Madam Zou is the FL's eldest sister-in-law. She is married to ML's oldest brother. Her backstory presents her as an honest, hard-working woman who is up to her eyeballs in stress. After ten years of marriage, she has been unable to give birth to a male heir, she already has two daughters. Because of that, her husband is being pressured to take on a concubine. Both of them don't want that, but the husband is willing to get one to appease his mother, the Matriarch of the entire family. Madam Zou also has to manage a large estate that pretty much has no funding and is quickly falling even deeper into the red in budgeting. She inherited this position from the Matriarch, which the problem was already present during the Matriarch's youth. As such, she is even spending her own dowry money on trying to keep the estate floating, but is steadily losing money still. Keep in mind that she never knew how to do these things, she had to learn on the go from someone who had already failed at doing it. One of the biggest drains on the estate's budget is the illness that the mother-in-law has, her medicine basically costing an arm and a leg.

In comes a new girl, who immediately gains the favor of the Matriarch, who would then make unreasonable demands for Madam Zou to present many luxuries to the new girl. That's right, the new girl is the FL, Chu Lian. While not directly affecting Madam Zou, just about every action the FL makes in the proximity of her will negatively impact Madam Zou without fail. The only action the FL did that could be considered "neutral" would be when she prevented Madam Zou from walking into an explosion. Even then she simply stalled Zou long enough for the explosion to go off. Some comments would later be left exclaiming how ungrateful Zou was for FL saving her life. Zou never knew her life was in danger, so why should she feel grateful forever? For example, you were about to cross the street, but your friend stops you to chat. About two seconds later a car whizzes by, running a red light. Would you feel grateful for your friend stopping you? No, you wouldn't even notice how close you were to dying.

Other comments also see how the author wrote Zou and immediately start bashing on her, calling her a greedy, conniving b*tch, which is completely unwarranted and clearly is the result of the author deliberately sabotaging her character. Let me give you an example:

Madam Zou is put in charge of bringing her House's desserts to a competition during a party hosted by the Empress Dowager. One of the FL's enemies is an Imperial Princess, who colluded with another contestant to drug the servant carrying the desserts and then steal them. Madam Zou is then punished for failing to KNOW THAT THE IMPERIAL PRINCESS WAS TRYING TO RUIN THE FL BY TARGETING HER FAMILY. Keep in mind that FL frequently leaves the household to do MC things while Madam Zou always stays inside the estate to look after it. She had no way of knowing the beef between FL and the Princess. Then, when the FL had "oh-so-conveniently" brought her own snacks and offers to use those to solve this dilemma, Madam Zou is depicted as being jealous of the FL (It has never been mentioned before that the FL frequently leaves the estate with food on her person until the 2 or so chapters leading up to this one, frequently enough for her servants to pack food as if it was a common thing only to so conveniently provide a solution later on. I guarantee you, the author never mentions the FL keeping food on her whenever she goes out again in the later chapters). And then, later on in the same arc (the very next chapter iirc) when a confrontation between the Matriarch and other House's Matriarch occurs, Madam Zou is depicted cowering behind her while the FL stands side-by-side to the Matriarch, even though Madam Zou has 10+ years of experience in dealing with high society and should have been able to keep her cool. Throughout this entire arc, the author also frequently mentions how "petty" and "cowardly" Madam Zou is in comparison to the FL, often in almost snide little remarks.

But picture this:

You have worked at a small company for ten years, dedicating your entire life to it and working ceaselessly, day in day out and eventually get promoted to being the general manager. The company is steadily losing money due huge costs, but you work yourself to the bone just to keep the company afloat, you even forgo a paycheck. While you have your hands full trying to keep the company together, a person was recently hired simply based on familial reputation. This person has graduated from one of the most prestigious universities in the country while you never went to college. This person then brings up a few new ideas and projects that appeal to the Founder and your boss. Because of that, they are immediately promoted to being just under you in the hierarchy, all within a few months of being hired. Not only that, you are forced to give the person a hefty raise, well exceeding your own (if you even had a salary, which you don't). Your boss, your long time friend and support, suddenly abandons you to gush about the newbie, ignoring your desperate pleas for help and somebody simply to confide in. Now, your position is being threatened by someone who is not even ready for it, meanwhile all of your toils for the last ten years, all the successes you brought to the company in the past are being ignored and you are constantly reprimanded for things outside your control, often due to the consequences of the newbie's actions. Imagine that was you in this scenario, wouldn't you too feel unjustly overlooked?

