The Cold-Faced Young Mistress who Transmigrated to Marry a Disabled Husband

Shen Li, a senior researcher and elite operative known as the "Cold-Faced Doctor" in her previous life, wakes up in a rotting stable after a laboratory explosion. She has transmigrated into the body of a young woman who was purchased by a cruel woman named Madam Cao for one silver tael. The original Shen Li was a violent abuser who tormented her paralyzed husband, Xiao Erlang, and his toddler brother, Xiao Sanlang. Upon waking, Shen Li immediately asserts dominance, breaking Madam Cao's finger and throwing her son, Xiao Huai-ren, into a water vat when they attempt to harm the brothers. Realizing she is in Huai Tree Village in a historical setting, she decides to secure her freedom and improve her circumstances.

Shen Li climbs the nearby mountain and discovers rare medicinal herbs, including a century-old wild ginseng. She sells the ginseng to an old physician, Doctor Wan, for one hundred taels of silver. With this capital, she returns to the village to find Madam Cao attempting to sell Xiao Sanlang to a human trafficker to settle debts. Shen Li intervenes, paying the trafficker one and a half taels to buy back the child. She then demands a formal household separation from Madam Cao. Despite the villagers' skepticism and Madam Cao's greed, Shen Li negotiates a deal: she pays five taels for her freedom and is granted use of the dilapidated "Old Property" at the foot of the mountain, which contains a walnut tree and a clean well.

Shen Li moves the brothers into the ruined house with the help of their neighbors, Uncle and Auntie Li. She discovers that Xiao Erlang suffers from a severe pressure sore on his back due to years of neglect. Demonstrating physical strength far beyond her frail appearance, she carries him to the ox cart and tends to his wounds. Her behavior confuses and unsettles Erlang, who expects cruelty but receives care instead. He suspects she has a hidden agenda, perhaps planning to sell them later for a higher price, and remains guarded despite her kindness. Shen Li, however, is focused on survival and rebuilding their lives. She buys food, clothing, kitchenware, and medical supplies, including acupuncture needles and salves, showing her intent to stay and heal them.

As Shen Li settles into her new role, she begins to treat the brothers with a gentleness they have never known. She feeds Erlang porridge and breaks buns into small pieces for Sanlang to prevent choking. When Sanlang cries from trauma and hunger, Shen Li awkwardly but effectively comforts him, earning the title of "Sister-in-law" from the child. Erlang watches these interactions with growing confusion and a flicker of hope, though his deep-seated distrust prevents him from fully accepting her goodness. He believes her kindness is a temporary strategy before she abandons or sells them.

Shen Li continues to establish a routine, hiring villagers to repair the roof of the old house and maintaining a friendly relationship with the Li family. She uses her medical knowledge to treat Erlang's injuries, washing his wounds and applying medicine. The dynamic between the three shifts from abuse and fear to a fragile coexistence. Shen Li remains emotionally detached but practically competent, solving problems with efficiency rather than sentiment. Erlang, meanwhile, struggles with his inability to speak and his paralyzed legs, feeling like a burden while observing Shen Li's competence and the genuine care she shows Sanlang. The story follows their daily struggles to survive in a harsh environment, with Shen Li leveraging her modern knowledge and combat skills to protect her new family from external threats like the Cao family.