madman! A complete madman!! She is forced to drink the blood Xie Lanling feeds her with his own hands. She trembles, and feels herself nearing madness too!

She runs away.

"Bao'er, Bao'er, my dearest younger sister, your eyes are so beautiful..."

"If I gouge them out, you won't be able to look at anyone else, will you, my Bao'er?"

"Bao'er, Bao'er, how could you betray me? We should share the same blood and become one..."

"Be good, Bao'er. Drink it..."

Theme: Sincerity is the one and only trump card.