The City Husband Who Changed Everything

Zhong Yizhu, the only son of a wealthy merchant family, returns to his ancestral village of Liushan Village after his father’s death. Having been raised in luxury in the prefectural city, he is unprepared for the harsh realities of rural life. His family had fallen from grace due to internal strife; his second uncle, Zhong Lao’er, died young, leaving Zhong Yizhu and his mother, Sun Yunniang, as the sole survivors of that branch. Upon arrival, they find their old residence dilapidated and unwelcoming. The villagers, initially curious about the handsome young man, quickly turn hostile upon learning that Zhong Yizhu was sent away because he caused trouble in the city, labeling him a scandalous outcast. The hostility is epitomized by Wu Cuijuan, the wife of a local farmer, who publicly accuses Zhong Yizhu of seducing her husband, Li Siniu, despite having no evidence. This slander damages his reputation and isolates him further.

Zhong Yizhu refuses to remain passive. When Wu Cuijuan pushes him into a river during a confrontation, he uses his wits to force a public confession and secure compensation, establishing a foothold in the village. He also reclaims family land that had been illegally held by his third uncle’s branch, donating a portion to the village to gain communal support. Despite these victories, his life remains precarious. A violent incident occurs when a local thug, Lai Lao’er, attempts to assault him in his home. Zhong Yizhu barely escapes by stabbing the attacker with a poisoned needle, but the trauma leaves him psychologically shattered. His mother, desperate to protect him, considers various marriage proposals, but all potential suitors are either unsuitable or motivated by greed for the family’s remaining assets.

Amidst this turmoil, Zhong Yizhu encounters Pei Mu, a reclusive former soldier who lives on the outskirts of the village. Pei Mu is an outsider even among outsiders, shunned by villagers due to rumors of bad fortune and his fierce, solitary nature. He had previously saved Zhong Yizhu from drowning in the river but remained distant. After the assault attempt, Zhong Yizhu makes the bold decision to approach Pei Mu directly, proposing a marriage of convenience. He offers to pay Pei Mu to act as his husband for three years, providing protection for himself and his mother in exchange for a contractual separation afterward. Pei Mu initially refuses, causing Zhong Yizhu great humiliation, but he soon learns that Pei Mu has silently dealt with Lai Lao’er, breaking his teeth and ensuring the attacker will never return.

Pei Mu’s motivation is revealed to be rooted in a childhood memory: Zhong Yizhu’s father had once given him a piece of sweet cake when he was abused as a child, a rare act of kindness that Pei Mu has never forgotten. Seeing Zhong Yizhu deteriorate under the weight of persecution reminds Pei Mu of his own past suffering and the fragility of life. He decides to accept the proposal, not out of romantic affection initially, but as a debt of gratitude and a desire to prevent another innocent life from being destroyed. He arranges the betrothal gifts and sends a matchmaker to the Zhong household, shocking the villagers who had expected Zhong Yizhu to marry into a greedy local family.

The story concludes with the formalization of the union between Zhong Yizhu and Pei Mu. While the villagers continue to gossip and scheme, the two men begin a shared life that is defined more by duty and mutual survival than by immediate passion. Zhong Yizhu finds a fragile sense of security with Pei Mu, while Pei Mu finds a purpose in protecting someone who has shown him kindness in the past. Their relationship sets the stage for a complex dynamic as they navigate the hostile village environment, hidden family secrets, and the gradual development of genuine emotional bonds beneath the surface of their contractual arrangement.