Lie Jiu’s Little Husband

Xu Huaiqian, a modern civil servant, dies after rescuing two drowning children and transmigrates into the body of a sickly farmer's son in an ancient dynasty. The original owner, born weak and premature, had passed the Tongsheng examination at fourteen but lost his parents to wolves shortly after. His uncle, Xu Dalang, exploited the funeral expenses to pawn the boy off as a bought husband to Chen Liejiu, a wealthy and feared debt collector in the village. The original owner, unable to accept this fate, jumped into a river and died. Xu Huaiqian wakes up in the Chen household, where Matchmaker Hong tries to persuade him to accept his role. She explains that Chen Liejiu is handsome, rich, and considerate, having personally saved him from the river and hired a doctor. However, Xu Huaiqian is resistant due to his modern values and disdain for forced marriage.

The world Xu Huaiqian inhabits includes a third gender known as gers, who are male in appearance but can bear children. Their status is lower than women's, and they experience periodic estrus. Chen Liejiu is a ger who has struggled to find a husband due to his fierce reputation. Doctor Sun diagnoses Xu Huaiqian with a congenital deficiency exacerbated by trauma, stating that he requires expensive medicine and a life of luxury to survive. This diagnosis alarms the Chen family, as they cannot afford such costly treatment. Chen Liejiu, however, is determined to keep Xu Huaiqian, partly because of his upcoming estrus and partly because he finds the sickly scholar intriguing. He offers Xu Huaiqian a choice: take all his wealth and leave, or stay as his husband and manage the family finances.

Xu Huaiqian, facing the reality that his home has been occupied by his uncle and he has no other recourse, accepts Chen Liejiu's offer. He realizes that staying with the beautiful and wealthy Chen Liejiu is more advantageous than returning to a hostile family. Chen Liejiu, relieved, introduces Xu Huaiqian to his family, including his younger sister Chen Xiaomei and his sister-in-law Wang Wanwan. Chen Xiaomei is initially hostile, fearing that Xu Huaiqian's illness will drain the family's resources. Xu Huaiqian wins her over by weaving delicate palm-leaf insects and apologizing for breaking his earlier promise to leave. Wang Wanwan, who was rescued by Chen Liejiu, is loyal and caring, preparing special food for Xu Huaiqian to help him recover.

Chen Liejiu takes decisive action to secure Xu Huaiqian's future. He gathers a group of men and demolishes the Xu family's second house, which his uncle had occupied. He uses the materials to build a modern-style toilet for Xu Huaiqian, cutting off any possibility of the sickly man returning to that home. Chen Liejiu also demands repayment of the ten taels of silver debt from Xu Dalang, forcing the uncle to pay up to stop the destruction. This bold move shocks the village but secures Xu Huaiqian's financial restitution. Chen Liejiu gives Xu Huaiqian control over the family's finances, although he secretly uses some of the collected debts to fund Xu Huaiqian's recovery and education.

Xu Huaiqian discovers a bronze mirror in his belongings, which reveals his haggard appearance. He is distressed by his lack of beauty but is comforted by Chen Liejiu, who finds him attractive despite his illness. Chen Liejiu insists on supporting Xu Huaiqian's studies, believing that becoming a scholar will give him confidence and status. Xu Huaiqian begins to settle into his new life, managing the household and interacting with Chen Liejiu's family. The story follows their developing relationship as Chen Liejiu protects Xu Huaiqian from external threats while Xu Huaiqian helps manage the family's internal affairs. The narrative highlights the contrast between Xu Huaiqian's modern sensibilities and the traditional customs of the ancient world, as well as the evolving dynamics between the two leads.