Chapter 1: Peach Blossoms Fall into the Embrace
It was May, the peak of the flowering season, with spring breeze carrying warmth, gently blowing across the land.
Chirp chirp—, chirp chirp—, sparrows nesting under the eaves chattered away, occasionally turning their heads towards the torn paper window, as if discussing something.
Li Ruantang, lying on the kang bed, was still in a daze. Her golden-threaded dress in the color of hibiscus had somehow gotten smeared with mud, mixed with traces of blood, a sight that was shocking to behold.
Yet she was still dreaming, her fingertips outside the covers slightly curled, her unintentionally furrowed brows looking serious and focused.
“Li Ruan……” Sobbing sounds arose. The young man sitting beside her hung his head, not yet having the chance to check her breathing again.
“What an unlucky thing! If you call out again, this lady will burn your whole nest!”
Outside the window, some unknown lady suddenly shouted, not only startling the sparrows under the eaves to fly away in a flurry but also frightening Li Ruantang to jolt awake. Not only did the peach blossoms that filled her embrace in the dream vanish into nothingness, but her whole body suddenly ached terribly, as if she had been beaten severely several times.
“Mmm……”
Li Ruantang had just barely awakened, feeling indescribably uncomfortable.
She slightly moved her numb fingers, about to ask which family’s maid was so inconsiderate, when she heard low sobbing by her ear.
The sound was both suppressed and sorrowful. If not for the sparrows under the eaves being frightened away, she might not have noticed it.
“…tang, wuu, tang.” He seemed to have been crying for a long time, even calling her name was intermittent, “Wake up quickly!”
Tang tang?
The way of addressing was quite intimate. Li Ruantang felt her face burning upon hearing it. Since her return to the capital, she had not been this familiar with any young man.
However, this voice sounded truly clear and pleasant, with a hint of familiarity as it entered her ears.
Who could it be?
Li Ruantang’s head was still a bit dizzy, her eyelids extremely difficult to open even a slit. Curiously yet pretending to be calm, she focused, trying hard to gather her scattered gaze in one place.
The sunlight entering her eyes was dazzling, yet it couldn’t hide the mottled walls and the dilapidated, peeling ceiling around her.
Li Ruantang was momentarily stunned, her peripheral vision not reaching her side. In an instant, her attention was fully captured by a small spider happily descending along a silk thread.
The little creature descended extremely fast. Before Li Ruantang could blink, it was only a hair’s breadth from her nose tip.
It should be known that Li Ruantang was usually fearless, except when it came to these insects and bugs, which made her break out in a cold sweat.
In that moment, her soul, which had just felt as if crushed by a mountain and filled with lead, was instantly called back seven or eight tenths.
She let out a yelp, no longer caring about looking at any young man, her body swiftly darting towards the window. Seeing her skirt about to touch the layer of gray-black on the wall, Li Ruantang’s eye twitched, and she turned her body, rolling towards the edge of the kang.
After all, besides fearing insects and bugs, she was also a person who liked cleanliness.
“Umph!”
The anticipated smooth escape and roll was abruptly interrupted. Li Ruantang was shocked, her back tingling. Before she could fully stop, she had already very clumsily rolled into the arms of the dumbfounded young man.
In that instant, she felt as if she had crashed into a fragrant embrace. Li Ruantang was so flustered she didn’t know where to put her hands and feet.
Fortunately, she had slowed down, and no great disaster occurred.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
Li Ruantang apologized repeatedly. The person before her was a stranger, and she was confused, her voice becoming hesitant, “May I ask which family’s young man you are?”
The young man’s cheekbones still had a faint blush, his phoenix eyes brimming with tears. He let out a muffled groan when Li Ruantang bumped into him, took a few breaths before saying equally shocked, “You don’t remember me?”
He was born with red lips and white teeth, a face like fine jade. Even sitting on the edge of the kang, his back remained straight. His frost-colored outer robe was also covered in quite a bit of dust.
