Transmigrated as the Substitute Bride of the Disabled Villain

Jiang Jiaran, a brilliant but exhausted researcher in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by mutant creatures, sacrifices herself to destroy the enemy's central base. Instead of dying, she transmigrates into the body of a cannon fodder character in a historical novel. She wakes up on her wedding night as a substitute bride for the Jiang family's Third Miss, married to Ying Zhaolou, the crippled and feared commander of the Wing Guard. The original Jiang Jiaran was an adopted daughter who was mistreated by her adoptive family and forced into this marriage to protect the biological second miss. Upon arrival at the remote Ying Residence, Jiang Jiaran finds herself neglected and starved by servants who despise her low status. Her only ally is Yu'er, a timid maid, and Ying Li, a mischievous orphan who is the sworn younger brother of her husband, Ying Zhaolou.

Ying Zhaolou is a major villain in the novel, known for his ruthlessness and political power, though he currently hides his abilities behind a facade of illness and disability. He lives in a courtyard adjacent to Jiang Jiaran's, separated only by a thin wall. Initially, Jiang Jiaran plans to avoid him and live a quiet, peaceful life, utilizing her scientific knowledge to build a stove and cook simple meals. Her situation improves when Ying Li, impressed by her kindness and cooking, begins stealing food from the kitchen for her. This act draws the attention of Ying Zhaolou, who is initially annoyed but eventually tolerates his brother's antics because he finds Jiang Jiaran's presence amusingly different from the sycophants he usually encounters.

The plot thickens when Xu Yuanzheng, a distant relative of the Ying family and a suitor of the vain Ying Xueshuang, confronts Jiang Jiaran. He accuses her of bullying his cousin by having Ying Li steal desserts meant for a birthday banquet. During the confrontation, Jiang Jiaran discovers a mysterious system in her vision, a legacy from her friend Mike in her previous life. The system converts negative energy and malicious intent into medical supplies and other resources. She realizes that the steward and others who pretend to be kind but harbor resentment generate more points than those who are openly hostile. This discovery shifts her strategy from passive survival to active engagement with the household's politics.

Ying Zhaolou, observing the commotion from his courtyard, unexpectedly intervenes. He sends the kitchen steward to deliver lavish meals to Jiang Jiaran, effectively protecting her from Xu Yuanzheng's aggression. This act confuses Jiang Jiaran, as the original plot dictated that Ying Zhaolou would ignore her until his eventual downfall. She becomes wary of his true intentions, suspecting that his sudden interest is not born of affection but of curiosity or manipulation. Meanwhile, Jiang Jiaran decides to visit her former home, the Jiang Residence, to retrieve personal belongings and check on her aging adoptive grandmother. There, she faces the cold hostility of her adoptive mother and discovers that her childhood gold chain has been stolen.

Back at the Ying Residence, Jiang Jiaran continues to navigate the treacherous dynamics of the household. She builds a closer bond with Ying Li, teaching him practical skills, while maintaining a cautious distance from Ying Zhaolou. The political landscape of the Great Ying Dynasty is unstable, with a new emperor on the throne and the previous emperor captured by enemy nations. The Ying family is trying to secure its position by aligning with powerful factions, and Jiang Jiaran's marriage is a pawn in this larger game. As she settles into her new life, Jiang Jiaran must balance her desire for a peaceful existence with the growing entanglement in the schemes of the villainous Ying Zhaolou and the volatile court politics surrounding him.