That is basically Madam Zou in this story. So, instead of having her go through her own trials and tribulations in order to come out a better person, the author constantly writes her into taking unfavorable actions, forcing her to be a villain. Instead of getting the readers to root for her as well as the FL, the author purposefully writes her in a way that makes all of her legit fears and difficulties into simply "oh, she is a greedy conniving woman who can't deal with being inferior to the FL." Honestly, it's infuriating how the author ruined a character who had so much potential and simply made her a cookie-cutter villain. This would have been fine if the author, from the start, wrote her as a shallow character existing solely to act as a foil to the FL. But they didn't. They made her a deep and complex character but then forced her to act in ways more like a shallow character and do dumb, s*upid things all for the sake of the plot. I mean, she truly could have been the MC for an entirely separate novel that focused on bringing back the prestige of the clan she married into using her smarts or sheer determination, that's how good her backstory was.

And this is why I gave up on this novel. I stopped before I could get to a part where she truly confronts the FL like the dumb shallow villain the author clearly wants her to be.

First, there are just too many instances of misunderstanding in this novel and the female lead is the main person affected by it but she never seems to want to clarify herself or why in the world are things happening around her when she herself doesn't remember doing anything wrong.

FS doesn't remember clearly but FS doesn't seem to remember MC ever asking ML what his problem with her was. She already has a hunch that ML is a reincarnator so why not go for it and ask the jerk-for-all-season husband why he's so cranky when it comes to her? How can they mend their relationship [that has never really started]? Though fs admits this is disputable since FS doesn't want to re-read the start of the novel because FS doesn't want to feel frustrated with both MC and ML all over again.

Second, MC's way of treating Xiao Bojian is really infuriating. FS doesn't understand why MC can't just throw him off. The way she's doing things is just making him more and more addicted to her. Accepting his gift because she is afraid he might kill her if she doesn't is really unreasonable? How can she even think that when, if someone finds out about it, then death is the easiest punishment she can have for having illicit relationship! THIS IS ANCIENT CHINA. WTH?! MC where is your brain ah? Even if she is confident that no one from the outside can hear them or see them SHE HAS A YATOU by her side! How can she be so confident that they will not betray her? And BECAUSE she doesn't clarify herself to anyone once she is questioned who will say that she isn't really having an illicit affair but instead being taken advantaged of?

FS gets that as a mistress she doesn't need to do that but then again a Yatou's statement can be crucial to these cases especially when the husband is already dead set on making the wife a cheater.

Like MC, why not just tell XBJ that accepting your gift is the same as accepting death punishment? Why not just be clear with XBJ that you would rather die now than die later because you faux cheated on your husband just by accepting his gift? And that, she clearly doesn't want to have anything to do with XBJ, EVEN in death. Either way she is going to die, so why not die with one's name clean?

Third, why not tell hubby about it ah? Assuming that she doesn't know that hubby is a reincarnator, she is already being taken advantaged of by another man, wouldn't it be logical to tell someone about it? Wouldn't it be LOGICAL to tell husband about it? FS sees her as a strong MC so why can't she just, for once, try and ask her man for assistance?

The first time she met XBJ as a transmigrator and they were almost caught by ML she just went ahead and dashed for ML without even giving him any reason as to what happened? Ano, MC, that was s*upid yeah? It was clear as day XBJ and you shouldn't be in the same place at same time, even if it's coincidence, no? It totally looks suspicious, no? Why not tell hubby something like, "Ara, hubby, that guy appeared out of nowhere and is frightening the hell out of me. Please protect me ♥~" Or maybe something more MC-ish. IDK. Just tell him you have a stalker!

And then her hubby left. So no one can obviously protect her. It would be harder to complain to hubby now as he is far away and is fighting a war so any distractions cannot be tolerated. But he still sent some people to spy/guard her. Though obviously they are also inadequate as they keep fainting whenever XBJ takes action.

She clearly doesn't have anyway of solving her problem with XBJ, and all she can do is accept whatever he does and move on. But that doesn't solve the problem. IF one is the victim, and one already knows how these type of situation develops, and IF, the assailant is the type that promises love but when worst comes to worst would leave her, then the poor party would be her. Most likely XBJ would go so far as to accuse her of seducing him just to get out of it and then later on, once she is condemned by the world, he would promise her that he would take her out of said situation because he "loves" her. She clearly knows what type of person XBJ is, and that's what's making FS so damn frustrated.

