My Everlasting Bride – Ke Ying, Cavan Wen

Hu Die infiltrated the Marshal's Mansion for a travel permit. She was captured by Nie Zhen's men. When Nie Zhen saw Hu Die, she was already bound and gagged. Nie Zhen removed the cloth from Hu Die's mouth and learned that she was a maid at a restaurant. He immediately saw through her lies. There was not only a lack of oil and water scent on Hu Die's body, but also a distinctive rouge scent. This was Nie Zhen's reason for seeing through her disguise. Hu Die had to claim that she was a maid from the Shen family and pleaded with Nie Zhen to release her.

Nie Zhen let Hu Die go, but unexpectedly, when Hu Die saw the gun at his waist, she turned the tables and used it to blackmail him for the travel permit. She left openly. His subordinates knew the gun on Nie Zhen was fake, and they advised him to carry a real gun. However, Nie Zhen not only forbade anyone from chasing Hu Die but also prohibited them from mentioning the matter again.

Shen Qingxia, the eldest daughter of the Shen family, received a marriage proposal from the Nie family. Terrified by this, Shen Qingxia had heard that Nie Zhen, a notorious figure, intended to escape the marriage. Hu Die stole the travel permit for this purpose. However, while Shen Qingxia was waiting for Hu Die, she was drugged and violated by a group of military officers. Unable to accept the defilement, Shen Qingxia chose to end her own life by writing a suicide note in blood. Hu Die deeply regretted her late arrival. After returning to the Shen family, she remained tight-lipped about Shen Qingxia's disappearance and only handed over a ticket stub. Shen's patriarch, fearing the Nie family's power, worried that offending them would lead to the downfall of the Shen family. Hu Die, determined to find out who harmed Shen Qingxia, offered to marry into the Nie family in place of Shen Qingxia and investigate the true culprit.

Nie Zhen had an unexpected request. He hoped that Hu Die would temporarily reside in the Nie Mansion to discuss marriage matters. Shen Duoran strongly opposed this, citing ancestral traditions and laws. However, given the current dominance of the Nie family's power, Shen Duoran's objection was ineffective. Hu Die still boarded Nie Zhen's carriage. Nie Zhen had already recognized Hu Die but was willing to let her impersonate Shen Qingxia. Hu Die stubbornly claimed to be Shen Qingxia, but Nie Zhen pointed out the fresh ear piercing on Hu Die's ear that still had traces of blood. The stronger scent of rouge on her compared to the previous day also indicated that Hu Die was not the genuine Shen family heiress.

When Nie Zhen got off the carriage, he reached out his hand to Hu Die. With courage, she finally shook his hand. Nie Zhen straightforwardly told her that he knew she came to the Nie Mansion to resolve the matter for the Shen family heiress, and he was willing to continue with the charade. Hu Die had no choice but to cooperate and link arms with Nie Zhen. As soon as Nie Zhen entered the house, he took off his shirt, revealing his muscular physique. Hu Die dared not look directly at him and began to suspect his intentions. She quickly grabbed a pen from the table for self-defense. It was Nie Zhen's favorite pen. He warned Hu Die not to consider her life too important, as in his eyes, her life was worth less than that pen.

Nie Zhen took Hu Die to try on wedding dresses. Hu Die changed several outfits in a row, but Nie Zhen was dissatisfied with all of them. This left Hu Die feeling frustrated. When Nie Zhen indicated his relative satisfaction with the current outfit, she expressed her discontent. Immediately, Nie Zhen called the shopkeeper and had him shot dead. Seeing the bloodstains on the mirror, Hu Die was frightened. She realized that she and Nie Zhen were fundamentally different.

Fearful, Hu Die spent the night in the bathtub. Early the next morning, Nie Zhen had someone prepare ginger tea for Ming Die. At this moment, Ming Die no longer seemed afraid of Nie Zhen, as Hu Die had realized that Nie Zhen kept her for a reason. Recognizing Hu Die's intelligence, Nie Zhen gave her twelve hours to figure out the true reason he had kept her.

