His original wife

Lin Zhaoxue, the daughter of a powerful Chancellor, married Li Yanyong, the heir to the prestigious Li clan. For seven years, she managed the complex inner household, caring for her sick mother-in-law and enduring the malicious schemes of her uncle, who sought to marry his daughter, Ding Huanhua, to Li Yanyong. Despite her tireless efforts, Li Yanyong remained emotionally distant, prioritizing his career and family duties over their relationship. Their marriage deteriorated into silence and resentment, culminating in a final confrontation before Lin Zhaoxue fell terminally ill. In her last moments, she prepared a reconciliation meal, only to have it rejected and given to Ding Huanhua. She died believing Li Yanyong never loved her, though he arrived at her bedside to admit his neglect.

Five years later, Lin Zhaoxue unexpectedly awakens from a coma, having been preserved by Li Zongheng, the ruthless head of the Jin Yi Wei and Li Yanyong’s uncle. Li Zongheng offers her a solution: pose as his concubine to re-enter the Li estate. Upon returning, Lin Zhaoxue discovers a starkly different reality. Li Yanyong has remarried Ding Huanhua, and the two have separated from the extended Li family to live independently. Ding Huanhua is treated with immense tenderness and respect, a stark contrast to the indifference Lin Zhaoxue endured. Furthermore, her parents have adopted Ding Huanhua as their daughter, replacing the grief of losing Lin Zhaoxue with a new, obedient child.

Lin Zhaoxue attempts to reconnect with her son, Li Hui, and her former husband. During the Lantern Festival, she witnesses Li Yanyong’s deep affection for Ding Huanhua, realizing he has changed fundamentally since her death. When she confronts him, he remains cold and pragmatic, refusing to acknowledge their past intimacy in front of his wife. The turning point arrives when Ding Huanhua reveals that Li Yanyong personally proposed to her, shattering Lin Zhaoxue’s last hope that their marriage was based on mutual, albeit unspoken, affection. She realizes her entire seven-year marriage was a duty, while Li Yanyong’s new relationship is built on genuine love and choice.

Accepting the truth, Lin Zhaoxue makes a decisive break. She stops pursuing Li Yanyong and focuses on reclaiming her independence. She meticulously gathers her dowry, which she had secretly protected from the Li family’s accounts, and prepares to leave. Her son, Li Hui, assists her in packing, showing a maturity and understanding that surprises her. As she prepares to depart, Li Zongheng observes her actions. The story concludes with Lin Zhaoxue choosing self-respect over a love that was never reciprocated, while Li Zongheng’s interest in her begins to shift from pity to something more complex, hinting at a new chapter in her life separate from the Li family.