Despised After Three Years of Devotion? Miss Cousin Won't Chase Anymore

Song Yaochu transmigrates into a male-oriented novel titled The Cold Powerful Minister Also Has a White Moonlight, inhabiting the body of a cannon-fodder side character who has spent three years obsessively pursuing the male lead, Shen Huaixu. Upon regaining her memory at a riverbank, she abruptly ends her pursuit after overhearing Shen Huaixu declare his disdain for women who throw themselves at him. She resolves to live independently, rejecting the tragic fate of the original character who died by suicide. Her sudden change in behavior confuses those around her, particularly Shen Huaixu, who is accustomed to her subservience and becomes unsettled by her indifference. When she refuses his cloak and coldly addresses him as Lord Shen, he experiences uncharacteristic anger and confusion, unable to understand why his former sycophant has suddenly withdrawn.

The narrative shifts as Song Yaochu navigates life within the Duke of Jin’s mansion, where she faces ridicule from snobbish servants due to her lowly status as a fallen merchant’s orphan. She forms a close friendship with Shen Rong, the spirited youngest daughter of the Duke, who remains loyal despite the household’s disdain. Meanwhile, Shen Huaixu’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic; he sends expensive wound salve after she injures her forehead, only to be rejected when she attempts to return the favor. His frustration mounts as she deliberately distances herself, avoiding him at every turn. When she is seen interacting warmly with Shen Yan, the Duke’s eldest son, Shen Huaixu becomes possessive, forcibly pulling her into a private room and ordering her to stay away from him. This confrontation reveals his growing obsession, though he masks it with authoritative commands.

A significant turning point occurs when Song Yaochu accidentally drinks strong wine at a restaurant and suffers from temporary amnesia. In her intoxicated state, she reverts to calling Shen Huaixu by his childhood nickname and clings to him affectionately. Shen Huaixu, interpreting her drunken words as genuine feelings, gifts her a jade pendant that holds personal significance. Upon waking, Song Yaochu has no memory of the incident and is unaware of the pendant’s importance, leading to further misunderstandings. Shen Huaixu, believing she is still angry over the pendant, attempts to reconcile, but she remains distant, viewing his gestures as manipulative.

The plot deepens when the Old Madam, Shen Huaixu’s grandmother, invites Song Yaochu to Jing’an Temple following a recurring nightmare in which a woman resembling Song Yaochu stabs Shen Huaixu. At the temple, Song Yaochu discovers a hidden gold Buddha statue near a decomposing corpse, hinting at criminal activity within the temple. Simultaneously, Shen Huaixu investigates the temple secretly, suspecting corruption linked to a official named Su Yan. The abbot, Xuandao, exploits the Old Madam’s fears, devising a sinister plan to draw Song Yaochu’s blood to create a talisman that will supposedly save Shen Huaixu from his destined tribulation. Unbeknownst to them, Xuandao is a trafficker who intends to sell Song Yaochu after using her. As Shen Huaixu closes in on the truth and Song Yaochu uncovers the temple’s dark secrets, the story moves toward a confrontation where past deceptions and hidden crimes are brought to light.