Ming Die turned Nie Zhen's room upside down and discovered a ledger in which Nie Zhen had recorded dates of destruction and compensation amounts. She thought that perhaps Nie Zhen wasn't truly heartless. She discreetly revisited the tailor's shop from the previous day and found the shop owner unharmed, preparing for business as usual. After threatening the shop owner, she learned that it was Nie Zhen who orchestrated this act, confirming her suspicion that he deliberately created a villainous image.

Shen Duoran deliberately intercepted Hu Die, hoping she would go with him. However, Hu Die confronted Shen Duoran about his actions, stating that she was an outsider to the Shen family and that Shen Duoran's deeds would truly lead to the family's downfall. Back at the Marshal's Mansion, facing Nie Zhen, Hu Die calmly explained that Nie Zhen was intentionally tarnishing his image. He didn't want to take on the role of Grand Marshal, and her identity as a maid served as fodder for the city's amusement. This was Nie Zhen's true motive. Liu Xiu, seeing that Hu Die had uncovered Nie Zhen's true intentions, wanted to end her with a gunshot, but Nie Zhen stopped him.

Nie Zhen and Hu Die's wedding was about to take place. They were making final preparations together. When Nie Zhen went to fetch a bridal veil for Hu Die, Shen Duoran secretly sneaked in, hoping to take Hu Die away, but she refused. Shen Duoran wildly pulled out a knife from his person and attacked Nie Zhen. Nie Zhen caught the knife barehanded and forced Shen Duoran to retreat. Just as Shen Duoran was about to draw a handgun, Hu Die shielded him and pleaded with Nie Zhen to spare him. Nie Zhen didn't want any trouble at the wedding and let Shen Duoran leave.

The wedding began, and Nie Zhen refused to throw the bouquet from Hu Die's hands, wanting to keep their bond exclusive. Instead, he passionately confessed his feelings to Hu Die, which was contrary to her expectations and left her somewhat bewildered. Unbeknownst to Hu Die, Nie Zhen got carried away with the acting. He publicly asked Hu Die if she would marry him, and she had no choice but to agree. Nie Zhen positioned himself close to Hu Die, creating the appearance of a passionate kiss, while in reality, he was telling her that it was all just a performance.

After the wedding, while Hu Die tended to the wounds on Nie Zhen's hands, she asked why he had a change of heart. Nie Zhen openly admitted that he had developed some interest in her. He presented a contract that stipulated he would help Hu Die investigate the person who harmed Shen Qingxia, and in return, Hu Die would uphold her end of the deal and play the role of his maid-contract wife. Nie Zhen wiped his fresh blood on his lips, placed the contract between his and Hu Die's lips, and sealed it with a kiss. From that moment, the contract was established.

The Grand Marshal specifically selected two special gifts from the congratulatory offerings and brought them to the dining table. One pair of earrings imported from abroad suited the status of the Grand Marshal's wife, while the golden pistol naturally matched the future Grand Marshal. However, Nie Zhen didn't like the gun at all. The Grand Marshal's demeanor changed instantly in frustration. Fortunately, Hu Die expressed her liking for these gifts, which eased the atmosphere. The Grand Marshal had his subordinates return the gun to his room and decided to give it to Nie Zhen once he assumed the position of the Grand Marshal.

Nie Zhen noticed that Hu Die seemed afraid of him today, but she denied it. She also changed her story about investigating Shen Qingxia's killer and instead claimed that she was searching for her biological parents. Nie Zhen readily agreed, but as Hu Die brushed aside her fringe to reveal the gun hidden there, she aimed it at Nie Zhen's forehead, which annoyed him. He bit her hand as a warning.

Taking the opportunity to deliver a traditional Chinese medicine prescription to the Grand Marshal, Hu Die entered his study. Fourth Aunt happened to witness her actions and blocked her inside. Knowing that Fourth Aunt disliked Nie Zhen, Hu Die and Fourth Aunt collaborated in a performance. When Nie Zhen returned and saw Fourth Aunt assaulting Hu Die for entering the study, he immediately intervened to support Hu Die, demonstrating that Hu Die held a higher status than Fourth Aunt. Nie Zhen carefully noticed that Hu Die had sprained her foot and personally massaged the injured area. However, Hu Die had developed murderous intent towards him due to the medal in the drawer. She not only joined forces with Fourth Aunt but also wrote to Shen Duoran, intending to use real bullets to pierce Nie Zhen's head.

