Waking up to find yourself in a wealthy family—what does that feel like? Probably the kind of happiness that poor people can’t even begin to imagine.

—By Cheng Youran

“She’s still refusing to eat?”

A man sat at the head of a long dining table, his shirt sleeves rolled up to reveal his strong forearms. His impossibly handsome face carried a hint of mockery as he spoke. “Sometimes, I really have no idea what’s going on in her head.”

The maid standing nearby, assisting with the meal, lowered her head and tried to explain. “Sir, perhaps Madam isn’t feeling well. I’ll go and call her again.”

She quickly headed upstairs.

Speaking of her Madam, there was only one word to describe her—tragic. Originally a third-rate actress in the entertainment industry, she was trampled on by everyone she met. After struggling tooth and nail to marry into a wealthy family, she thought she could finally hold her head high. But as they say, comparison was the thief of joy.

The maid sighed and shook her head as she walked up the stairs. She knocked gently on the bedroom door. “Madam, may I come in?”

“Who is it?”

Cheng Youran opened her eyes, realizing she was lying on a bed covered in silk sheets. The room was extravagantly decorated, so large it could easily pass for a living room.

At the far end of the living room, near the floor-to-ceiling windows, there was even a private swimming pool. Under the sunlight, its surface shimmered like rippling waves.

“Madam, it’s me.”

The maid entered with a worried expression. “As soon as Sir heard about your hunger strike, he rushed back home. This shows he still cares about you. Please go downstairs and eat.”

Looking at the maid’s concerned face, Cheng Youran’s mind was suddenly flooded with memories that didn’t belong to her. She realized she had transmigrated into a cliché rich-family romance novel—as the pitiful supporting character meant to highlight the female lead’s perfection.

The female lead, Gu Yao had a background as humble as hers. They had been classmates from childhood through adulthood, navigating the same entertainment industry. Both eventually married into wealthy families, but this naturally led to constant comparisons.

There was a saying: Nan Lu, Bei Li—a reference to the two most prominent families in Huaguo: the Lu family in the south and the Li family in the north. Both were deeply rooted in the real estate industry, towering empires with legacies as solid as ancient oaks.

Gu Yao not only became a film empress at a young age but also had a devoted husband who loved her unconditionally. After marrying into the Li family, the couple was so affectionate that their relationship became the envy of the entire entertainment world.

Cheng Youran, on the other hand, had nothing but her beauty to rely on. After clawing her way into the Lu family, she found herself unloved by her in-laws and ignored by her husband. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she was constantly compared to Gu Yao. Within a few short years of marrying into the Lu family, her once vibrant and cheerful demeanor had faded into one of quiet despondency.

Countless reporters had captured her forcing a smile in public, only to cry in private. Her name had become synonymous with tragedy, prompting sighs and sympathetic murmurs whenever it was mentioned.

“Alright, I’ll go downstairs to eat now.” Cheng Youran said at last.

Skipping dinner was not an option—her stomach was growling loudly, and her legs trembled so much as she got out of bed that she had to hold onto the bedpost just to stay upright.

Take the most recent incident, for example. Gu Yao and she shared the same birthday. The male lead gifted Gu Yao a yacht worth 18 million yuan.

Her husband, Lu Zixiao, on the other hand, was a workaholic who completely forgot about her birthday. He was busy flying to the UK to acquire a carbon fiber company, but the media, who were always eager to sensationalize, turned it into rumors of him meeting a lover abroad. The original Cheng Youran was so devastated by this that she resorted to a hunger strike.

And that’s when Cheng Youran transmigrated.

—Right on the day she was supposed to divorce Lu Zixiao.

She sighed. Was there anything more miserable than entering a wealthy family, only to face divorce the moment she arrived?

Holding onto the banister, she carefully made her way downstairs. She couldn’t help but marvel as she descended: the staircase was paved with marble, and a Picasso original hung at the landing. The air practically reeked of wealth.

“Do you think starving yourself will threaten me?” At the far end of the long dining table, the man sliced into a piece of top-grade Wagyu beef with practiced elegance. “Cheng Youran, if I really wanted to cheat, do you think you could stop me?”

Cheng Youran glanced at him. His posture was graceful, and his appearance was impossibly handsome. With his sharp, slightly upturned brows and the faint crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes, his mature charm was undeniable.

