Witch Mianmian, a poor orphan whose beauty is unmatched for miles around, falls unconscious after tumbling into a mysterious valley while fleeing pursuers. After being rescued, she remains unconscious for three days. When she wakes, she discovers she can hear the thoughts of anyone within a step of her. While she is bedridden and recovering, Zhou Xing, the neighbor boy she once loved, comes to visit. He knows a little about medicine, and as he takes her pulse, Mianmian hears his thoughts: “Witch Mianmian, why didn’t you just fall and die? Now you’re lying here half-paralyzed. If I don’t marry you, people will say I’m heartless, but if I do, I’ll regret it. What’s the difference between marrying you and marrying a corpse?”
Mianmian feels as if she has fallen into an abyss. If you don’t want to marry me, then don’t. But you’d curse me to die just to protect your reputation? Hmph. Mother was right: there isn’t a decent man in the world. Either I won’t look for a man at all, or I’ll find the most powerful one.
Three days later, Mianmian makes a miraculous full recovery. She disguises herself and flees the village in the dead of night, beginning her journey to become a favored consort…
