2023 Chinese Drama List

My Everlasting Bride Recap, Plot, Synopsis

> My Everlasting Bride

My Everlasting Bride Synopsis

Miss Shen Qingxia, the young lady of the Shen family, was suddenly murdered the day before her marriage alliance with the warlord Nie family. Filled with shame and anger, she passed away. Shen family's maidservant, Xiaodie, in order to avenge this injustice, disguises herself as a wealthy young lady and marries Nie Zhen, the young marshal of the Nie family. This is the story of her step-by-step journey to uncover the truth.

However, as Xiaodie discovers that the suspicions of the perpetrator point directly to Nie Zhen, what awaits her is not a simple act of revenge. Instead, it's a complex web of love, hate, and vendetta. The original villain seems to have a kind side, and the people she thought she knew reveal a cruel and ruthless aspect. In this swirling tale, as the story unfolds, the threads of fate are pulled, leading to the ultimate conclusion, and the sincere vows of true love are distilled.

My Everlasting Bride Recap

Episode 1 Recap

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.

Episode 2 Recap

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.

Episode 3 Recap

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.

Episode 4 Recap

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.

Episode 5 Recap

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.

Episode 6 Recap

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.

Episode 7 Recap

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.

Episode 8 Recap

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.

Episode 9 Recap

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.

Episode 10 Recap

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.

Episode 11 Recap

Nie Zhen encountered his fourth aunt, who had returned to the Nie estate. He advised her to leave quickly, but she felt that Hou Ping had been subdued, and she wasn't willing to yield. She was determined to oppose Nie Zhen for the sake of power. Nie Zhen urged his fourth aunt to leave the Nie estate to save her life, and his words stirred up a storm of emotions in her heart.

Nie Zhen took a walk with Hu Die and sensed her unhappiness. He inquired about the cause, and Hu Die expressed her concern that Shen Qingxia had become a stranger, and she didn't know how to handle the situation. Nie Zhen suggested that they could get to know each other again. Hu Die was unsure whether to consider Shen Qingxia's actions from the previous night as excessive. Nie Zhen believed that without such actions, they might never become a true couple. Suddenly, Hu Die spat out blood, and Nie Zhen suspected that Shen Qingxia had poisoned her. He went to find Shen Qingxia for an antidote, but the only person in Hongzhou who had it was known for their eccentric personality. After Shen Qingxia provided the address, she told Nie Zhen to hurry and also hinted that she would be keeping a close eye on the Nie estate.

Just as Fourth Aunt was about to leave the Nie estate, she was intercepted and killed by Shen Qingxia. Nie Zhen had already left the Nie estate to find a cure for Hu Die. In her pale state, Hu Die went to confront Shen Qingxia, wanting to know how far she would go. To her shock, Shen Qingxia revealed that she had killed Fourth Aunt, who had not been very friendly to Hu Die, and even spoke of an unsettling incident involving the blood of Fourth Aunt and a Manjushage flower. This sent chills down Hu Die's spine, and she began to suspect that Shen Qingxia had gone mad.

Episode 12 Recap

Hu Die couldn't understand why Shen Qingxia had become this way. Shen Qingxia believed that everything was because of Hu Die. On the day she had intended to end her life, she was rescued by Zhao Ying. Zhao Ying persuaded Shen Qingxia to live and seek revenge for those who had suffered like her, to uproot the Nie family entirely. Shen Qingxia had relied on Hu Die, the only person who knew she was in the dye house, to enter the Nie mansion, setting a trap that led to her downfall. To prove her point, Zhao Ying presented a dossier on Hu Die, demonstrating that Hu Die had ulterior motives and had taken control of the Shen family's business, misleading the Shen family's descendants.

Shen Qingxia believed Zhao Ying's words, and when she saw that Hu Die didn't set the fire that day, she became even more convinced of Zhao Ying's claims. She was certain that Hu Die had fallen in love with Nie Zhen, which was why she had harmed Shen Qingxia. Seeing Shen Qingxia's extreme stubbornness, Hu Die stopped defending herself and instead begged Shen Qingxia to tell her where Nie Zhen was. Even if it meant death, she wanted to die with Nie Zhen.

