“The Scumbag Husband Protects the Capitalist Heiress — After Rebirth, I Refuse to Marry Him”

Shen Qinghe, a woman who suffered through a tragic life, awakens to find herself reborn eighteen years into the past, on August 13, 1967. In her previous life, she had married Gu Lichuan, a deputy company commander in the army, believing him to be a suitable husband. However, she was deceived for nearly twenty years. Gu Lichuan had faked impotence to marry her while secretly maintaining a relationship with Lin Yingxue, a woman of capitalist origin whom he truly loved. Shen Qinghe raised Gu Lichuan’s illegitimate son as her own, endured abuse from his mother, and was eventually driven to insanity. After uncovering the truth, she was institutionalized, and her entire family was murdered by Lin Yingxue in a fire to silence them. Shen Qinghe died hating the couple, only to return to the moment before her marriage was finalized.

Upon waking, Shen Qinghe finds herself in her childhood home, surrounded by her loving parents and siblings, who are alive and well. The immediate crisis is that she had fallen into a river trying to save Lin Yingxue, but Gu Lichuan chose to save Lin instead, leaving Shen to be rescued by a passing soldier, Huo Yanxiu. In her past life, Shen had forgiven Gu Lichuan and continued with the engagement, leading to her doom. This time, she firmly decides to break off the engagement. When her mother suggests calling it off, Shen Qinghe agrees immediately, shocking her family who had expected her to fight for the match. She confronts Gu Lichuan the next day, splashing him with dirty water and declaring the engagement over, rejecting his attempts to coax her back.

Shen Qinghe discovers a jade thumb ring left by her grandmother, which contains a spirit spring space. By binding it with her blood, she gains access to a magical realm with fertile black soil, a villa, and a spring whose water accelerates plant growth and improves physical health. She uses this advantage to cultivate high-quality crops and wild game, aiming to improve her family’s livelihood. Meanwhile, Gu Lichuan and Lin Yingxue continue their secret affair. Gu Lichuan plans to use Shen Qinghe as a stepping stone to secure his military career, intending to marry her for her family’s status while keeping Lin as his mistress until he is promoted.

The Shen family hosts Huo Yanxiu and his comrade Xu Chenfeng for a meal to thank Huo for saving Shen Qinghe. Shen Qinghe’s cooking impresses everyone, and Huo Yanxiu notices her intelligence and kindness. He is unaware that Gu Lichuan harbors hostility toward him, viewing Huo as a rival who saw Shen Qinghe in a compromised state. Shen Qinghe begins to gather information about Lin Yingxue’s secret meetings with Gu Lichuan. She enlists local children to spread rumors about the couple’s improper relationship, sowing discord in the village. She also encounters educated youths Liu Yun and Zhang Nan, who are hostile toward Lin Yingxue due to her capitalist background. Shen Qinghe subtly encourages them to investigate Lin, planning to expose the truth publicly.

As the story progresses, Shen Qinghe navigates village politics and family dynamics with her reborn knowledge. She protects her siblings from future tragedies and builds a better life using the spirit spring space. The Gu family attempts to pressure the Shens into reconciling, but Shen Qinghe’s brothers physically assault Gu Lichuan when he behaves aggressively, solidifying the end of the engagement. Shen Qinghe remains focused on her new path, determined to avoid the fate of her previous life while keeping her supernatural advantage hidden from those who might exploit it.