After Breaking Off the Engagement I Married a Rugged Mountain Man and Was Spoiled Like a Treasure in Three Days

Tao Hua is a sixteen-year-old girl living a miserable life with her abusive stepfather, Chen Dashan, and her passive mother. Her biological father had arranged a marriage with the wealthy Li family before his death, but on the wedding day, the Li family refuses to honor the engagement. Li Gui, a member of the Li family, publicly humiliates Tao Hua and attempts to force her into becoming his concubine, ruining her reputation in the village. Devastated and beaten by her stepfather, Tao Hua attempts to drown herself in a river. Just as she is about to die, a stranger named Qin Feng saves her from the water. He tells her to cherish her life, an act that shifts her perspective. However, Aunt Wang, a gossip in the village, finds a belt left by Qin Feng and spreads rumors that Tao Hua was having an affair with a man by the river. Chen Dashan, seeing an opportunity for profit, demands that Tao Hua reveal the man's identity so he can extort money. Tao Hua refuses, determined to protect her savior and break free from her stepfather's control.

The next morning, Qin Feng arrives at Tao Hua's home with the village chief's wife to propose marriage. He brings generous gifts, including wild game and sweets, surprising the villagers. Chen Dashan, greedy as ever, demands ten taels of silver as a betrothal gift, threatening to sell Tao Hua to a brothel if he does not receive it. Qin Feng, realizing the danger Tao Hua is in, pays fifteen taels of silver and insists on a written agreement severing all ties between Tao Hua and the Chen family. Tao Hua, no longer willing to endure abuse, publicly confronts her stepfather and begs Qin Feng to marry her to escape her fate. Qin Feng agrees, and Tao Hua leaves the Chen household with only a small bundle of clothes, marrying Qin Feng that same day. They move into Qin Feng's modest, newly renovated house at the foot of the mountain, which lacks a proper yard or fence.

Life with Qin Feng is initially awkward but gradually becomes warm and supportive. Qin Feng is a hunter who lives a simple, solitary life, but he treats Tao Hua with kindness and respect. He prepares meals for her, notices her discomfort, and ensures she is well taken care of. When Tao Hua's period starts unexpectedly on their wedding night, Qin Feng respects her condition and does not pressure her, instead preparing food and ensuring she rests. Tao Hua initially misunderstands his restraint as rejection, but her friend Sun Xiaolan clarifies that he was protecting her health. This misunderstanding is resolved, and their marital relationship deepens. Tao Hua also stands up for herself against Wang Pozi, a malicious neighbor who had spread rumors about her. Tao Hua publicly exposes Wang Pozi's past scandal and proves her own purity, earning the respect of the village women.

As they settle into their new life, Tao Hua and Qin Feng work together to improve their home. They build a bamboo fence around their yard, creating a sense of privacy and security. Tao Hua discovers a talent for finding winter bamboo shoots, which brings them additional food. However, their peace is disrupted when Wang Pozi's two sons, Wang Da and Wang Er, break into their home seeking revenge for their mother's illness, which they blame on Tao Hua. Tao Hua defends herself with a carrying pole, accidentally injuring the brothers. When Qin Feng returns, he confronts the intruders, dislocates their ankles, and forces them to repair the door they broke. The incident reveals the ongoing hostility from those who wish to harm Tao Hua, but Qin Feng's strength and decisiveness protect her. The story follows their journey from a desperate escape to building a life together, marked by mutual support, overcoming external threats, and the gradual development of love and trust between the young wife and her older, reserved husband.