Helplessly Married a Young Husband

Qin Jin is a man who transmigrated into the body of a penniless young farmer in the Great Jin Dynasty. The original owner was lazy and had squandered his inheritance, leaving Qin Jin with nothing but debt and a dilapidated courtyard. Determined to improve his circumstances, Qin Jin utilizes knowledge from his previous life to create a new snack: golden pea cakes filled with honeyed dates. He borrows fifty copper coins from his eldest brother, Qin Bing, and begins selling the cakes at the county town gate. The product is an immediate success, generating a steady income that allows him to repay his initial debt and plan for the future.

Simultaneously, Qin Jin faces a personal crisis regarding his social obligations. Four days prior, he had rescued a young man named Ye Miao from drowning. In this society, such physical contact creates a binding obligation for marriage. Ye Miao, a beautiful seventeen-year-old with a tragic past, was being harassed by his uncle who intended to sell him as a concubine to an elderly landlord. Although Qin Jin initially hesitated due to his lack of romantic interest in men and his financial instability, he ultimately agreed to marry Ye Miao to save him from a bleak fate. His mother, Wang Xiuqin, eagerly arranged the wedding for three days later, despite the family's poverty.

The wedding proceeds with modest means, utilizing a borrowed ox cart instead of a sedan chair. On their wedding night, Qin Jin is anxious about consummating the marriage due to his inexperience and lack of romantic feelings. However, he notices Ye Miao crying in the dark, fearing rejection. To comfort his new husband and avoid causing further distress, Qin Jin initiates intimacy. The encounter is tender, and Ye Miao, who had prepared himself for indifference, is deeply moved by Qin Jin's consideration. The following morning, Qin Jin reveals the family's debt of over five taels of silver incurred from the wedding expenses. Ye Miao offers his savings of five hundred copper coins, which he had earned through embroidery, but Qin Jin refuses to use his dowry, insisting they pay off the debt through their own labor.

Qin Jin establishes a routine where he manages the business side of selling pea cakes while Ye Miao assists with preparation and household chores. He forbids Ye Miao from continuing his embroidery work, citing the physical strain it places on his eyes and body, and instead encourages him to do whatever he likes. This gesture deeply touches Ye Miao, who had spent his life working hard to survive. The two begin to grow closer, with Qin Jin showing increasing protectiveness and care. He also decides to delay having children until their debts are cleared, a conversation that Ye Miao accepts with shy compliance.

As the story progresses, Qin Jin expands his business operations, purchasing larger quantities of ingredients and planning to introduce new products like mung bean cakes. He also begins cultivating a vegetable garden in their backyard with Ye Miao's help. The relationship between the two men evolves from a duty-bound arrangement into a partnership built on mutual respect and growing affection. Ye Miao finds joy in simply being included in Qin Jin's plans and being treated with kindness, while Qin Jin gradually becomes more attached to his husband's gentle nature and diligence. The narrative focuses on their daily life, the challenges of running a small business in a historical setting, and the slow development of their romantic bond.