After Binding with the Male Supporting Character

Xia Jian transmigrates into the body of a cannon fodder character in the novel "Those Matters of the Jianghu," arriving just as the original owner had attempted suicide by jumping into a river. Instead of the female lead or a romantic interest, Xia Jian finds herself bound to Pei Guanzhu, the novel’s early-dead villain, through a life-linking black crystal pendant. The System informs her that her only path back to the real world is to protect Pei Guanzhu from death, as his fate is now inextricably tied to her own. She is sent to the Pei manor, a grand but eerie estate in Jinling, to serve as a bride for the sickly young master, a role originally intended to ward off misfortune for the family.

Upon entering the Pei manor, Xia Jian encounters a household steeped in rumors of hauntings. The current Madam Chen, Pei Guanzhu’s stepmother, is visibly terrified and hostile, often screaming at unseen entities and displaying extreme paranoia. Xia Jian’s first direct encounter with Pei Guanzhu occurs in a dim corridor, where she witnesses his pale, androgynous beauty and the distinctive gold ring on his ankle. Their interaction is immediately tense; Pei Guanzhu displays a chilling, predatory amusement, watching her with dark, hollow eyes that suggest a deep-seated psychopathy rather than the fragile health he appears to possess. He toys with her fear, leading her through dark passages and referencing the vengeful spirit of a maid named Lian’er, who was drowned in a well by the former madam.

The core conflict centers on Xia Jian’s desperate attempt to survive while navigating the hostility of both the haunted manor and the murderous Pei Guanzhu. She learns that the original protagonist duo, Liu Ruoteng and Xu Zhi, have arrived in Jinling under the alias "Double-Face" to investigate the Pei family’s troubles after accepting a bounty order. Xia Jian chooses to ally with them, sharing her knowledge of the manor’s secrets in hopes that their involvement will help uncover the truth and keep her protector safe. She discovers that Madam Chen is not merely a victim of hauntings but is actively concealing the sins of the former madam, who murdered the maid Lian’er after discovering her affair with a guard.

A pivotal turning point occurs when Xia Jian, driven by nightmares of the original character’s gruesome death by drowning, takes matters into her own hands. She secretly hires blacksmiths to seal the ominous well in Pei Guanzhu’s courtyard with a massive iron slab. When Pei Guanzhu discovers her actions, his reaction is ambiguous; he does not punish her but instead engages in a psychological game, pulling her close and questioning her motives. Xia Jian insists she wishes to be his personal guard rather than his bride, a declaration he finds amusingly insane. Despite his cruel demeanor, he accepts her presence, though he remains an unpredictable and dangerous figure who watches her with a mix of curiosity and malice.

As the story progresses, Xia Jian attempts to build a fragile rapport with Pei Guanzhu by sewing him a fox fur cloak and caring for his simple-minded servant, Laixi. She learns that Laixi’s previous master was driven away from the estate years ago, hinting at deeper conspiracies within the Pei family. Meanwhile, the protagonists Liu Ruoteng and Xu Zhi begin to penetrate the layers of deception surrounding Madam Chen and the original murder. Xia Jian’s situation grows more precarious as she realizes that sealing the well may have altered the timeline of events, potentially accelerating the violent climax that originally claimed the lives of the original Xia Jian and Madam Chen. She must now race against time to unravel the mystery of Lian’er’s death and protect Pei Guanzhu from the killer who lurks within the manor, all while surviving the psychological torment of a man who views her as a fascinating toy.

The narrative direction shifts from a simple survival task to a complex investigation of past crimes and present dangers. Xia Jian’s modern perspective and determination to change her fate put her at odds with the novel’s original plot, which favored Pei Guanzhu’s demise. Her alliance with the protagonists and her direct interference in the manor’s affairs draw the attention of those responsible for the hauntings. Pei Guanzhu, initially a threat to be managed, becomes an enigmatic ally whose loyalty is uncertain. The story moves toward a confrontation with the true culprit behind the murders, with Xia Jian’s life hanging in the balance as she seeks to break the cycle of violence that defined the original tale.