Li Ruantang looked at him, her ear lobes reddening a few more degrees. Not daring to stare at him anymore, she turned her face away, muttering in her heart.
Should she remember him?
Judging from his words, they were actually old acquaintances? How come she had no impression at all?
Li Ruantang slightly furrowed her brows, but the pain in her forehead came in threads, like dense lines entangling her consciousness, truly unable to think further. She could only endure it, and before long, her forehead was covered in fine sweat.
Although this place was dilapidated, there were still many unnamed flowers blooming in the courtyard. The fragrance of flowers came with the wind, gently brushing past the hair at her temples.
The young man turned his face away, his hands on her shoulders using a bit of force, imperceptibly pushing Li Ruantang, who was extremely close, outward.
She was originally not very smart, and at this moment was even more stupid, not even noticing that her collar was open.
Meng Jun frowned with disgust. He didn’t care to see any so-called feminine beauty. Besides, what was there to look at in Li Ruantang? She was just softer than a man.
Even if he unintentionally saw it, he needed to wash his eyes. After all, he hadn’t forgotten the incident from childhood when she pulled his belt and embarrassed him in public!
This Li Ruantang, ah, it’s just that face of hers that’s good at deceiving people. She looks cultured and polite, gentle and kind, but in reality, she has a reckless personality.
If it weren’t for the current peaceful times, with the Empress decreeing to promote culture over military affairs, how could she be allowed to return to the capital and continue being a world daughter?
If Li Ruantang hadn’t returned to the capital, his mother wouldn’t have racked her brains, insisting they had some childhood sweetheart relationship, wanting him to fly up the branch and become her world husband.
Clearly, he had already… already had someone he cared about.
Just thinking about that woman’s gentle smile, Meng Jun’s ear tips suddenly felt a bit itchy.
Although he hadn’t spoken more than a few words with Miss Wei, with her brilliant literary talent and clear understanding, she should have been able to understand the poem he wrote.
Meng Jun was lost in thought, his fingers losing their sense of measure, pinching Li Ruantang’s arm until it hurt.
The young man looked like he was in deep sorrow. Li Ruantang pursed her lips, hesitantly reaching out to lightly pat his frost-colored wide sleeve.
She wasn’t very good at interacting with young men. After pondering for a moment, she said, “I don’t remember anything.”
After speaking, she nodded again, “Really, I don’t remember anything.”
The hemp cloth that had just been changed on Li Ruantang’s forehead was now seeping with fresh blood. Her complexion was pale with a tinge of yellow, her almond-shaped eyes flickering.
She wasn’t very good at lying.
However, this couldn’t be considered deceiving him.
She really didn’t remember who he was, nor did she know why she had appeared in such a run-down courtyard.
Apart from remembering her own name, she only remembered a young man crying and swearing to her that if he couldn’t marry a husband before the new year, he would give up the dark jade.
Although Li Ruantang couldn’t recall what the dark jade he mentioned was, just silently mouthing these two words made her extremely reluctant.
It must be something she cherished.
Li Ruantang glanced out the window, where unknown flowers were blooming vibrantly. The rich colors added a lot of warmth.
She silently calculated the days, realizing it was about April or May now, not much time left until the bet.
Marry a husband?
Li Ruantang’s ear tips secretly turned red. She sneaked a few glances at the pursed-lipped, unhappy young man, quickly sitting up straight nearby, completely forgetting how pale she had been earlier when frightened by the spider.
Who would have thought that in such a poor place, there would be such a handsome and fair young man.
Li Ruantang secretly marveled. Originally, she shouldn’t have been so impolite, but this young man’s appearance was truly stunning.
Just a turn of his eyes, a lowering of his brows, brushing away the tears at the corners of his eyes, he was as graceful as an immortal. Not to mention when he stood up to pour tea, his long fingers brushing his sleeves, naturally elegant.
“Then……” the young man turned his eyes slightly, “Are you still in pain?”