Early in the morning, Hu Die made an excuse to go to the pharmacy to buy medicine for Nie Zhen and left. Before leaving, she exchanged a glance with Fourth Aunt, both of them certain about their upcoming plan. Hu Die returned to the Shen family and revealed Shen Qingxia's ordeal. Shen Duoran learned that Hu Die had entered the Marshal's Mansion to avenge Shen Qingxia. He expressed his willingness to cooperate fully. Hu Die had Shen Duoran send a knife to lure Nie Zhen to a designated location, where Hou Ping had already set up a trap. If Nie Zhen came, he would undoubtedly die.

As agreed, Nie Zhen arrived, and Shen Duoran aimed the pistol, stolen by Hu Die, at him and fired. However, the gun was empty. Nie Zhen then signaled an undercover agent who had been alongside Hou Ping to shoot him as a warning. He picked up the startled Hu Die and took her back home.

Seeing that even with the help of an outsider, she couldn't kill Nie Zhen, Hu Die decided to reveal Shen Qingxia's murder. Learning that Hu Die had targeted him based on a medal, Nie Zhen informed her that five people possessed that same medal. Clearly, Hu Die had mistaken her target for revenge. Hu Die looked at Nie Zhen, who didn't blame her at all, and couldn't fully understand. Nie Zhen told her that his anger at Fourth Aunt for mistreating her was real, his fear upon receiving the dagger from Shen Duoran was real, and the most genuine thing was his affection for her. Listening to Nie Zhen's heartfelt words, Hu Die couldn't help but caress his face, and the two of them shared a passionate kiss.

Shen Duoran was about to go south for business, and Hu Die came specifically to see him off. Shen Duoran apologized to Hu Die for all the mistakes he had made before. At the same time, he brought her the pastries she loved the most. Nie Zhen stood by, playing with his pocket watch, and found their conversation quite amusing. When the time came, he issued an eviction order to Shen Duoran. Shen Duoran refused to accept it. He was determined to gather strength in the south and return to Hongzhou with the means to confront Nie Zhen.

As Shen Duoran left, the jealous Nie Zhen snatched the pastries from Hu Die's hand and helped her eat them. His jealous expression made Hu Die find it very amusing. So, she reached out and brushed away the crumbs from Nie Zhen's lips. The loving gaze they exchanged went unnoticed by a woman who was watching them not far away, and it seemed meaningful.

Hu Die leaned on Nie Zhen's shoulder and fell asleep. To avoid disturbing her sleep, Nie Zhen sat in the car and waited for her to wake up. When Hu Die finally woke up, Nie Zhen immediately presented her with a cake he had specially ordered for her. After taking a bite, Hu Die praised its deliciousness. Nie Zhen couldn't resist kissing her lips, savoring the sweetness on her mouth. Seeing this, Hu Die playfully used the cake to smear Nie Zhen's face, and they kissed each other. Nie Zhen remembered that he needed to investigate the murder of Shen Qingxia and had prepared incriminating information about three senior officers to threaten them into reporting their whereabouts truthfully. All three had evidence of not being in the dye house, and Nie Zhen had a bad feeling. He rushed home immediately.

Coincidentally, Hu Die had just heard Nie Feng mention that he had bullied a girl ten days ago, but he had no memory of it. She immediately decided to kill Nie Feng.

Hu Die knew that Nie Feng had harmed Shen Qingxia and wanted to kill him immediately. However, she also knew that Nie Zhen was currently playing a game of wits with three senior officers and would soon discover the truth. So, she decided to wait for Nie Zhen to return and bid farewell to him. While shaving Nie Feng's beard, she cut his chin, staining the razor with blood, which slightly calmed Hu Die's anxious heart.

Nie Zhen realized that Hu Die intended to kill someone and was worried that she would get herself into trouble. He had the driver rush home. In the house, Hu Die, pretending to be the young madam, arranged for a maid to buy flowers and the steward to buy calming incense. She also had a servant bring kerosene from the storage room. After everything was prepared, Hu Die held a kerosene lamp and waited for Nie Zhen.

