Yulang Always Thinks I Have a Crush on Him

Shen Yiyi, a modern graduate student preparing for competitive university entrance exams, finds herself transmigrated into the body of a six-year-old girl named Yuan Jie'er in ancient China. The original host, a child of a woman who abandoned her to run off with a merchant, has died from neglect and illness at the hands of her greedy maternal relatives, Hu Sicai and Niu Shi. Upon waking in a dilapidated rural home, Shen Yiyi realizes she possesses no system, golden finger, or special abilities. She is immediately thrust into a precarious situation where her relatives plan to use her as a pawn to claim kinship with Master Shen Rusong, a wealthy official visiting the area. Hu Sicai and Niu Shi believe that by presenting Yuan Jie'er as Shen's illegitimate daughter, they can secure financial stability and social climbing opportunities, completely disregarding the girl's well-being.

The family travels to Anyang County, where they arrive at the imposing Shen Mansion. Shen Yiyi is ushered into the rear annex, a cramped and poorly furnished space shared with other families who have also arrived claiming to be relatives of Master Shen. She discovers that she is not the only one; two other families, the Dings and the Zhangs, have brought daughters who also claim to be Shen's illegitimate children. This revelation transforms the rear annex into a competitive arena where multiple factions vie for the father's acknowledgment and the associated benefits. Shen Yiyi observes the dynamics with the caution of a modern woman, recognizing the dangers of the era, including the threat of kidnapping and the ruthless nature of family politics.

Inside the main residence, Master Shen Rusong is initially distressed by the news of another illegitimate daughter, fearing it will upset his wife, Madam Wu. However, his mood shifts when he learns that the mother, Hu Erniang, has remarried and abandoned her past life. Disillusioned and uninterested in reconnecting with a woman who chose another man, Shen Rusong decides to treat the claim with indifference. He instructs his steward to house the claimants in the rear annex without granting them any special status, effectively leaving them to fend for themselves while he focuses on his business affairs and his relationship with his legitimate family.

Madam Wu, initially furious at the prospect of rivals, is calmed by her trusted nanny, Nanny Tong. Nanny Tong argues that keeping the illegitimate daughters in the rear annex allows Madam Wu to maintain control and that they pose no immediate threat to her status, especially since the master seems uninterested in acknowledging them formally. Madam Wu's anger subsides, and she focuses on her own household management, including the recent news that she may be pregnant. Meanwhile, Shen Yiyi navigates her new environment by keeping a low profile, observing the gossip and schemes of the other residents. She realizes that her survival depends on proving her worth to her relatives while avoiding the pitfalls of the dangerous world she now inhabits. The story follows her efforts to adapt to this unfamiliar life, manage the expectations of her exploitative relatives, and find a way to secure her future in a household filled with hidden agendas and competing interests.