Nie Zhen found Zhao Ying, and after Zhao Ying learned of Nie Zhen's intentions, she agreed only if he tried her new medicine. Nie Zhen, in a voluntary attempt to save Hu Die, allowed the untested potion into his body, enduring excruciating pain. Zhao Ying eagerly took notes as Nie Zhen suffered immensely and eventually passed out. At the same time, Hu Die, determined to be with Nie Zhen at any cost, rushed towards the direction where he was located.

Episode 13 Recap

Zhao Ying witnessed Nie Zhen's agony after injecting the potion and had no intention of letting him off easily. She knew that Nie Zhen wanted to save Hu Die, so she decided to play a game of chance with him, letting him determine Hu Die's fate. Zhao Ying took out five bullets and allowed Nie Zhen to make five rounds to decide the outcome. However, Nie Zhen chose to settle it with a single shot. Zhao Ying was excited at the thought of torturing Nie Zhen, but the shot fired by Nie Zhen had no bullet, and he won the antidote.

By the time Hu Die got into the car, the poison had taken a deep hold, and she was already vomiting blood before reaching Nie Zhen. Fortunately, Nie Zhen won the antidote for her, saving her life. However, Nie Zhen had passed out due to the effects of the experimental potion.

Shen Qingxia continued to torment Nie Feng, causing him to lose mobility and tremble constantly. She remembered the shame of that day and continued to add to Nie Feng's suffering, hoping to make him experience her pain. When Nie Zhen and Hu Die both returned to consciousness, it surprised Shen Qingxia. When she heard Hu Die pleading for the antidote, Shen Qingxia demanded that Hu Die return everything to her, including Nie Zhen. Hu Die only wanted Nie Zhen to stay alive, so she agreed to Shen Qingxia's terms. She looked at the unconscious Nie Zhen on the bed, recalling their wedding and all the moments they had shared. Her eyes were filled with reluctance, tears streaming down her face. However, in order to save Nie Zhen, she had to gather reporters and declare herself as not Shen Qingxia, but just a servant of the Shen family. She invalidated her marriage to Nie Zhen and left the Nie estate.

Episode 14 Recap

Shen Qingxia took control of Nie Feng, who was no longer able to take care of himself, and she directly cut his hand to leave his fingerprints on documents. The three military leaders had not seen Nie Feng for over a month, and now all military matters had to go through Shen Qingxia. This made the three leaders suspicious, so they went to the Nie estate together to demand an explanation. At this time, Nie Zhen had adopted a disheveled appearance. He stood up for Shen Qingxia, claiming that she had become Nie Feng's concubine and could manage military affairs on his behalf. The three leaders thought about the leverage they had on Nie Zhen before and dared not say much, so they left quickly.

Shen Qingxia administered an injection to Nie Feng, instructing him to live like a dog. Although Nie Zhen resented Nie Feng for causing his mother's death in the war, he still had some father-son affection and would feed Nie Feng. Shen Qingxia found this scene ironic and reminded Nie Zhen that without the antidote she provided every three days, Nie Feng would not last long.

After Nie Zhen left, Shen Qingxia continued to torment Nie Feng. Zhao Ying, who arrived at the Nie estate at an unknown time, stopped Shen Qingxia's actions and advised her to find a suitable backup pawn, with Nie Zhen being the most appropriate choice. Shen Qingxia couldn't fully understand Nie Zhen but was instructed by Zhao Ying to do whatever it took to capture him. Furthermore, Nie Zhen was originally Shen Qingxia's possession. Inspired by this, Shen Qingxia immediately went to find Nie Zhen, intending to engage in a relationship with him. She even removed her clothes in front of him for this purpose.

Episode 15 Recap

Shen Qingxia, seeing that even after undressing, Nie Zhen remained indifferent, felt a bit angry. She took the initiative to sit on Nie Zhen's lap and tried to seduce him, but unfortunately, Nie Zhen was unresponsive. He directly and mercilessly ridiculed Shen Qingxia, finding her disgusting. He made it clear that even if she drugged him, he would never be with her. Shen Qingxia threatened Nie Zhen with Hu Die's life. She told him that if he didn't comply, she would kill Hu Die. She said she would return later that evening to get a clear answer from him.