When Nie Zhen returned and saw the eerie scene in the house, he knew about the evil deeds committed by Nie Feng. He also learned that Hu Die, in seeking revenge for Shen Qingxia, wanted to perish along with Nie Feng. He began to talk about his tragic upbringing, revealing that he considered Nie Zhen a hypocrite who had committed all kinds of evil within the territory of Hongzhou, including causing the death of his own biological mother. Therefore, he believed it was his duty to start this fire. Hu Die suspected that this might be part of Nie Zhen's scheme, but it was indeed his true feelings. The two of them struggled to snatch the kerosene lamp from each other, neither willing to give in. In the midst of this standoff, a hand extinguished the kerosene lamp. When Hu Die and Nie Zhen saw the newcomer's face, they were especially surprised. The woman introduced herself confidently as Yan Bingbing. Hu Die couldn't believe her eyes and tears began to flow uncontrollably.

Yan Bingbing introduced herself as a close friend of Hu Die and a doctor. Upon hearing that Nie Feng was suffering from a severe headache, she came uninvited to specifically treat him. Because her diagnostic methods were somewhat private, she asked Nie Zhen and Hu Die to leave the room. Nie Zhen realized that Hu Die knew Yan Bingbing and questioned her identity, but Hu Die was unwilling to reveal anything.

Nie Feng was captivated by Yan Bingbing's beauty and involuntarily reached out to her. He expressed a desire for her to stay at the Nie family estate for protection. He even remarked that her face seemed familiar to him. Yan Bingbing remembered the humiliation she had suffered on a previous occasion, and a flash of resentment crossed her eyes. She quickly withdrew her hand and began massaging Nie Feng's head. He enjoyed the massage and closed his eyes, unaware of the anger in Yan Bingbing's eyes.

Nie Zhen became suspicious of the sudden appearance of Yan Bingbing and ordered an investigation into her background. It was discovered that her name was not on the list of overseas students, confirming that Yan Bingbing's identity was fake. At this moment, Nie Zhen remembered what Hu Die had mentioned about the dye house incident and rushed to the northern part of the city to confirm his suspicions.

Meanwhile, Hu Die and Yan Bingbing had a private conversation, with Hu Die addressing Yan Bingbing as "Miss." It was revealed that Shen Qingxia had not died as previously believed but had adopted the alias Yan Bingbing to seek revenge against Nie Feng while also needing to use Nie Feng for another purpose. Hu Die learned of Shen Qingxia's plans to confront the Nie family, and although she was concerned for Nie Zhen, she expressed her willingness to assist Shen Qingxia.

Hu Die and Nie Zhen drank together, and she asked him about his wishes. Nie Zhen remembered the incident when Hu Die had infiltrated his mansion to obtain a pass and was caught. At that time, he had given her five minutes to explain herself. When Hu Die used him to escape, she had promised to reclaim those five minutes. Nie Zhen had thought about asking Hu Die to hold him for five minutes or kiss him for five minutes, but he felt that she might be shy and didn't make such a request. Today, even though he knew that the red wine was prepared by Yan Bingbing, he still drank it for the sake of Hu Die.

With tears in her eyes, Hu Die said that meeting Nie Zhen was the greatest stroke of luck in her life. However, she couldn't abandon the Shen family that had raised her since childhood, especially the young lady, Shen Qingxia, who had always supported her. She felt unable to betray them and apologized to Nie Zhen. Hu Die didn't expect that the glass of wine she drank had been tampered with. She quickly collapsed on the ground, and Nie Zhen hurriedly carried her to the bed. He wanted to go find Yan Bingbing for an antidote, but Hu Die actively clung to his neck, asking him to stay. Seeing Hu Die so assertive, Nie Zhen couldn't resist, and they became intimate.

The next day, Yan Bingbing prepared a high-protein breakfast for Nie Feng. As he looked at the enchanting beauty of Yan Bingbing, he reached out again to test the waters. Yan Bingbing withdrew her hand but reiterated her desire to stay at the Nie estate. Nie Feng learned that the fourth lady was not present in the mansion that day and couldn't help but have some suggestive thoughts as he glanced meaningfully at Yan Bingbing. Hu Die learned that Shen Qingxia had deceived her and realized that she had become a stranger.