Food blogger Song Zhihao transmigrates into the heartbreaking historical romance she read before bed, becoming the newlywed wife of the villain Xie Yunying.
In the book, the Xie family is about to be stripped of its title and exiled. The once-cherished young master of the Duke's mansion will watch his loved ones die one after another from hunger, cold, and illness in the bitterly cold frontier.
Later, he will turn his frail body into a blade, fight his way back to the capital, and become a villain feared by all.
But that's all in the future.
The moment Song Zhihao opens her eyes, she finds that the wedding hall has turned into a scene of confiscation. Her mother-in-law is crying so hard she is nearly fainting, her sister-in-law is trembling with fear, and her sickly husband is coughing as if he could die at any moment.
Song Zhihao: "..."
She looks down at the gold melon seeds she's secretly tucked into her sleeve, falls silent for a moment, and decides to focus on surviving first!
The place of exile is short on food and clothing, and nothing grows in the frigid wasteland. Everyone says the Xie family is finished and will never rise again.
Song Zhihao simply rolls up her sleeves and sets up a stall. No rare delicacies? Then she'll cook with whatever's at hand.
Braised frozen tofu with pickled cabbage, whole-grain flatbreads stuffed with braised meat, hot lunch boxes with a mix of meat and vegetables, little stews rich with savory sauce, and ginger and jujube tea to warm the stomach and ward off the cold.
Her little cooking venture gradually grows into a small eatery, and then one branch after another!
*
Xie Yunying was once the most pampered young master of the Duke's mansion. Born frail, he grew up surrounded by luxury, protected by his father and elder brothers.
In one night, the grand estate collapsed. His father and brothers were imprisoned, and the whole family was exiled.
He hated his frail, useless body and his inability to protect his loved ones. Boundless malice grew in his heart, waiting for the day he could drag everyone into the abyss with him.
But he never expected that the wife he gained through a hurried wedding would neither run off with their money nor curse their fate.
As he lay sick in bed and medicine cost a fortune, she set up her stall before dawn. As he sank into self-loathing, she gently took his cold hand.
At last, life began to sprout in Xie Yunying's withered heart. He didn't just want to survive.
He wanted to be her husband in truth.
*
The crown prince, Shen Qingyue, was reborn.
In his previous life, he and Xie Yunying fought each other to the death, and neither of them came to a good end.
Knowing what had driven Xie Yunying down the path of darkness, he raced to the border town after the Xie family was exiled.
This time, he would bring this troublesome man into his camp before Xie Yunying went mad.
When he pushed open the gate of the fragrant little courtyard, weary from his journey, he saw something that upended everything he knew from both of his lives.
The cold, ruthless, decisive executioner in his memories was now bending over slightly, tenderly holding the hand of a bright-eyed young woman and softly coaxing her.
Shen Qingyue's expression turned strange. How could such a tender, affectionate look appear on that stone-faced man?
He forced down his shock and promptly offered Xie Yunying an enticing deal, inviting him to return to the capital and join forces on a major undertaking.
But Xie Yunying remained calm, not even lifting his eyelids. "My wife says rent in the capital is too expensive, so we're not considering opening a branch there for now."
Shen Qingyue, who had ridden two horses to death: "...Seriously, man?"
Theme: The greater your ability, the greater your responsibility