Shen Duoran returned to Hongzhou with news about Hu Die's biological parents. It turns out that Hu Die was originally the daughter of a wealthy merchant from the Hu family. Due to family turmoil, when she was two years old, her father had a servant take her away. They intended to leave her with someone they knew, but due to the chaos in Hongzhou, the servant got seriously injured and had to entrust Hu Die to the Shen family nearby. To avoid trouble, the servant never revealed Hu Die's true identity, and she grew up as a maid in the Shen household. Shen Duoran advised Hu Die to return to the Hu family and leave everything in Hongzhou behind. However, Hu Die insisted on taking Nie Zhen with her, even if it meant risking her life.

Nie Zhen discovered that Shen Qingxia had been moving documents for the past month. He overheard her conversation with Zhao Kuo and learned that they were trying to find an address to rescue someone. He prepared himself and when Shen Qingxia came to find him, he pretended to surrender. He coaxed her into revealing information about the Hongzhou Brotherhood and then pointed a gun at her, teaching her not to trust men easily in the future.

Episode 16 Recap

Nie Zhen used Shen Qingxia as a hostage, which was somewhat unexpected for Zhao Ying. However, Zhao Ying was determined not to let Nie Zhen control the Nie Residence. To his surprise, Nie Zhen only wanted to escape, and in the end, he managed to do so.

The news of Nie Zhen's escape reached Shen Duoran's ears. He immediately informed Hu Die, suspecting that Nie Zhen would come looking for her. Knowing that Shen Qingxia was acting recklessly, Hu Die didn't want to break their agreement to meet Nie Zhen and decided to hide instead. As expected, Nie Zhen came looking for Hu Die. When he was stopped by Shen Duoran, he couldn't bring himself to involve Hu Die in the conflict. Even though he deeply wanted to see her, he didn't dare to open the door. Instead, he placed his hand on the door, trying to find solace in his longing. Hu Die was on the other side of the door, wishing to embrace Nie Zhen tightly. However, her rationality told her that doing so would endanger him. They could only long for each other from behind the door. Eventually, Nie Zhen turned and left, leaving Hu Die in tears. She bit her hand to stifle her sobs.

Hu Die had been thinking of a foolproof way to save Nie Zhen, but without resources at her disposal, she was helpless. Shen Duoran recognized Hu Die's abilities and understood the logic behind her words. He knew that only by keeping Nie Zhen alive could they save both Hu Die and himself, as well as the Shen family. So, he sent his father away, took control of the household, and entrusted the family's seal to Hu Die, allowing her to access all of the Shen family's assets. Hu Die accepted the seal from Shen Duoran with gratitude, appreciating the trust he had placed in her.

Episode 17 Recap

Nie Zhen learned from Shen Duoran that Hu Die had used gold and silver to bribe important guards and arranged for hundreds of cars to leave Hongzhou City, all to attract the attention of Shen Qingxia and ensure Nie Zhen's safety. The real escape route that Hu Die had arranged for Nie Zhen was the small boat on the river. Shen Duoran took out an envelope containing Nie Zhen's new identity, but Nie Zhen keenly sensed that Shen Duoran was hiding some details. So, he reminded Shen Duoran that if they followed this plan, he could escape, but Hu Die would lose her life.

Shen Duoran believed that Shen Qingxia wouldn't harm Hu Die, but the forces behind her seemed less merciful. Shen Duoran couldn't accept the idea of Hu Die being in danger, so he decided to propose that Hu Die would replace Nie Zhen as the new hostage. When Nie Zhen heard this, he felt anxious and wanted Shen Duoran's help. However, he hadn't thought of a foolproof plan yet, and Shen Duoran had already decided to wager his own life.

Shen Qingxia sent someone to inquire about Nie Zhen's whereabouts, but several days had passed, and they still couldn't find any information. This made her very angry, and she couldn't help but scold her subordinates. Zhao Ying saw this and reminded Shen Qingxia that Nie Zhen had a certain place he would definitely go to. Shen Qingxia immediately thought of the Shen family, as it was where she had grown up. She hesitated to destroy it but was urged on by Zhao Ying. Shen Qingxia returned to the Shen family with her people, only to find her brother Shen Duoran dressed in military attire instead of Nie Zhen.

