2026

In my last life, I sold myself and sacrificed my dignity to keep my mother and younger sister alive.

Once my sister grew up, she despised me for it.

“If you hadn’t been involved with Master Su, how could such a wonderful marriage have fallen through?

Young Master Su liked me so much.

He was going to marry me.”

She had forgotten that Master Su was my first patron.

That night, I had swallowed my shame and gone to him only to pay for a doctor when she was burning with fever.

I, too, had a childhood sweetheart who had promised to marry me.

Later, Mother helped my sister poison me.

I died in agony in our own home.

Their tears fell on my face.

“The rest of us have to live.

We had no choice.”

When I was given another life, I woke on the very day of my sister’s fever.

My half sister entrusted her daughter to me after her husband’s family was convicted.

The day Cui Yuying arrived, scarlet characters appeared above her head: Female Lead.

Above my own daughter, I saw Villainous Supporting Character.

I had rescued this girl, but I would never let her turn my children into stepping stones.

If the plot insisted on calling us villains, it would have to contend with their mother first.

To raise the bride price for my brother, my parents sold me to a system.

I would be sent into a historical romance novel.

Complete its mission, and I would receive 300,000 yuan.

The good news was that the system offered me a special ability.

The bad news was that it was called “Guaranteed to Bear Sons.”

When I frowned, the system spoke.

[Host, the ability I’ve given you is exceptionally useful in ancient times.]

Only after I arrived did I learn that the novel was called The Leased Wife.

Its heroine was hired out to wealthy households to bear them sons, one after another.

The silver she earned paid for her husband’s examinations and official career.

In the end, he rose to prominence, and she emerged triumphant, an officially titled lady.

The system told me: [There are only two mandatory conditions for completing the mission—] [First: retain your status as a leased wife and give birth to three sons.]

[Second: help your husband become an official of the first rank.]

[Fail either condition, and you will be erased.]

[You have no more than ten years in this world, Host.

Good luck.]

I listened, my eyes darkening.

“Nothing else matters?”

The system was in a hurry to collect its next host.

[Correct.

Nothing else matters.]

I gave a cold laugh.

An idea was taking root.

If I wanted to return to the modern world, I had no choice but to complete the mission.

But if I had to swallow my disgust and do these things, I would not suffer the humiliation for nothing.

I would use it to climb into power and destroy this vile practice of wife leasing.

Even if it was only a fictional institution in a novel.

It was feudal, twisted, and brutal, built on women’s blood and tears.

It should never have existed.

My husband claimed to despise one of his concubines, while treating me, his lawful wife, with perfect devotion.

I pitied her and protected her at every turn.

After I died in childbirth, he made her his wife and handed her my entire dowry.

Reborn on the second day of our marriage, I decided to stop shielding his so-called true love—and see what their devotion was really worth.

On our wedding day, my husband suddenly remembered his past.

“I am the Qingyun Sect’s senior disciple.

You would never have found me if I hadn’t been injured fighting demons.”

“We are worlds apart.

This wedding is canceled.”

His eyes fell on my pretty face, looking all the fairer above my scarlet wedding gown.

Then he changed his tune.

“If you truly cannot bear to part with me, you may stay by my side as a concubine.

Consider it repayment for saving my life.”

I stood stunned for a long moment.

Just as the Qingyun disciples decided I must be speechless with delight, I ripped off my bridal veil and flung it to the ground.

“Hey!

You’re eighty years old!

How dare an old geezer like you go after a fresh young thing like me!”

In the tenth year of our marriage, my husband, Shao Jing’an, brought home a woman he called his unforgettable love.

I smiled.

“Then take her as your concubine, husband.”

His treasured cinnabar mark?

Very well.

I would crush her into a smear of mosquito blood.

When the marquis’s family brought me home as their lost daughter, I asked for three things: no comparisons, no taking from one daughter to give to the other, and the freedom to choose my own marriage.

They agreed, until my sister’s betrothed decided he wanted me instead.

Xun Yang thought marrying a country girl would free him from his family’s rules, but three years later, the defiance he once admired had become my greatest fault.

When he asked for a divorce, I agreed.

I had spent those years learning how to stand on my own, and I was ready to build a life that belonged to me.

The princess had set a trap for me.

I had been drugged.

The man on the bed had a face as flawless as jade, his eyes clouded by the drug.

I recognized him as one of her favorite male companions.

Clearly, she was determined to ruin me.

But what did she know?

I had worked on a pleasure boat and slept with countless men.

This was hardly enough to frighten me.

I leaned close and murmured in his ear, “The princess has never treated you as a person.

Don’t you want revenge?”

The man’s eyes turned abruptly cold.

I was a virtuous woman, particularly skilled at repaying malice with kindness.

After years of marriage, I had little to complain of.

Except for one thing.

Whenever my husband and I retired a little early, my mother-in-law would bring her maids and serving women to pound on our courtyard gate.

Sometimes it was, “My boy, it’s cold tonight.

Be careful you don’t catch a chill in bed.”

Other times, “Son, you ate rather well at supper.

Your food hasn’t settled yet.

Don’t let it sit in your stomach and make you ill.”

After a while, I understood.

We were both women.

It wouldn’t do for me to be the only one getting her fill.

The thought was keeping Mother awake, tossing and turning all night.

So while my husband was away on business, I took three husbands for her in one go.

When the people from the marquis’s household came looking for me, I was lying on the ground, spitting up chicken blood, trying to swindle ten copper coins out of my brother.

My brother was terrified.

He shook me frantically.

“Guagua, don’t die!

I hid the money in a jar under the peach tree this time.

Boo-hoo…

You can have it all!”

I shot to my feet and raced off to dig up the money.

Nanny Feng stared, openmouthed.

“Perhaps we’ve found the wrong girl.”

Mother gave an awkward smile.

“There’s no mistake!

Her Ladyship and I gave birth together in that ruined temple.

This child has always been a little… lively.”

She came over, pinched my arm, and glared at me.

I had no time for her.

Dig, dig, dig!

Mother snatched up a feather duster and said through clenched teeth, “I’m counting to three…”

I dropped to my knees and clung to her leg, confessing at once.

“Mother!

I was wrong!

I shouldn’t have swindled my brother for the hundred and twenty-third time.

But he’s so easy to fool!

I can’t help myself!

Are you sure you didn’t bring home the wrong baby?

Why am I the only one who inherited your brains?”