In The Fifth Year of Marriage, Miss Ruan Cured Her Love-Struck Brain

Ruan Liuzheng is a woman who has spent nine years of her life sacrificing her own identity for her husband, Fu Yanci. Originally a talented illustrator, she abandoned her artistic career to join the Fu Group, working tirelessly from the bottom up to become the deputy director of the finance department. Her marriage to Fu Yanci, once the envy of their peers, had deteriorated into a cold arrangement defined by his indifference and her desperate attempts to maintain it. The central conflict ignites when Ruan Liuzheng discovers Fu Yanci hospitalized, not with her, but with his childhood sweetheart, Bai Wanqing. Upon arriving at the hospital, she witnesses Fu Yanci displaying a tenderness she never received, even reacting with alarm when Bai Wanqing sustains a minor cut. This moment serves as the catalyst for Ruan Liuzheng’s awakening, shattering the illusion that her devotion could ever win back his heart.

The turning point arrives on their son Fu Jingcheng’s fifth birthday. Ruan Liuzheng’s only request is for Fu Yanci to call the child, but he refuses with contempt, stating he has no time for children. This rejection, combined with the knowledge that Fu Yanci has been hiding his injury to spend time with Bai Wanqing, pushes Ruan Liuzheng to make a decisive break. She leaves the hospital and returns home to pack for her and her son. In a poignant exchange, her five-year-old son, mature beyond his years, suggests they divorce because he does not want his mother to be sad anymore. Ruan Liuzheng agrees, realizing that her clinging to the marriage was only causing pain to both herself and her child. She moves into a modest apartment she had purchased for herself, reclaiming a space that symbolizes her independence and past struggles.

Back at the Fu Group, the power dynamics shift violently. Fu Yanci, rather than feeling loss, feels irritation at Ruan Liuzheng’s defiance. He appoints Bai Wanqing as the new director of the finance department, stripping Ruan Liuzheng of the position she earned through years of hard work. Bai Wanqing, who is revealed to be Ruan Liuzheng’s half-sister, mocks her openly, revealing that Fu Yanci was never truly injured and stayed in the hospital solely to avoid Ruan Liuzheng. When Ruan Liuzheng confronts Fu Yanci in his office, she finds him and Bai Wanqing in an intimate embrace. Instead of breaking down, she calmly records the scene and presents him with divorce papers and a resignation letter. Fu Yanci tears up the papers, refusing to divorce on the grounds of corporate scandal and his grandfather’s influence, but Ruan Liuzheng leaves regardless, choosing to walk away from a job she never loved and a man who never valued her.

Following her resignation, Ruan Liuzheng suffers a health crisis due to stress and neglect, collapsing on the street. She is rescued by Xie Qingcen, a mysterious and powerful man who happens to be her new neighbor in the luxury complex where she now lives. Xie Qingcen, intrigued by her resilience and lack of fear toward him, begins to insert himself into her life. Meanwhile, her son Fu Jingcheng, seeking a father figure, takes it upon himself to court Xie Qingcen, even visiting a matchmaking park to find a suitable partner for his mother. The narrative follows Ruan Liuzheng’s journey toward professional redemption. She returns to her roots by rejoining Sofan Art & Design, the company she co-founded in university before abandoning it for Fu Yanci. Her former partner, Luo Sent, welcomes her back and offers her the position of Design Director, a role he had kept reserved for her. This marks the beginning of her rebirth, as she steps back into the world of art and design, leaving behind the shadow of her past.

The story direction moves toward a complex triangle involving Ruan Liuzheng, the oblivious and arrogant Fu Yanci, and the calculating Xie Qingcen. Fu Yanci, unable to accept Ruan Liuzheng’s independence, becomes increasingly obsessed with regaining control, misinterpreting her strength as a tantrum. He refuses to sign the divorce papers, hoping she will eventually return to her subservient role. In contrast, Xie Qingcen offers Ruan Liuzheng respect and genuine care, exemplified by his gentle interaction with her son, which stands in stark contrast to Fu Yanci’s past cruelty. The narrative sets the stage for Ruan Liuzheng to reclaim her dignity, rebuild her career, and navigate a new romantic possibility, while Fu Yanci faces the consequences of his emotional neglect and arrogance.