Episode 18 Recap

Shen Qingxia, upon seeing that Shen Duoran had caught her attention, couldn't help but become extremely angry. She immediately ordered her people to detain Shen Duoran and interrogate him about Nie Zhen's whereabouts. However, Shen Duoran remained tight-lipped and refused to speak, maintaining a standoff with Shen Qingxia.

Meanwhile, as Hu Die and Nie Zhen passed through a dim alley, Nie Zhen pulled her inside. The two of them returned to the house where they had shared many memories. Remembering their love for each other, they couldn't help but share a passionate kiss. Nie Zhen's fiery gaze made Hu Die feel embarrassed. Nie Zhen intended to leave Hongzhou with Hu Die temporarily, investigate everything thoroughly, and then find an appropriate opportunity to rescue Shen Duoran. Hu Die knew that Shen Qingxia's hatred was being manipulated by Zhao Ying and was determined to pull Shen Qingxia out of this quagmire. She had already guessed that Shen Duoran would inform Nie Zhen of the plan, so she had a backup plan. She was willing to become the hostage herself to ensure the safety of Hongzhou.

Nie Zhen didn't want Hu Die to take risks, but he couldn't convince her otherwise. He could only watch helplessly as Hu Die left. He always remembered Hu Die's words about waiting for his return and living a peaceful life together.

Shen Duoran remained stubborn and refused to reveal the whereabouts of Hu Die and Nie Zhen. Shen Qingxia, while infuriated, also felt a sense of worthlessness for Shen Duoran. After all, in Shen Duoran's eyes, Hu Die was far from being the perfect woman but rather a malicious person who had brought her to this point. Shen Qingxia was planning to interrogate Shen Duoran further when news arrived that Hu Die had been located. Shen Qingxia was highly satisfied and taunted Shen Duoran, saying that his actions had been in vain. She then hurriedly headed to Moonlight Bridge.

Episode 19 Recap

Hu Die chose to meet Shen Qingxia in a brightly lit place. She bluntly stated that this was the spot she and Nie Zhen had chosen to part ways, but Nie Zhen would not be coming. Shen Qingxia looked at Hu Die, who was so confident, and mocked her for not understanding Nie Zhen. Hu Die believed that Nie Zhen would listen to her once and prioritize the safety of Hongzhou. However, Nie Zhen still came.

Nie Zhen simply couldn't let Hu Die take risks, which both moved and saddened her. She couldn't help but blame Nie Zhen for not listening to her advice. Nie Zhen gave Hu Die the precious pen that his mother had left him, which made Hu Die recall the moments they had spent together, making her even more unwilling to let Nie Zhen take risks for her.

Nie Zhen dared to come here with his own reasons. He knew that Shen Qingxia had been searching for a batch of documents, which were in the hands of the three senior masters. He had already transferred and encrypted the documents, and only Shen Duoran knew how to decipher them. Shen Qingxia didn't expect that Nie Zhen had this trick up his sleeve. She thought he wanted to use it to spare Shen Duoran's life. However, Nie Zhen was willing to provide these documents for Hu Die, but he wanted to do it in batches. Shen Qingxia was eager to find the crucial evidence, so she reluctantly agreed to Nie Zhen's request. Hu Die broke free from the soldier who wanted to take her away and rushed into Nie Zhen's arms, embracing him tightly while also reprimanding him for not listening to her advice. Shen Qingxia saw the deep affection between the two and felt disdainful, ordering the soldiers to forcibly separate them. Suddenly, Hou Ping appeared. He believed that Nie Zhen had killed his sister, so he shot at Nie Zhen, causing him to fall off the bridge. Hu Die, heartbroken, fainted, and Shen Qingxia, true to her promise, released her.

Episode 20 Recap

Hu Die returned to her family home in Jiangzhou and reunited with her father, settling down there. Liu Xiu had been following Hu Die all this time, and she knew he was the person Nie Zhen trusted the most. She suspected that Nie Zhen hadn't died and constantly pressed Liu Xiu for information about their plans. However, Liu Xiu had no knowledge of their plans; he had received only one command—to protect Hu Die with all his might.

As it turns out, when Nie Zhen was preparing to rescue Hu Die, he had already set a trap. Although he didn't like carrying a gun, he was skilled at using one and knew how to choose his trajectory. Liu Xiu felt that Nie Zhen was gambling with his life, but Nie Zhen was willing to take the risk for Hu Die, leading to the scene of him falling into the river.

