Cast Aside, She Married the Rugged Neighbor—and Made Her Ex Regret It

Ruan Qingli marries Fang Shubai, a gentle scholar from a wealthy family in Liu Town, hoping to build a loving life together. For three years, she serves her demanding mother-in-law and tends to her husband with devotion, yet she remains childless. The pressure mounts as Mrs. Zhou, desperate for an heir, constantly criticizes Qingli. Fang Shubai reveals to his mother that Qingli suffered a childhood drowning accident that damaged her health, rendering her unable to bear children. Mrs. Zhou demands a divorce, but Fang Shubai refuses, claiming he cannot bear to abandon his wife. Unbeknownst to Qingli, her husband is actually suffering from a sexual dysfunction and chose her specifically because she was innocent and could hide his shame. When his condition remains unresolved, he devises a cruel scheme to discard her without tarnishing his reputation.

Fang Shubai arranges for Qingli to travel to a neighboring town for infertility treatment, ostensibly with a scholar named Brother Zhao. Once she leaves, he and his mother fabricate a scandal, claiming Qingli eloped with another man. The town gossip paints her as a shameless woman, destroying her social standing completely. When Qingli returns seven days later, expecting to begin her cure, she is met with a divorce letter and accusations of infidelity. Her pleas are ignored, and she is cast out onto the cold streets with nothing. Shivering and starving, she collapses in an alley where she is found by Han Sheng, the town constable. Unlike the rest of the town, Han Sheng believes her innocence and offers her shelter in his home.

Qingli moves into Han Sheng’s modest residence, taking on household duties in exchange for room and board. Han Sheng treats her with basic decency and trust, providing her with money for groceries and allowing her to manage the household accounts. This starkly contrasts with her treatment under Fang Shubai, who never gave her financial autonomy or shared in domestic labor. As Qingli begins to heal, Han Sheng’s protective nature becomes evident. He accompanies her to the market, publicly defending her against gossiping townspeople and asserting that she is under his care. His actions shift public perception, forcing the townsfolk to treat her with more respect.

Fang Shubai, having failed to secure a advantageous marriage with the county magistrate’s daughter due to a scandal involving a pregnant woman, returns to Liu Town desperate and defeated. He attempts to lure Qingli back, claiming he still loves her and has passed his examinations to become a licentiate. He promises that she will eventually become the wife of an official. Qingli, however, sees through his manipulative tactics. She demands that he publicly clear her name and return the money from the sale of her adoptive father’s house. Fang Shubai refuses both conditions, revealing his true selfish nature. He attempts to physically force her back to the Fang residence, but Han Sheng intervenes, throwing him aside and warning him to stay away.

With Fang Shubai’s schemes exposed and his reputation in ruins, Qingli finds a new sense of independence. She realizes that the affection she sought from her husband was never genuine, but rather a performance designed to conceal his inadequacies. Han Sheng, though initially distant, begins to show genuine care, sharing meals and conversations with her. The story concludes with Qingli no longer defined by her inability to bear children or her past marriage, but as a woman rebuilding her life under the protection of someone who values her conscience and character. The dynamic between Qingli and Han Sheng suggests the beginning of a genuine partnership, contrasting sharply with the deceitful marriage she escaped.