Just looking at his face, Cheng Youran finally understood why tabloids loved to fabricate scandals about him. With looks like that, who could believe he didn’t have other women in his life? Even the original Cheng Youran hadn’t believed it.

He was her husband, Lu Zixiao.

—The biggest villain in the original novel.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t respond well to threats.” The man waved his hand, and the secretary beside him immediately handed over a document. “Sign it.”

Cheng Youran walked over, grabbing a slice of apple pie with one hand to stave off her hunger and taking the document with the other. It was a thick stack—a divorce agreement. As she scanned the countless clauses, her eyes glazed over, and her head began to ache.

Suddenly, a string of numbers caught her attention. She counted them casually: ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten-thousands… billion? Ten billion?!

She looked up in disbelief. “Madam, making a scene won’t change anything,” the secretary said knowingly, adjusting his glasses. “Since you signed a prenuptial agreement, in the event of a divorce, you’re entitled to only fifteen billion yuan…”

Only… fifteen billion.

Cheng Youran couldn’t hear a single word coming out of the secretary’s mouth anymore. Her mind was completely consumed by the thought of fifteen billion!

In the face of fifteen billion, did anything else matter? Did she even need to keep listening?

No, it didn’t matter! No, she didn’t need to!

That would be crazy.

The secretary, Gao Qiao, cast a pitying glance at Cheng Youran. Understandable, really. She had probably thought that going on a hunger strike would win sympathy and rekindle Lu Zixiao’s affection. But instead, she was met with a divorce agreement—so much for that plan.

Lu Zixiao, still expressionless, calmly sipped his borscht. He had had enough of Cheng Youran. Maybe she couldn’t handle it, but what did that have to do with him? He had already let her be Mrs. Lu for five years.

“Sign it! Sign it! I have to sign it!”

Suppressing her growing excitement, Cheng Youran looked at the secretary and asked eagerly. “Where’s the pen? Hurry, give it to me!”

Did he just hear that right?!

The usually unflappable secretary looked visibly stunned. With a dazed expression, he handed the fountain pen to Cheng Youran.

Even Lu Zixiao gave her a rare glance, his brows furrowing slightly. She had always been vehemently against divorce, but now she was practically racing to sign the agreement

—Moving so fast it was as if she was afraid he might change his mind.

He spoke in a calm, detached tone. “Cheng Youran, let me remind you, once you sign the agreement, there’s no going back.”

Before he could finish his sentence, Cheng Youran snatched the pen and, with bold and sweeping strokes, signed her name on the document.

If anyone regrets this, they’re a dog.

She clicked the pen shut with finality, then handed one of the two copies to Lu Zixiao, her face brimming with unrestrained joy.

Lu Zixiao: “……”

He swallowed his frustration. Fine. Though this wasn’t how he had imagined things—he thought she would cry, scream, and throw a tantrum—at least the marriage was over.

Upstairs, Cheng Youran started packing her belongings. The maid, watching her with concern, cautiously helped her pack. “Madam, if you feel like crying, just let it out.”

“Cry? Why would I cry?”

In the walk-in closet, Cheng Youran excitedly picked out a platinum handbag and stuffed it with essentials like her ID and bank cards, leaving everything else untouched.

The maid hesitated, her expression full of unspoken words. Everyone knew how madly in love Cheng Youran was with Mr. Lu, even though he never spared her a glance. So, her gaze towards Cheng Youran grew even more sympathetic.

After just a few minutes of packing, Cheng Youran cheerfully slung her bag over her shoulder and headed downstairs.

“You’re leaving all your stuff behind?”

Lu Zixiao had finished his meal and was dabbing the corners of his mouth with a napkin.

“I don’t need it.”

Cheng Youran replied matter-of-factly. With fifteen billion in her pocket, why would she bother hauling a bunch of bags around? Wouldn’t it be better to just buy new ones? Was there a shortage of money or luxury boutiques outside?

She strode toward the front door, radiating happiness. Lu Zixiao raised an eyebrow, but before he could say anything, a cold, mechanical voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

[Congratulations, Player, for binding to the Trophy Wife Training App!]

