Second Marriage in the 1970s Novel

Dong Jiahui, unable to conceive after three years of marriage, is cast out by the Lu family. Overwhelmed by shame, she attempts suicide by jumping into a river. Miraculously, upon her rescue, her soul is transformed. Meanwhile, five miles away in Shanghe Village, Zhao Donglin, a rising battalion commander, has retired to the countryside to care for his two young children after his wife abandoned them to return to the city. Determined to provide a mother for his six-month-old daughter, Yingbao, Zhao Donglin rejects numerous potential matches. He ultimately chooses Dong Jiahui, believing her infertility will ensure she devotes herself to his children. He learns she has a submissive nature, which he believes will lead to a stable domestic life, promising to treat her well in return for her care of his children. On their wedding night, Dong Jiahui uncovers the truth behind her supposed infertility: she was, in fact, still a virgin.