“A woman looks most charming in mourning white. Miss Xu truly possesses celestial beauty—no wonder Second Master couldn’t restrain himself even before the mourning period ended.” Fang Qianxue gazed at the delicate woman standing behind Lu Changqing, feeling trapped in an icy chill she couldn’t break free from.
She had been married into the Lu family for five years, giving birth to twins. Throughout these five years, she had dutifully served her mother-in-law, assisted her husband, and raised their children, handling every matter personally. Yet she never expected…
Two months ago, the eldest master of the Lu family died while on an inspection tour in Jiangning. Lu Changqing went to Jiangning to escort the coffin back to their hometown for burial, returning with a fresh and graceful young woman, claiming she was his elder brother’s betrothed.
Now he intended to practice Dual-lineage Succession, marrying her in his brother’s stead to continue his brother’s bloodline.
“Stop speaking with that insinuating tone,” Lu Changqing said as he helped the woman in white beside him take a seat. “Miaoyan is different from you—she is innocent and kind-hearted, unable to tolerate even a hint of impurity.”
Having muddled through thirty years of life, it was the moment he saw Xu Miaoyan that he suddenly felt truly alive. Her clear gaze and lively eyes constantly captivated his heart.
Compared to her, Fang Qianxue was beautiful yet bland—tasteless to savor.
Especially when he saw two white birds circling around Xu Miaoyan, Lu Changqing suddenly understood what his elder brother meant in his letter by “one who reads Beast-tongue, an ethereal fairy.”
He was hopelessly in love with her.
“Qianxue,” Lu Changqing gently stroked the back of the young woman’s hand, softening his tone. “We’ve been husband and wife for many years. Naturally, I have your interests in mind. Even if I marry Miaoyan on behalf of my brother, you will still manage the Lu household.”
For now, he wasn’t planning to divorce her, because Fang Qianxue had managed his household and their twin children with perfect order. It would be better to let her continue managing the household for now—if Miaoyan wanted authority over the household later, they could discuss it then.
Besides, he didn’t want the ethereal fairy of his heart to be tainted by the smell of money.
“Your elder brother’s body is not yet cold—how can you face him after doing this?” Fang Qianxue smiled bitterly in her heart. The husband she had loved for years actually thought she was clinging to household authority.
“For Miaoyan, I would defy the entire world without hesitation,” Lu Changqing gently embraced the trembling Xu Miaoyan, unable to suppress the surge of pity and affection in his heart. “Today I didn’t come to ask for your opinion—I came to inform you.”
“I don’t agree!” Fang Qianxue’s eyes misted over as she impulsively threw a teacup toward them.
Years of marital affection had been discarded by him like worthless trash.
What had she done wrong? Why was he treating her this way?
The tea splashed on the floor without harming anyone.
“Ah!” Xu Miaoyan startled and stood up, like a frightened little rabbit.
“Smack!”
Lu Changqing abruptly rose and stepped forward, slapping Fang Qianxue across the face.
“Fang Qianxue, you’re the daughter of a convicted official—what right do you have to disagree?! Miaoyan has a heart condition. If you dare startle her again, don’t blame me for being harsh!”
If this were the Fang family of before, he might have shown some restraint. But now, Grand Tutor Fang had been executed in connection with Prince Yong’s rebellion case, and the entire Fang family had been exiled.
Ever since marrying Lady Fang, Lu Changqing had long harbored grievances.
With his profound learning and handsome appearance, having placed third in the palace examination, he had thought marrying the Grand Tutor’s granddaughter would bring him soaring success. Instead, the Fang family suppressed him at every turn in court, resulting in five years without promotion—he remained a sixth-rank compiler in the Hanlin Academy.
All the pent-up resentment of these years finally found release in this slap.
Fang Qianxue had just recovered from an illness earlier this year and was still weak. With this slap, she was knocked directly to the ground, her head hitting the leg of a table.
A crisp “clink” rang out.
The Sanskrit-inscribed golden hairpin from her head fell to the floor.
“My head hurts so much…” Fang Qianxue’s vision blurred, her head throbbing with pain. This hairpin was given to her by her grandfather, who had instructed her never to remove it, even while bathing or sleeping.
“Madam has only just recovered from her illness, Master, how could you lay a hand on her!” The maid Cuishuang hurried forward to support her and tried to pick up the hairpin, but Lu Changqing kicked it away with his foot.
“Stop pretending!” Lu Changqing looked at his fallen wife, showing no intention of helping her up. Instead, he turned and embraced Xu Miaoyan, sneering mockingly at Fang Qianxue. “Your act of self-harm is far too fake. Is this just a ploy to win my pity?”
Leaning against Cuishuang, countless blurred images flooded Fang Qianxue’s mind like a revolving lantern.
She had awakened.
“An act of self-harm?” Blood seeped from the corner of her mouth as Fang Qianxue’s voice trembled slightly.
In that brief moment, she realized with shock that her twenty years of life were merely that of a cannon-fodder supporting character in a story of forced possession and plunder. She would soon die, making way for the female lead, Xu Miaoyan.
How utterly ridiculous!
In the book titled The Powerful Minister’s Younger Uncle and Dual-lineage Succession, Pampering Her to the Bone, the male and female leads were her husband, Lu Changqing, and Xu Miaoyan, while Fang Qianxue was the cannon-fodder original wife of the male lead.
Later, to please Xu Miaoyan, Lu Changqing would mock and ridicule Fang Qianxue at every turn. He would even use her Heart’s Blood to cure Xu Miaoyan’s heart condition, driving Fang Qianxue to madness and suicide, all while burdening her with the stigma of unfilial behavior.
And her own children would have their bones dug out by the male lead to be used as medicinal ingredients, boiled into soup to replenish the energy of Xu Miaoyan after her miscarriage.
Who was the one truly using an act of self-harm? Lu Changqing, are you blind!
No, you are not blind—you simply have no heart.