[Male Lead Reborn / Unhinged, Scheming, and Brilliant / True Villain Male Lead x Independent, Clearheaded Heroine / Watch the Male Lead Put on an Act Later]
[Contains coercive scenes, a male drama queen, and a heroine who dotes on the hero]
*
Chi Yuanting was a treacherous official despised by every court minister.
He died at the height of his fame and power, then was reborn in the helpless childhood when he had no strength to protect himself.
The agony of dying from poison had been nothing compared to the moment he opened his eyes and found himself reborn.
All his painstaking schemes and bloody machinations from his past life had been wiped away in an instant.
He could only devise the best plan for his current situation: get close to Yu Qiao, and use her soft heart and powerful family to pave his way.
But she also genuinely filled the void left by the pure love he had once scorned.
Chi Yuanting kept telling himself: She’s just a pawn.
But this pawn was clever and warm, respected and cared for him, and always responded to him in kind... Reason told him these were simply admirable qualities in a person. Yet once a trickle flowed into the love parched dry across two lifetimes, it could never be enough. It would only leave him wanting more.
It was just one more thing to scheme for.
Chi Yuanting had always been able to plan for every eventuality under heaven. Surely one woman’s heart would be no challenge.
It wouldn’t be difficult.
Chi Yuanting’s “gentlemanly composure” lasted until he saw the man Yu Qiao had married in her previous life.
Yu Qiao smiled at him.
The hand hidden in Chi Yuanting’s sleeve clenched into a fist, abruptly destroying every carefully laid plan to take things slow.
In public, he was ruthless and feared by all. In private, he sat in front of Yu Qiao with his head bowed, clutching her sleeve and speaking in the most sickeningly sweet tone.
