He Gently Coaxes: Baby, Cry Beautifully

Xia Qiaoxi is a twenty-one-year-old woman who has lived her entire life under the strict and suffocating control of her stepmother, Deng LiChen, and her father, Xia Qingfeng. Orphaned by her biological mother’s abandonment at age three, Xia Qiaoxi was raised solely as a tool to secure a lucrative alliance with the wealthy He family. She was denied basic freedoms, including possession of her own identification documents, bank accounts, or mobile phone, and was meticulously trained in arts and etiquette solely to serve as a caretaker for He Luyi, the sickly third young master of the He family, to whom she was betrothed since childhood. On the eve of her wedding to He Luyi, Xia Qiaoxi, driven to despair by a life devoid of autonomy and love, attempts to commit suicide by standing on the railing of a twentieth-floor hotel rooftop. Her attempt is interrupted by Tang Yushen, a powerful and enigmatic billionaire who is the eldest son of the Tang family and chairman of the Tang Song Group.

Tang Yushen’s intervention is not merely accidental; he is driven by a profound, century-long obsession. In a previous life, a century ago, Tang Yushen and a woman named Xier shared a deep romantic bond. Xier died protecting him, and he has spent decades searching for her reincarnation. Upon seeing Xia Qiaoxi, he recognizes her as Xier’s reborn soul, noting the striking resemblance in her appearance, her amber eyes, and even her name. Although Xia Qiaoxi does not remember their past life together and views Tang Yushen as a dangerous stranger, Tang Yushen is determined to reclaim her. He forcibly rescues her from the rooftop, kisses her to establish a claim, and demands that she marry him to escape her current predicament. He offers her freedom from the Xia family in exchange for her companionship, a proposition Xia Qiaoxi accepts primarily to escape her oppressive home life.

The core conflict escalates when Tang Yushen confronts the He family to cancel the wedding. He Luyi, who had no genuine affection for Xia Qiaoxi, agrees to the cancellation in exchange for a prime piece of land in Jingcheng valued at 1.7 billion, a deal Tang Yushen accepts without hesitation. At the hospital, Xia Qiaoxi’s father attempts to strike her for her rebellion, but Tang Yushen intervenes, publicly declaring his intent to marry Xia Qiaoxi and take her into his care. This act shocks the Xia family, who had viewed their daughter as a disposable asset, and forces them to accept the reality that she is now under the protection of one of Jing City’s most powerful men. Tang Yushen takes Xia Qiaoxi to his estate, Yu Xi Manor, a place he had rebuilt based on memories of their past life together, complete with a replica of the home they once shared.

As Xia Qiaoxi settles into her new life, she struggles to understand Tang Yushen’s intense possessiveness and the depth of his affection, which she attributes to her being a substitute for his deceased first love. She remains wary, focusing on reclaiming her independence by retrieving her ID card and securing her own finances. Meanwhile, Tang Yushen grapples with the pain of her lack of memory, watching her with a mixture of adoration and melancholy. He goes to great lengths to ensure her comfort, providing her with a luxurious room, a new phone, and complete freedom within the manor, yet he remains unable to resist his desire to be close to her, often sneaking into her room at night to watch her sleep. The narrative follows their complex dynamic as Xia Qiaoxi navigates her newfound freedom while Tang Yushen works to win her heart, hoping that time will help her remember their past life and return his love.

The story continues to develop as Xia Qiaoxi begins to adjust to life at Yu Xi Manor, slowly realizing that Tang Yushen’s actions, while intense, are rooted in a genuine desire to protect her from the abuse she suffered. She observes his dedication, such as his concern for her well-being and his willingness to dismantle the constraints of her past. However, the shadow of his past love, Xier, looms large over their relationship. Xia Qiaoxi fears she is merely a placeholder, a temporary comfort for a man who is still emotionally bound to another woman. Tang Yushen, aware of her insecurities, strives to show her that she is unique and irreplaceable in his eyes, even if she cannot yet recall the depth of their historical connection. The tension between her desire for independence and her growing dependence on Tang Yushen creates a fragile balance, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of their bond as they navigate the complexities of love, memory, and identity in the present day.