Ye Ximeng was reborn into a pivotal moment of her life, standing at the altar of a swapped marriage. In her previous existence, she had been the silent architect behind her husband Lu Xuan’s rise to power, only to be betrayed when her stepsister, Ye Xiaorou, stole him away. This time, Ye Ximeng found herself marrying Jiang Yufeng, a man rumored to be impotent and destined for monastic life, who was previously Ye Xiaorou’s rejected match. Rather than despair, Ye Ximeng viewed this as a strategic victory. She recognized that the Jiang family offered a pristine, dignified environment far superior to the toxic dynamics of the Lu family. Jiang Yufeng, a professor of Buddhist studies and a man of cold, detached purity, proposed a contractual three-year marriage. The terms were stark: a sexless union with no interference in each other’s lives, culminating in a divorce and the transfer of seventy percent of his real estate assets to Ye Ximeng as compensation for her youth.
Ye Ximeng accepted the agreement with calculated enthusiasm, seeing not a prison but an opportunity. She harbored no desire for the Lu family and was intrigued by the challenge of winning the affection of a man who seemed untouched by worldly desires. Her previous life had been defined by hardship and manipulation; this life offered her a chance to seize joy on her own terms. She began her pursuit with subtle precision, utilizing her expertise in perfumery. Having deduced from a phone call that Jiang Yufeng cherished incense, tea, and Buddhist discourse, she lit a burner of her signature Goose Pear Bed-curtain Incense in their marital home. The fragrance, rare and soothing, acted as a lure. When Jiang Yufeng returned late at night suffering from a migraine, the scent provided genuine relief, marking the first crack in his aloof exterior.
The following morning, their interactions revealed a complex dynamic. Ye Ximeng, confident in her beauty and allure, attempted to captivate him through subtle displays of physical grace during her yoga routine. However, Jiang Yufeng, embodying a rigorous adherence to Buddhist detachment, misinterpreted her postures as signs of spinal injury, advising her to seek medical attention. This clinical response frustrated Ye Ximeng but also highlighted the unique nature of her target. Despite his coldness, Jiang Yufeng was drawn to her refined taste in incense, leading to a shared interest that bridged their initial distance. Their relationship progressed through domestic routines, such as sharing breakfast, where Ye Ximeng’s practical nature clashed humorously with Jiang Yufeng’s ascetic expectations.
A significant turning point occurred when Jiang Yufeng’s mother, Wen Tonghua, intervened. Threatening self-harm if her son did not marry, she had orchestrated the union. Once married, she demanded he fulfill his wifely duties, sending a housekeeper to monitor their cohabitation. This forced Jiang Yufeng to reside at the marital home more frequently, providing Ye Ximeng with the proximity she needed. Meanwhile, Ye Ximeng maintained her independent identity as a skilled perfumer and tea picker, visiting Pudu Temple where she served Abbot Du’e, a figure of deep reverence from her past. At the temple, she encountered Jiang Yufeng again, this time in the context of shared spiritual and aromatic interests. The narrative establishes a trajectory where Ye Ximeng systematically dismantles Jiang Yufeng’s emotional barriers, using fragrance and companionship to transform a contractual arrangement into a genuine romantic pursuit, all while navigating the shadow of her stepsister’s potential rebirth and rivalry.