She needs to take the initiative and talk to the Matriarch about it already. If she does it right now, before anyone finds out anything, she can still say that he has been bothering her for quite sometime because of their previous love for each other but now that she is married she really wants to have a faithful relationship with her husband but previous lover is insistent and is bothering her. The fact that she took the initiative clearly shows she's the victim and not someone who is just giving reason because they were caught in the act. She can even leave out the part of her and XBJ being lovers prior to her engagement. That wouldn't be asked at all unless they will interrogate XBJ anyway. If they do that and XBJ claims they still have love for each other then her yatous who should have seen her rejecting his advances can attest to their mistress being a faithful wife but is still being pursued by this stalker. Also by bringing it up with Matriarch He, if anything happens to her attributing XBJ into it, it would be more convincing that he was forcing her to do things which is ofc true.

FS understands as well that some sexually harassed victims would tend to not tell anyone about what happened to them but MC is very clear on this things and from the looks of it, she doesn't look like the type of MC to get depressed over these type of things and instead she seems like the type to rise above them, but right now she doesn't really do anything about it. She's like Lin Qianzi of 'Doomed to be Canon Fodder' when it comes to dealing with XBJ. She wouldn't tell a soul unless something that would incriminate her happens while the guys in the novel keep on thinking they have a chance with her. Then again, these type of things depend from one person to another, maybe the MC really has a weakness to these type of scenarios so she's unable to do what FS thinks she should. Maybe we will find out later in the novel. FDK. Her way of dealing with this is just so frustrating. FS doesn't understand it at all.

FS wants to complain about the ML as well, like he obviously sees she is effin different from the previous her in his previous life. FS understands that to him, right now, everything MC does is just ruse. It can all be excused in his brain as her doing something good but the end result would be for XBJ and MC not for him and his family. And at the end of it his family will be destroyed while MC and XBJ will live happily ever after. And FS completely understand that as well. But ML, look at it this way, YOU were able to reincarnate so why can't MC be someone different from your previous wife? You keep asking why she is so different from the previous her LIKE SHE IS SOMEONE DIFFERENT from who she was before? WHY CAN'T IT BE THAT WAY THEN? Were you not also given a weird chance to right your mistakes? Aren't you being too biased about your situation? Do you think you are the only Son of God and therefor the only one who has the chance to right their wrongs or to have divine powers assist you?

FS is so frustrated ah.

Out of the 4 maids, iirc only one was left serving her loyally. One tried seducing ML, one was overly ambitious and wanted to climb on a higher branch, and one was so jealous of her master.

the MC got sexually mol*sted/harassed by the ML. The worst part is that the MC was unconscious and perhaps even injured when the ML suddenly became h**ny and started groping the MC's chest. Even though the MC and ML are technically husband and wife in name (they have not consummated their marriage yet), it does not give the ML any right to be sexually mol*sting the unconscious MC. Especially since the ML outright hated the MC at first and had even attempted to strangle the MC during their bridal night. It is understandable that the ML's attitude towards the MC may change with time after interacting with her more, but to jump from starting to develop feelings/realizing it's love to straight up mol*sting the MC is way too disturbing and disgusting. That shot up from 1 to 100 real quick. The reaction of the MC after waking up in the middle of being sexually mol*sted was to just kick the ML and then quietly rage without doing anything else is just downright disappointing since at the beginning the MC gave off the vibe of a carefree smart female lead who has seen all the modern world could offer before evolving into a 10 year old child who becomes easily dazed by handsome men and "shocking news". Like for real, have you never seen idols/celebs/models before in the modern world who is 99999x times more handsome than ancient Chinese men who usually ties their hair up in a man-bun??? The MC's intellect honestly seem to have deteriorated as the story goes on and becomes more prone to emotional outbursts or just holding in all of her complaints to herself when it's perfectly justified to explain herself to avoid future misunderstandings.

on another note, the main male lead is not only a tsundere, but also has a communication barrier that prevents him from properly communicating to people around him. He also has a hot temper and there are many monologues of what he is thinking inside his head that shows up in the story. Even though he has a lot of words to say, for some reason, he is always tongue tied and ends up saying nothing instead, which is just frustrating to read about. While the second male lead is just a nutcase who lives in his own little world. The second male lead keeps on pining after the MC when she has already told him to stay away from her, so I guess he would be called a pe*verted stalker at this point since he always randomly pops up in front of the MC to curry favor with her and profess his love.

overall, the novel was alright up to the point the author tried to get the MC and ML together, but then everything kinda fell apart after that. The MC failed to stick to her character while the ML turned into a pe*vert and the second male lead is just crazy so I gave up the novel. I only held on for so long to see how the MC and ML would get together but it turned out to be a complete letdown with the way the ML just forced himself onto the MC without a care for her feelings or opinions. And the way the ML keeps on reassuring himself with excuses that he did nothing wrong is so hypocritical I can't stand it anymore. If I was the MC instead, I would have just divorced the ML regardless of whatever reputation/gossip would go around, grab my money, and leave the freckin city to start a new life somewhere else.

