After the Wrong Marriage in the Eighties

Xia Ying lived a tragic life spanning thirty-eight years, marked by poverty, isolation, and regret. Having married Zhou Yiming at eighteen, she spent two decades alone in a rural home, caring for no one and receiving no care in return. On her deathbed, she realized her suffering stemmed from a single wrong decision made in her youth: accepting a marriage arrangement that led to her exploitation. As her consciousness faded, she wished fervently for a second chance to say no to the path that had ruined her life.

Her wish was granted. Xia Ying opened her eyes to find herself back on her wedding night, lying in bed beside a man who was not her husband. The room, with its crude red gauze canopy and familiar wooden beams, confirmed she had returned to the moment of her marriage mix-up. The man beside her was Zhou Qingbai, the elder half-brother of Zhou Yiming, the man she was originally supposed to marry. In her previous life, she had been drugged and sent to Zhou Qingbai’s room by Zhou Yiming, who had actually intended to spend the night with his true love, Jiao Qinqin. That night, Xia Ying and Zhou Qingbai had remained innocent due to the drugs, but Zhou Yiming and Jiao Qinqin had consummated their relationship in the adjacent room. Xia Ying remembered the betrayal: Zhou Yiming had drugged her wine to force the situation, yet she had spent years believing Zhou Yiming’s lies and enduring abuse from his mother, Xiang Meilan.

With her memories intact, Xia Ying made a decisive choice. Instead of panicking or screaming, she recognized Zhou Qingbai as her only ally and lifeline. She initiated intimacy with him, ensuring that the deed was done between them. Meanwhile, in the East Wing, Zhou Yiming and Jiao Qinqin also consummated their relationship, believing Xia Ying and Zhou Qingbai had failed to connect due to the lingering effects of the drugs. When morning arrived, Xiang Meilan burst into the West Wing, furious and accusing Zhou Qingbai of being a beast. However, Xia Ying, far from being submissive, calmly confronted the family. She exposed the truth about Zhou Yiming and Jiao Qinqin’s affair, pointing out the physical evidence on Jiao Qinqin and dismantling Xiang Meilan’s attempts to protect her favored son.

The confrontation escalated when Xia Ying’s parents, Xia Weiming and Yan Lirong, arrived. Xia Weiming, a village chief who valued status and educational success, was initially inclined to force Xia Ying back to Zhou Yiming for the sake of Zhou Yiming’s upcoming university exams. However, Zhou Qingbai outmaneuvered them by claiming he had the academic potential to enter a better university than Zhou Yiming, provided he received financial support. He portrayed himself as a victim of poverty who had sacrificed his education for his brother, appealing to Xia Weiming’s desire for a successful son-in-law. Xia Ying supported this fabrication, and the Xia family, swayed by Zhou Qingbai’s confidence and the scandal surrounding Zhou Yiming, accepted the new arrangement.

Zhou Qingbai, realizing the gravity of the situation and the hostility of his stepmother, firmly asserted his claim over Xia Ying. He demanded her dowry, which included significant cash and valuable items like a bicycle and television, effectively cutting off Zhou Yiming’s financial lifeline. He then publicly declared Xia Ying as his wife in front of neighbors, sealing their alliance. As the dust settled, Xia Ying found herself in a precarious but empowering position. She had escaped her abusive marriage and secured a partner who, while initially a strategic choice, showed signs of genuine respect and protection. The story moves forward with Xia Ying determined to rebuild her life, protect her younger brother, and ensure her parents do not repeat the mistakes of the past, all while navigating the complex dynamics of the Zhou family and her own growing feelings for Zhou Qingbai.