In the town of Shanyang, tofu seller Zhao Jingqing was said to have made a great match—marrying a scholarly gentleman from Leming Village.
Everyone said he was lucky. Surely, he’d become a court official’s pampered husband one day.
But on his wedding night, the one who lifted his bridal veil wasn’t the gentle scholar—
It was a rugged, strong man he had only seen once before: Yuan Mu, the man his stepmother had originally chosen as a husband for his younger brother.
It was then Zhao Jingqing realized… he had been switched.
***
In his past life, Zhao Jingming, his younger brother, had obeyed their mother and married Yuan Mu.
Yuan Mu owned a small plot of land and hunted for a living—much better than the scholar, who was poor and burdened with a bedridden mother and three younger siblings.
But the day after the wedding, Yuan Mu broke his leg while hunting.
Zhao Jingming, who never liked him to begin with, grew disgusted.
Meanwhile, Zhao Jingqing and the scholar were deeply in love.
He worked hard selling tofu in public to support their home, and the scholar, rather than feeling shame, walked him to and from the market every day.
Five years later, the scholar passed the imperial exams and became a government official. The family moved to the capital to live a life of luxury.
Years later, when they met again—
Zhao Jingqing stepped down from a fine carriage, dressed in silk and adorned in gold and jade. Servants attended to his every need.
By contrast, Zhao Jingming didn’t even have a decent piece of jewelry.
Blinded by envy, Zhao Jingming thanked the heavens when given a second chance at life.
This time, he would marry the scholar himself—become a court official’s beloved husband and live in splendor.
***
Zhao Jingming schemed and plotted until he successfully switched the marriage and replaced Zhao Jingqing.
He waited for the next five years with stars in his eyes.
But reality turned out very differently—
While he was nursing his mother-in-law, Zhao Jingqing wore the clothes that same mother had sewn.
While he toiled in the fields, Zhao Jingqing’s husband worked double to keep him from laboring.
While his household starved, Zhao Jingqing feasted on fragrant, spicy dishes daily.
Zhao Jingming thought: Five years sure is a long time.
Five years later, the scholar still hadn’t passed the exams. Zhao Jingming’s dream of becoming a noble’s spouse crumbled.
Meanwhile, Zhao Jingqing and Yuan Mu had grown together in mutual affection and harmony.
Their business expanded from the town to the county, overflowing with wealth. They became renowned merchants far and wide.
Years later, they met again—
Zhao Jingqing descended from a carriage, untouched by hardship, still radiant and beautiful—more so than Zhao Jingming remembered.
He held the hand of a lovely, snow-like child straight out of a New Year’s painting.
Yuan Mu followed behind them step for step, a frightening face softened by an utterly silly smile.
***
People once said: “That Yuan Mu looks brutal and beastly. There’s no way he treats his husband well—Zhao Jingqing must be suffering.”
Zhao Jingqing blinked, a beat slow:
“Huh? Not really. I’ve eaten everything… just not suffering.”
Yuan Mu: ………
