Marriage Swap? After Marrying the Male Lead's Uncle, the Side Character Became the Favorite

Jiang Xiubai transmigrates into a novel set in 1983, inhabiting the body of a tragic supporting character. In the original story, she is the second daughter of the Jiang family, engaged to Lu Yuhan, the male lead who despises her. Her half-sister, Jiang Yutong, is the novel’s female lead, destined to marry Lu Yuhan’s comatose uncle, Lu Cinian. However, a monk’s prophecy suggests that marrying a Jiang family member might save the comatose Lu Cinian. Consequently, the Lu family proposes a double wedding, but the Jiang family secretly plans to switch the brides: Jiang Xiubai will marry the bedridden Lu Cinian, while Jiang Yutong will marry the healthy Lu Yuhan. Jiang Xiubai, aware of the plot and her original character’s doomed fate, accepts the arrangement. She views marrying a man who is likely to die within three years as an opportunity to escape her oppressive family, gain independence, and build a business empire in the burgeoning economy of the 1980s.

The core conflict arises from the Jiang family’s greed and deceit. Wang Rong, Jiang Xiubai’s stepmother, and Jiang Yutong have been embezzling Jiang Xiubai’s late mother’s belongings. Upon learning of the switch, Jiang Xiubai strategically asserts her rights, demanding the return of her mother’s dowry before the wedding. She uses this leverage to force her father, Jiang Jianshe, to confront Wang Rong. During a shopping trip with Lu Yuhan and Jiang Yutong, Jiang Xiubai deliberately spends Lu Yuhan’s foreign exchange coupons on expensive items, including a twelve-thousand-yuan gold watch, causing financial strain and family tension. She further humiliates Jiang Yutong by choosing high-quality wedding attire and shoes, forcing her half-sister to match her expenses while appearing generous to the outside world.

A key turning point occurs when Jiang Xiubai’s rural relatives, including her cousins Jiang Xiuhong and Jiang Xiufen, arrive from the countryside. The family dynamics shift as Old Mrs. Jiang favors the rural relatives, criticizing Jiang Xiubai for not sharing her possessions. Jiang Xiubai remains aloof, refusing to yield to their demands. She visits a hairdresser with Jiang Yutong and her cousins, where she secures a fashionable Hong Kong-style perm. When Jiang Yutong attempts to sabotage Jiang Xiuhong’s chances of getting the same hairstyle, Jiang Xiubai intervenes, allowing both cousins to have the same look, thereby undermining Jiang Yutong’s attempt to stand out. This act highlights Jiang Xiubai’s indifference to her half-sister’s schemes and her focus on her own preparations.

The story direction follows Jiang Xiubai’s meticulous planning for her wedding and subsequent life. She meets with her friend Jia Xiangru, who is renovating a store for them to co-own, signaling Jiang Xiubai’s intent to pursue economic independence. She anticipates that if Lu Cinian dies, she will inherit his assets, providing her with capital to start her business. Meanwhile, the Jiang family continues to underestimate her, believing she will be a helpless widow. Jiang Xiubai maintains a facade of obedience and sweetness while internally mocking their ignorance. The narrative sets the stage for her transition from a pawn in a familial scheme to an independent woman leveraging the opportunities of the era, while the Lu family remains unaware of the full extent of her agency and resolve.