Come to think of it, he had never seen Li Ruantang so disheveled before. Although he didn’t want to marry her, when they rolled down from such a high slope, she had firmly protected him in her arms.
Therefore, politely showing concern wasn’t considered betraying his own intentions.
“It’s alright.” Li Ruantang smiled slightly at him, “May I ask if you know where this place is?”
Meng Jun shook his head.
When he woke up, he was in her arms. Thinking of the softness he had pillowed on, Meng Jun froze. In his peripheral vision, Li Ruantang’s collar was still open a few inches.
He suddenly turned his back, his fingertips holding the cup trembling slightly.
“Your, your collar!”
It’s over, it’s over, he saw it!
The young man regretted it bitterly, closing his eyes dejectedly. Li Ruantang was indeed a reckless person. Even though she had studied and attended school, she didn’t have any of the caution and stability of a scholar.
Like Miss Wei, no matter when you met her, her clothes were always a pristine white, untainted by worldly dust. How could she be like Li Ruantang, not even knowing her own collar was open? Brazenly exposing that bit of whiteness, not knowing any shame at all!
He was so annoyed that even the back of his neck turned completely red.
“What?”
Li Ruantang looked down in confusion, her face, which had just calmed down, instantly turning a myriad of colors, “I’m, I’m sorry.”
She certainly didn’t mean to be frivolous, but now it wasn’t appropriate to explain further. It would also save the shy young man from feeling more at a loss.
Li Ruantang composed herself, quickly adjusting her collar while changing the subject, “Then does the young master know why we appeared here together?”
Meng Jun, with his back turned, stiffened his shoulders but didn’t immediately respond to her.
Thanks to Li Ruantang’s protection, he wasn’t injured at all, just knocked unconscious from the fall.
In this dazed state, Meng Jun had heard the woman who rescued them say many unkind things, including beating Li Ruantang with a bamboo pole, and also…
The young man pursed his lips. This world was difficult for men. Especially in this place that looked poor, men without wives were even more restricted.
He had just heard very clearly that this family said, if he wasn’t Li Ruantang’s husband, they would directly offer him to the village’s Lady Fu.
Their words showed no regard at all for the centuries-old laws of Great Jin.
Meng Jun listened with alarm, but also knew that relying on his strength alone, it would be difficult to escape. He understood even more clearly that if he were truly forced to lose the virginity mark on his arm in this place, even if people from his household came to rescue him, his reputation would be ruined.
How could he then return to the capital and attend poetry gatherings in the same hall as Miss Wei?
Fortunately, now Li Ruantang didn’t remember anything.
The young man gritted his teeth in hatred. Between two evils, choose the lesser one. Compared to these villagers who knew no etiquette, he would rather lower himself and coax Li Ruantang.
Moreover, when they were young, she didn’t intentionally pull off his belt. If she hadn’t been tripped and had nothing to grab onto, she wouldn’t have implicated him.
Forget it, forget it, it’s all ancient history anyway.
Meng Jun sighed softly, secretly turning back to look at Li Ruantang, who was adjusting her collar. The wound on her forehead was initially bandaged by the woman of this household, sloppily and perfunctorily done.
It was he who, upon waking up and unable to bear the sight, gently undid it and redid it again.
He had looked at the wound, and it wasn’t too severe. Moreover, judging from her agile movements just now in avoiding the spider, Meng Jun felt a bit more relieved.
However, her complexion was indeed quite poor, and he didn’t know if she had any other injuries.
The young man pondered again and again. After all, he was just borrowing her name. His phoenix eyes seemed to be tinged with peach blossoms, blooming through an entire spring, and he hadn’t yet spoken.
Then he saw Li Ruantang cup her hands and ask very seriously, “May I ask, young master, if you have been betrothed?”
***
“The male lead falls in love first, the female lead is the cold-hearted and rational one, and the male lead suffers desperately because the female lead doesn’t reciprocate his feelings.”