The final straw that broke the camel's back was when the Princess caught MC's brother-in-law jerking off and gave him a handjob. Really Author? Really now? Is s*x the only way you know how to develop a relationship? Way to stay classy.

MC becomes a very stereotypical shy/shirking violet whenever her husband wants to be intimate. She's not into s*x but pretty much endures it and is embarrassed easily by everything. Meanwhile, before they got together, she was shown as not embarrassed when looking at p*rn, so it's kind of annoying that she immediately became the 'ideal-shy-innocent-virg*nal-young-girl' for their physical relationship. I get that CN culture eroticizes the innocent-virg*n whatever etc. It's just tiring for me to see this repeated over and over again in every book. Plus it took away a lot of the agency that made me enjoy her as a character.

ML also changes personality several times. After he was reborn, when he's treating the MC badly at the start of their marriage, his family was surprised by it. So if his post-reborn self was normally cruel/cold, his family wouldn't have been so surprised by his abrupt about-face. After making him act cruelly just to the MC, the author suddenly started describing him as being 'cold/stoic/unfathomable' all the time towards everyone and how that was what he was like normally. It's obvious the author forgot his original character setting (warm/gentle) and decided to turn him into the stereotypical ML in most CNovels. It would have been nice if his character development had stopped at 'tsundere...' unfortunately, he becomes your standard 'tsundere/cold/yandere.' Apparently, for CN, it's incomparably romantic if your significant other is an ice cube who only 'melts' in the face of true love, hides everything he's feeling deep down inside, and is allergic to communication.

The ML additionally becomes EXTREMELY possessive to the point where he's super jealous of his wife hanging out with another woman. However, one redeeming quality is that he actually acknowledges that it is unhealthy to feel that way and feels conflicted about it (thank god?).

Finally, the family... let's use the grandma since other reviewers have talked about the poor aunt. First the MC is described as being so touched towards her husband's grandmother that she felt that she was her own grandmother related by blood. But later on, the grandmother becomes a big hindrance to her and it feels like all the good feelings that half the book was spent building up mysteriously disappeared into nothingness for the later drama. I've seen this happen a couple times for longer stories like this one. It's pretty obvious that the author ran out of ideas and decided to add more spice/lengthen the story by adjusting the characters' personalities to include the bullying since there was absolutely zero foreshadowing for any of it.

So the MC's husband's family transforms from something nice into your stereotypical horrible step-aunt/step-cousins wanting to steal all her money etc. MC's own family was super shitty from the start so you get your double-dose of cliched 'horrible heroine family' drama.

I saw some reviews related to their wedding night when they have s*x. Many said that he r*ped her and the FL was clearly not consenting. I feel this was not true. At this point, the FL and ML will both be in love and they talk and agree to live together as REAL husband and wife from now. The FL HERSELF promises the ML that they can have s*x when they go back home. (They will be travelling and the ML will be hurt). But when the time finally comes she acts like a victim and starts behaving as if he is raping her. She was 20+ old in modern times, she is not some small kid who doesnt know anything. If she scared because its her first time and that it might hurt I can understand that. She could have spoken to the ML, But NOOO. She doesnt want to do it at all.

Many people in the reviews were saying how the ML doesnt think about her body and just forces her which is not true. He genuinely worries for her body and always asks the doctor to make her more healthy, even when she becomes pregnant and the doctor says it wasnt good to get pregnant because she was too young, he regrets it. I am sure if the FL had just communicated with him everything would be fine. But NOOOO. Crying all the time and behaving like the ML is raping her is all she does.

There is this one time where the FL will have drunk some nurturing soup. Which is similar to an aphrodisiac. That is the only time she actively responds to him. But when she wakes up, she like "I am so ashamed. I cant behave like that ever.. Etc etc..". If she is embarrassed I can understand that but what is she ashamed about? Just because she responded to him while having s*x, she thinks its a sin? Is she planning on REFUSING HIM AND CRYING EVERY TIME they have s*x for their whole life?