Order of the Elements - Chapter 29: The Untouchable Mutant

The journey of a generation’s male empress started because of four words.

“Send a dowry escort.”

During the 19th year of Yuanqing, Qi Yunruo boarded a carriage and entered through a corner door of the second prince’s estate. Then, across the watery corridor, he gazed at the prince from afar.

Notes:

For aristocratic women in imperial China to marry into a family part of the upper nobility, they must be of the legitimate line and must also have an escort/dowry maid that married into that family. That escort would be a “ying” (媵) and could be considered a concubine.

- Description from Novelupdates

Changqing has always felt that she’s incomparable to Guan Ying in every aspect. Even though she is pretty and has a good family background, this world is nothing more than a world where Princes are more attracted to Cinderellas.

Her first love that she dearly remembers in her heart for years eventually becomes Guan Ying’s current boyfriend and her fiancé is Guan Ying’s ex. He has yet to forget Guan Ying.

A business marriage brings Changqing and Song Chuyi together despite the absence of love.
In public, he is her friend’s ex and in private he is her husband who cannot be publicly–known.
At the hospital, her good friend enjoys her husband’s embrace while she can only act as though he’s a stranger.
At a gala dinner, her good friend hooks her arm around her first love’s arm shyly and she can only smile and give them her blessings.

…

In this marriage, Changqing thinks that all is well other than the fact that Song Chuyi doesn’t love her.
First, her husband is a doctor and he can treat all her illnesses while saving up on medical expenses.
Second, doctors love cleanliness and her husband would always ensure the cleanliness of the house.
Third, at the end of every month, her thin wallet would grow thick with cash that her husband stuffs in secretly.
Fourth, as a person who doesn’t like to exercise, she always get dragged around by her husband day and night to do some pleasurable exercise that is beneficial for the body and mind.
Fifth, she would never have to worry that she would be out of money.
There are always so many uncountable advantages that Changqing enjoys.

…

After the marriage, on a certain night, Changqing looks at Dr. Song gloomily. “Hubby, why are you so nice to me when you don’t even love me?”
Dr. Song continues reading his medical books and ignores her. It’s sometimes quite a headache when your wife is too stupid and daft.
Until one day, Changqing realises that there’s really no free lunch in this world…

- Description from Novelupdates

Xu Youyou rebirthed to when she was 16 years old and chose a path different from her previous life and met Qiao Mu ten years earlier. The youth who had braved the wind and snow protecting her till death — and who had confessed to her.

And she realized, the Qiao Mu ten years earlier and the Qiao Mu she knew were completely different people. He didn’t have his smile that could radiate sunlight, he didn’t have his courage that could penetrate snowstorms, and he certainly didn’t have his perfect eight pack. He was like a short mushroom, quietly growing in the corner’s shadow.

Xu Youyou: If you dare be like this when you confess to me, you are so dead.

Qiao Mu was a teenage Weiqi genius, he loved Weiqi, but because of his shadow of youth was unable to enter the competition arena. And because of the fear, he was unable to become a professional player and could only return to a typical school life.

Until he met Xu Youyou.

A widely known reckless and fearless girl, who was the complete opposite of him. She was good at everything, except things relating to love. Clearly he wasn’t her type, yet she always provoked him. But the biggest joke was himself, he clearly knew everything, yet could not help but fall into the hands of the enemy.

- Description from Novelupdates

As a top manager, everyone constantly tries to curry favor with Li Xiwu. And due to her identity as Mrs. Pei, the rich and the powerful would always greet her politely. A celebrity instructor, and the wife of a man from a rich family… Is there anyone who would not envy her? However, only Li Xiwu knows that she is a substitute for Mr. Pei’s unrequited love, and none of her titles or privileges have anything to do with her.***

Losing yourself after being someone else’s substitute is a tedious thing. Having gained that epiphany, Li Xiwu began to ponder how she should claim alimony of astronomical proportions from Mr. Pei. However, while she was obsessing over how to get rich from the divorce, her mother-in-law, who had always disliked her, invited her to take part in a variety show, while promising to make her rich. Li Xiwu’s lips curled into a grin. “Fortune favors the brave!”At first, her mother-in-law constantly attempted to embarrass her, and netizens were all moaning about how she was the most pitiful rich daughter-in-law! Later, her mother-in-law was inseparable from Li Xiwu, and would keep bragging about her to everyone she met, leaving the netizens cheering: Leave the face-slapping to Mrs. Pei! Li Xiwu did not expect herself to shoot to fame in the variety show either. However, while she was convinced that she could get a smooth divorce afterward, her mother-in-law called her son immediately as soon as the variety show ended.“Divorce my baby, and I will disown you!”Mr. Pei: ???