I especially like this concept. Therefore, you’ll see that most of the novels on my website will belong to this trope. Of course, there will be exceptions.
If you’re like me…
So sick of reading stories where the female lead is often foolish, weak, feeble both physically and mentally, usually in a subservient and oppressed role in society such as a maid, secretary, concubine… or to put it bluntly, typically the one who has to serve and please the male lead, always needing protection and rescue from male leads, while the male lead is often described as talented, strikingly handsome, powerful,…
Then please continue reading.
Hi there, girls!
I’m Yuushi L.
Every day, movies, novels and comics continuously reinforce the notion that women are weak, that they can only handle trivial matters in the background, that women are petty-minded and constantly jealous, mocking, and laughing at other women, while men are strong, wealthy, and solely focused on conquering the world, with countless mindless women ready to fall into their arms.
Believe me, once you read Female-dominant (FEDO) novels, your mindset will change significantly.
I am deeply inspired by strong, independent, and rational women who have the power to take control of their lives, and I am fascinated by the way society’s gender roles are reversed in this genre compared to real life.
So I have created this web with the noble purpose of promoting the “Female-dominant (FEDO)” genre of novels.
In my country, there was a rare renowned female poet in ancient times who wrote the following about the fate of women in that era:
“Damn this life of sharing a husband,
One wrapped in warmth, the other left cold.
I’d rather have stayed single from the start,
Than to endure a life so torn apart.”
Perhaps my penchant for reading female-dominant stories is partly a way of rebelling against the realities of life.
* * *
On my site, there will be stories that are not only female-dominant novels, as long as they align with my taste, featuring strong female protagonists and fresh, captivating storylines. Usually, they will be modern or fantasy novels.
I rarely read ancient novels that aren’t female-dominant because they often contain details that easily trigger me. These include the portrayal of men having multiple wives and concubines, which was considered utterly normal in ancient society, and the frequent disdain towards women.
I cannot change the world, as the societal structure that discriminates against women and elevates men has existed for thousands of years. Changing it to truly give women an equal role in society is not something that can happen overnight. If you want gender equality now, it’s laughable. It will never happen when over 90% of national and business leaders are men.
But I can start by changing the mindset of women, sisters, and young girls. Don’t just read dull slogans urging women to be strong and independent; it’s hard to imagine. Read Female-dominant (FEDO) novels to see clearly what true female empowerment looks like.
I believe there will be more and more independent and strong women who prioritize their careers and personal stability over seeking a man to rely on.
In the future, there will be more successful female entrepreneurs, politicians, and thought leaders.
As for me, I will start by making this website grow stronger day by day.
There will be exceptionally brilliant stories, but there will also be mediocre ones. As the Female-dominant (FEDO) genre has fewer authors and readers, the number of high-quality novels is limited.
Therefore, I want to promote this genre to reach a wider audience, which will encourage more talented authors to choose to write in this style, leading to the birth of more outstanding Female-dominant (FEDO) novels.
The Chinese versions of the novels I use for translation are all sourced from various websites on the internet. You know, I don’t have much budget to purchase so many novels.
Therefore, if your financial situation allows, please support the authors by purchasing the original works. You can find the original works using the Chinese titles of the novels.
*
WARNING:
In some novels, there are certain unhealthy ideologies and illegal actions held by the main characters (for example, treating human lives as worthless, or casually deciding to kill someone, forcing others to do things they don’t want to do, arbitrarily imprisoning others, plotting to harm others, using violence to retaliate against violence,…).
This may be because the authors are still young and inexperienced, unaware that what they’re writing goes beyond moral standards and can negatively influence young readers.
It’s important that readers under 18 years old need to recognize these are illegal actions, not permitted to be carried out in real life, always keep a clear head while reading, treat these works only as entertainment, and don’t let yourself be influenced by those plot points.
*
If you want to join me, support me, recommend novels, or simply want to connect with me privately, please contact me via email: [email protected]
YUUSHI L
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
