Chapter 1

In the first place, I had saved my husband because he was rich and handsome.

As we got to know each other, we fell in love.

He was tall, good-looking, and seemingly in perfect health. Who could have imagined this?

I couldn’t stop crying.

He went on to explain that, being a man, he knew men. Not one of them was any good. I was too innocent; he wouldn’t trust anyone else to marry me. He was afraid I would be mistreated and miserable. Besides, he owed me his life. So he had decided to marry me, care for me all my days, and never let me suffer.

He also feared that without a child, we would be bullied in our old age. Hence his plan to have his cousin father one for us.

He really did think of me in everything…

I admit that the handsome man in the portrait had set my heart racing.

But I was a woman with very traditional views.

The idea of being with another man right under my husband’s nose was rather hard to accept…

And once his cousin left, I would still be a widow in all but name.

Steeling myself, I said, “Forget it. Let’s agree to part.”

My husband dropped to his knees at my feet, took my hand, and pleaded earnestly.

“My darling, I truly want to spend my whole life with you. You’re the kindest person I’ve ever known.”

I kept glancing down at a certain part of him.

A look of understanding came over his face.

“Don’t worry, my darling. That particular part may be no use, but I’ve read widely, and I have hands and a mouth. I promise I won’t disappoint you…”

I hastily covered his mouth to stop any more indecent talk.

Now I was wavering again.

On reflection, if I went home after a divorce, my parents, elder brother, and sister-in-law would certainly make their contempt plain. They might even sell me off for a good price to some old widower, or to a blind or lame man, or a family so desperately poor they pissed blood. Whatever happened, it wouldn’t end well for me.

And if I didn’t go home, a woman in this world could hardly set up a household alone, however much money she had. People would find every way to cheat and bully her.

Looked at that way, staying with the Lu family offered the safest life.

While I hesitated,

my husband said, “Don’t decide just yet, my darling. Can we wait until my cousin arrives?”

His cousin arrived soon afterward.

He was even better-looking than his portrait.

But he hadn’t come alone. A close friend from his studies had accompanied him.

That one was outrageously handsome too.

They had come here to seek a teacher and pursue their studies.

A distinguished scholar lived in our area in retirement. He had once held high office at court.

Many people came because of his reputation.

But he didn’t take just anyone as a pupil.

The cousin and his friend were merely trying their luck.

My husband welcomed them warmly.

His cousin, Pei Shuyuan, and the friend, Shen Zhiyan, bowed politely and addressed me as Sister-in-law.

I returned their greeting and left the three of them talking in the main hall.

I ate both lunch and dinner alone in my room.

That night, just after I lay down,

my husband pushed open the door with a book in his hand.

I stole a glance at the doorway. No one else was there.

He shut the door, picked up the candleholder, and came over to the bed.

Sitting beside me, he gathered me into his arms, opened the book, and showed it to me.

He said these were all positions that made it easier to conceive.

As I looked, heat spread through me and my blood raced. Without thinking, I reached up to his shoulders…

From somewhere, he produced a piece of white jade…

My husband really did keep his promise. He didn’t disappoint me…