[Please select a development route:

1. Every man wants to do the unspeakable with my wife
2. Got pregnant with the CEO’s child, so I married into a wealthy family
3. The road to becoming a legendary actress]

What… were these options?

Lu Zixiao’s mouth twitched. After a moment of hesitation, he selected option 3. But a deep sense of confusion lingered in his mind—what kind of absurd nonsense was this?

Almost immediately, his phone vibrated, and a notification popped up.

—Your phone has successfully installed the Trophy Wife Training App.

Sure enough, a new icon appeared on his home screen: a pink book. His expression grew even more peculiar as he tapped on it. The screen lit up, displaying a foreword.

[To nurture a wife you can be proud of, shower her with plenty of love and encouragement.]

He tapped the main interface, and an operations menu appeared, divided into three sections: Character Info, Task Progress, and Development Journal.

[Ding! Newbie Task: Save Your Crumbling Marriage!]

What kind of joke was this?

Lu Zixiao immediately tried to uninstall the app, but no matter what he did, it wouldn’t budge. His expression darkened.

[Failure to complete tasks will result in death.]

The icy, mechanical voice echoed in his mind again, but Lu Zixiao just sneered coldly. In Donghai City, who would dare make such an audacious threat to his life?

But before he could finish the thought, the chandelier on the ceiling suddenly broke loose and plummeted toward him. It narrowly missed smashing him in the head.

“President Lu, are you all right?”

Gao Qiao, pale with shock, rushed to steady him. “That chandelier was installed just last month. How could it fall like this?”

Cheng Youran had just reached the door when she heard a loud crash. Instinctively, she turned back to see the luxurious crystal chandelier shattered over the dining table, leaving it in ruins. Lu Zixiao stood frozen, his face a stormy gray as he stared at the now-lifeless chandelier lying in pieces.

Huh, even luxury mansions could have shoddy construction.

Cheng Youran glanced up, confirming that the ceiling above her was free of chandeliers. Only then did she cautiously turn the doorknob to leave.

“Cheng Youran, wait.”

Suddenly, Lu Zixiao called out to her. She immediately clutched the divorce agreement to her chest in alarm. “Lu Zixiao, don’t tell me you’re going back on your word!”

Beside him, Gao Qiao almost lost his composure. He clenched his fist and coughed twice to stifle his laughter. “Madam, you’re still in the mood to joke?”

Hearing Gao Qiao’s words, Cheng Youran relaxed. He was right. Lu Zixiao wasn’t the type to go back on his word—his reputation in the business world was built on decisiveness and finality. With that reassurance, she leaned casually against the doorframe. “So, what’s the matter?”

Lu Zixiao stepped toward her, one deliberate step at a time, until he was standing right in front of her. Resting one hand against the doorframe, his 1.85-meter frame cast a shadow that enveloped her completely.

They were so close she could hear the steady rhythm of his breathing. She had to admit, Lu Zixiao’s face was absurdly handsome, the kind that could make anyone’s heart skip a beat.

He lowered his head slightly. “What I want to say is…”

In one swift motion, he plucked the divorce agreement from her arms and, to her shock, tore it in half. “We’re not getting divorced.”

[Congratulations! You’ve completed the Newbie Task!]

Cheng Youran watched in disbelief as her fifteen billion disappeared! Her vision nearly went dark, and she stood on tiptoe to grab Lu Zixiao’s collar. “Lu Zixiao!”

Lu Zixiao casually swatted her hand away and, as if she were a small child, lifted Cheng Youran up and handed her over to the maid. Coldly, he said, “Take Madam upstairs to rest.”

Maid: ??!

Gao Qiao: ??!

[Warning! Your wife’s mood value is rapidly decreasing. If it reaches 0, the nurturing task will be considered a failure!]

Lu Zixiao’s temple throbbed. He opened the nurturing journal, and the mood value had dropped to 10. Normally, such a low value would be triggered by events like the death of a close relative or being diagnosed with a terminal illness. He then glanced at Cheng Youran’s profile.

Name: Cheng Youran
Age: 27
Mood Value: 5 [Devastated]
Reputation Value: -9999 [Infamous]

…

Lu Zixiao’s handsome face was filled with shock as he stared at his phone in disbelief. Was not divorcing him more painful than being diagnosed with a terminal illness?

=^_^=