At this moment, Nie Zhen was indeed still alive. After being discovered, he was tied up and subjected to torture to reveal his true identity. He was now covered in wounds. Nie Zhen claimed to be a jewelry craftsman from the Hu family who had ended up here after being pursued for stealing jewels. He was willing to offer half of the jewels in exchange for his life, but the other party still refused to release him. Nie Zhen quickly offered to give up all the jewels, only asking to be allowed to stay with them and make a living.

While Hu Die lived a peaceful life in the Hu family, her heart was still with Nie Zhen. She had things to say to him but nowhere to share them, so she wrote them in her diary, believing that one day Nie Zhen would see them. Shen Qingxia had Shen Duoran confined, pressuring him to reveal all the information. Shen Duoran firmly believed that Nie Zhen would come back to rescue him, which filled Shen Qingxia with shame. However, she also couldn't help but reflect on the fact that if she could survive, perhaps Nie Zhen could too.

Episode 21 Recap

Hu Die was at home reading the love letters her father had written to her mother years ago. She was moved by the sincere emotions expressed in the letters. When she came across the words "swear to the azure skies and emerald seas," she couldn't help but think of Nie Zhen. Hu Die felt a pang of sadness, but to her surprise, Nie Zhen suddenly appeared and was willing to fulfill the oath written in the letter. He expressed how much he missed Hu Die.

Seeing Nie Zhen, Hu Die couldn't contain her overflowing longing. She ran into Nie Zhen's arms and, gazing at his face that she had yearned for day and night, couldn't help but feel a bit foolish. Nie Zhen also missed Hu Die deeply, and the two of them shared a passionate kiss. Hu Die reproached Nie Zhen for deceiving her, but she was relieved that he was safe. Nie Zhen, in turn, remembered when Hu Die had left him alone and held a press conference to announce her departure from the Nie family. Now, both of them had kept something from each other, and they considered it even.

Hou Ping arrived in Jiangzhou to purchase weapons and unexpectedly showed up at Hu Die's residence. This surprised Hu Die because she had learned that Hou Ping and Nie Zhen had staged Nie Zhen's fake death. Fortunately, Hou Ping was skilled with a gun, allowing Nie Zhen to escape by faking his death and subsequently launch an investigation into the so-called "Comrades' Association." Nie Zhen had long known that the Comrades' Association didn't actually exist. He had deepened his investigation into Zhao Ying's identity and, after tracing dozens of false identities, finally confirmed that Zhao Ying was the director of the intelligence bureau in Yuzhou. With the Nie family's data retrieved to Yuzhou, the balance of power had shifted in Yuzhou's favor, and there were no more secrets left in Hongzhou. Nie Zhen decided to use an information gap strategy to give Hongzhou a chance at survival. This time, he intended to return to Hongzhou with Hu Die.

Episode 22 Recap

Before returning to Hongzhou, Nie Zhen made a special visit to Hu Die's foster father, Mr. Shen, and her biological father, Mr. Hu, to share tea with them. He promised that he would never let any harm befall Hu Die and that he would also rescue Shen Duoran and Shen Qingxia. Mr. Hu and Mr. Shen were both very satisfied with Nie Zhen as their son-in-law. They exchanged glances and happily drank the tea.

Liu Xiu hadn't seen Nie Zhen for a long time, and he had been worrying about him all this while. Now that he saw Nie Zhen safe and sound, he couldn't help but be extremely excited. The master and servant exchanged words of appreciation. Hu Die leaned against Nie Zhen, still somewhat unsure about him. Seeing this, Nie Zhen wanted to make a solemn promise, but Hu Die stopped him. She took out a pen intending to write down a pledge for Nie Zhen not to abandon her, but considering her own past actions, Nie Zhen insisted that she include herself in the pledge. Hu Die thought it was fair and wrote down the oath, making it clear that whoever abandoned the other would face dire consequences.

Nie Zhen asked Hu Die to sign first, and she directly stamped her lip print on the paper. Nie Zhen, watching this scene, recalled the moment when they had signed their marriage contract and couldn't help but feel a bit emotionally overwhelmed. Hu Die took the initiative to kiss Nie Zhen, and his lips were stained with her lipstick. Using this touch of red, he imprinted his lip print on the paper, sealing their commitment.

