After failing to arrange a proper marriage, Chai An’s mother devises a bold plan—she considers stealing the bride. She sends Fan Lianghan to convince Fuhui to assist from within the Li household. Knowing that Kang Ning truly loves Chai An, Fuhui sees merit in the idea and agrees. She then tries to persuade Lady Li, arguing that while Du Yangxi may seem like a good match, he is marrying Kang Ning out of gratitude, not love—such a marriage is bound to breed resentment.
Lady Li hesitates, realizing that this engagement indeed feels more like a repayment of kindness rather than a true match. Just then, Shouhua enters and interrupts Fuhui’s plea. Later, Fuhui informs Kang Ning that Chai An is preparing to set sail, shocking her. Under Fuhui’s encouragement, Kang Ning decides to meet him, only to be stopped by Shouhua.
Shouhua sternly warns that the top three candidates in the imperial examination always receive prestigious government positions. If they oppose Du Yangxi, they risk angering a future high-ranking official and endangering their own family. This makes Kang Ning realize that Du Yangxi is not the type of person who would truly appreciate their kindness. However, Fuhui argues that someone with such a calculating mind is even less suited to marry Kang Ning. After much debate, Shouhua agrees to discuss the matter with the entire family.
Meanwhile, Fuhui meets with Chai An’s mother, who is determined to have Kang Ning as her daughter-in-law. Fuhui reassures her that there is still hope and devises a three-pronged strategy. Elsewhere, Shouhua personally sews a garment for Du Yangxi’s mother, who is deeply touched and even jokes that if she had another son, she would have both Kang Ning and Shouhua as daughters-in-law.
At a temple, Chai An prays for blessings when he unexpectedly spots the Li family there. Shouhua, suspecting Fuhui’s plan, keeps a close eye on Kang Ning. However, Fuhui has already enlisted an ally—none other than Qiong Nu. While at the temple, Kang Ning secretly prays for Chai An’s well-being. Witnessing this, Chai An is moved but accidentally knocks over a bell, alerting Kang Ning. Just as she curiously looks toward the sound, her sisters arrive, announcing that the wedding date has been set for February 18—the same day Chai An is scheduled to set sail.
On the day of the betrothal ceremony, Chai An’s mother storms into the Li household, disrupting the proceedings. She declares that Kang Ning will only be her son’s wife. Lady Li angrily reminds her that the Chai family once rejected their proposal for being too poor, and now they want to interfere. Additionally, the Chai family has secretly replaced the Li family’s tea shipment with their betrothal gifts, solidifying the marriage contract. Chai An’s mother then threatens to take the matter to court, citing the law that states a woman who breaks an arranged marriage to marry another man is subject to a hundred lashes.
At this moment, Lady Li finally understands Kang Ning’s true feelings and decides to support her. Playing along, she continues arguing with Chai An’s mother. Meanwhile, Du Yangxi’s mother, who has been listening from inside, realizes that despite Kang Ning’s good qualities, she is not destined to be her son’s wife. Accepting fate, she invites both mothers inside for further discussion.
Hearing about this, Chai An personally visits Du Yangxi to apologize and sincerely bless his marriage with Kang Ning. At this moment, Du Yangxi’s mother suddenly recognizes Chai An’s name—he was the person who once saved her life. Later, Chai An tells his mother that the Li-Du marriage will proceed as planned and that he will leave for Quanzhou on schedule. However, his mother suddenly changes her tone, revealing that she has already arranged a different bride for him, and the wedding will take place before Du Yangxi’s.
On the wedding day, Fan Lianghan forcibly dresses Chai An in wedding robes, while his mother threatens to end her life if he refuses to marry. Chai An adamantly refuses to greet the bridal sedan chair—until he hears Kang Ning’s voice from inside. Realizing that she is his bride, he immediately changes his stance and rushes to welcome her.
That night, in their bridal chamber, Chai An and Kang Ning drink the traditional cross-cup wine. Kang Ning recalls how Lady Li ultimately left the decision to fate, having all five sisters draw lots to determine who would take her place. Chai An, embracing Kang Ning, smiles and sighs, “The daughters of the Li family may be hard to win, but in the end, true lovers always find their way to each other.”