In the Nie residence, Shen Qingxia was feeding medicine to Nie Feng. Zhao Ying demanded that she must remove the three senior masters to gain access to the documents. Shen Qingxia didn't want unrest among the people of Hongzhou but had no choice but to comply with Zhao Ying's demand. She had to cut Nie Feng's hand and imprint his handprint on the documents.

Episode 23 Recap

Nie Zhen finally returned to the Nie residence and found Shen Duoran. At this moment, Shen Duoran was covered in wounds and bound. When he saw Nie Zhen, his eyes welled up with excitement. He expressed a desire to see Hu Die, but it wasn't a suitable place to stay for long. Moreover, Hu Die had other matters to attend to and couldn't come to see Shen Duoran. Shen Duoran thought that Nie Zhen was preventing Hu Die from seeing him out of jealousy. He learned that Hu Die had gone to persuade Shen Qingxia, and this made him fall silent.

Seeing Shen Duoran's pitiful condition, Nie Zhen was convinced that Shen Qingxia had suspected Zhao Ying's identity and had resorted to torturing her own younger brother, Shen Duoran, just to make Zhao Ying believe that she was solely interested in the documents.

Liu Xiu suddenly appeared at the Nie residence, pointing a gun at Shen Qingxia and demanding that she go meet Hu Die. Shen Qingxia hadn't expected Hu Die to actually come looking for her. When she saw the document bag filled with Zhao Ying's true identity information and learned that Zhao Ying was the director of the Yuzhou Intelligence Bureau, who had come to Hongzhou to carry out a disinformation plan, she believed herself to be an accomplice. However, Zhao Ying's identity was not important to her. When Hu Die sincerely expressed that Shen Qingxia was crucial to her, Shen Qingxia had an intense emotional reaction. She took a sip of red wine, burst into tears, stood up, and told Hu Die not to expect her to revert to her old self. Hu Die had initially believed that it was impossible for Shen Qingxia to be alive, and Nie Zhen's return seemed unlikely as well. However, now everything had become a reality, so she believed that the old Shen Qingxia would also return. As Shen Qingxia recalled the bond they had shared while growing up, tears streamed down her face, and finally, she embraced Hu Die.

Episode 24 (Ending) Recap

Shen Qingxia, following Zhao Ying's instructions, announced the decision to remove the three senior masters from their positions. At the same time, she revealed to the reporters Zhao Ying's identity as the director of the Yuzhou Intelligence Bureau and her various attempts to infiltrate Hongzhou with the intention of subverting it. Just as she finished speaking, a group of people turned their guns towards Shen Qingxia, confirming that Zhao Ying still had an ace up her sleeve.

Nie Zhen met Zhao Ying at the church. Zhao Ying initially believed that she had the upper hand, but when she learned that Nie Zhen had used the vast financial network of the Hu family to disseminate false intelligence to confuse Yuzhou, allowing him to distinguish between true and false information, she became anxious. She threatened Nie Zhen's group, consisting of Nie Feng, Shen Duoran, and Hu Die, to force Nie Zhen to let her go. Nie Zhen pressed Zhao Ying for information, asking where Hu Die was. Zhao Ying's evasive eyes indicated that she had no knowledge of Hu Die's whereabouts. In order to learn the truth, Zhao Ying confessed that she had poisoned Shen Qingxia and Nie Feng. Shen Qingxia and Hu Die then entered from outside the door, having overheard Zhao Ying's confession, and the misunderstanding was finally resolved.

Nie Zhen didn't like firearms and didn't want to personally shoot and kill Zhao Ying. Unexpectedly, Nie Feng appeared suddenly and shot Zhao Ying dead with a single shot. He had appeared here because Shen Qingxia had injected him with adrenaline, allowing him to make a dignified entrance. After firing the shot, Nie Feng was on the verge of death. He apologized to Nie Zhen, acknowledging that he had wronged him and his mother. He also apologized to the people of Hongzhou, finally reconciling with Nie Zhen before his death. Nie Zhen took over the position of the Grand Marshal and, along with Hu Die, worked diligently to protect Hongzhou. The married couple was deeply in love, earning the admiration of those around them.

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