Knowing the Subtle Through the Ending

Female star x heir to a powerful family. Older man bows to love | Bittersweet chase for his wife | Nine-year age gap

Lu Zhiwei was only nineteen when she first met Zhou Xushen. She gave him four years of her whole heart, only to learn that he was going to get engaged to someone else.

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Lu Zhiwei knew from the start how this unhealthy relationship would end. Still, like a moth to a flame, she fell into this one-sided love and stayed by his side.

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Her doctor told her she had to leave her "pathogen" to get better. But Lu Zhiwei thought that Zhou Xushen was not only her "pathogen," but also her temporary refuge from the storm.

When her refuge brought her nothing but endless pain, she had to leave. No one was incapable of living without someone else. She would hold on to herself with all her strength, just as she always had.

At a gathering with friends, Zhou Xushen heard one of them earnestly advise him, "You can't take advantage of her just because her parents aren't around."

At the time, he didn't take it to heart.

It wasn't until later, standing on a street in London and watching her fall into someone else's arms, that Zhou Xushen realized just how much he'd missed.

What he had thought was a mutually beneficial arrangement was the only safe haven she had in the storm, and it had also been torturing her.

The postcards were like letters the mailman had delayed delivering. Zhou Xushen only saw them after he'd lost Lu Zhiwei for good: every one was filled with four years' worth of love.

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After more than twenty flights on his private jet, Zhou Xushen finally arrived where Lu Zhiwei was.

He nuzzled into the hollow of her shoulder, his voice muffled. "Lu Zhiwei, let's get married next spring."

Lu Zhiwei thought, It's already December. Getting married next spring would be a bit of a rush.

Bonus Scene 1: What do you do when your little sister is your wife's biggest fan?

Zhou Xushen's mother looked hopeful as she tried to convince Zhou Suiqian, the devoted fan, "Your idol is your sister-in-law. Just think how wonderful that would be."

Zhou Suiqian was baffled. "Wait, what do you mean?"

Thinking of all the juicy stories she'd heard about wealthy families, Zhou Suiqian shuddered and blurted out everything on her mind.

"No! Are you really interested in Lulu? Are you going to be like those awful rich families, attracted to her beauty and talent, and thinking she's young and easy to fool? Then, after you marry her, you'll stop her from working, lock her in a cage, say that having a public-facing job would hurt the Zhou family's image, and make her keep having sons..."

Zhou Suiqian: "If you dare do that, I'll raise hell!!"

Bonus Scene 2: He's my younger brother, my own flesh and blood!!

Zhou Xushen's chest hurt with anger, and his head was buzzing. "You gave up your career back home and came all the way to London to keep him company while he studies. Do you love him that much, Lu Zhiwei?!"

The veins on the back of Zhou Xushen's hand stood out as he struggled to control his emotions. So that was why she'd avoided him, why she'd left. That man was the reason.

"Do you know that the person you love so much took you upstairs one second, then hooked up with another woman the next?"

Lu Zhiyu's face was flushed red. His pale cheek was pressed hard against the ground, and the bruising on his cheekbone was shocking. Heartbroken for him, Lu Zhiwei knelt down and tried with all her strength to pry Zhou Xushen's hand away. "Zhou Xushen, let him go!"

"You're still pleading for him? Lu Zhiwei, do you even know what kind of person you love?!"

"He's my younger brother, my own flesh and blood!"

Zhou Xushen froze, then immediately let go. "I'm sorry."

Lu Zhiwei: ...

Older man bows to love | Bittersweet chase for his wife | Nine-year age gap | One-on-one | Both are each other's first

Blurb for "Coral Island":

Arrogant, cool beauty heiress x gentle, accommodating family patriarch (scheming green tea)

Everyday life in a wealthy family | Evenly matched | Tension and push-and-pull | Older man

There are many powerful families in Haishi, but no one would dare call themselves number one if the Liang family claimed second place.

Outsiders say Liang Juntaiding, the Liang family's current head, is refined as jade, graceful as an orchid, a man of exceptional talent... No beautiful words are too good for him. Too bad none of it is true!

People say the recently returned Shen family's heiress is ruthless and decisive, never showing unnecessary mercy at the negotiating table.

But countless men want to be at her feet.

Shen Jiqing: Who's spreading rumors about Young Master Liang?

Liang Juntaiding: Who dares try to steal her from me?!

Everyone knows Miss Shen loves riding horses. She even bought a ranch for the beloved horse she had shipped from Germany.

Young Master Liang: I wouldn't mind letting her ride me instead.

Miss Shen works hard every day to make money.

Young Master Liang works hard every day to dress himself up all seductive-like to attract the heiress.

"Mr. Liang, you've been awfully free lately."

Shen Jiqing had just lost a plot of land to him, and everything about Liang Juntaiding rubbed her the wrong way. What annoyed her even more was that this man dared to show off to her.

"I just got the plot of land in the west of the city."

"And?"

"I want to work with you."

"What do you want?"

"For you to ride me tonight."

Liang Juntaiding: "I know you've been using me all along. I don't care. I'll give you anything you want, but do you have even a little genuine affection for me?"

Shen Jiqing: "I love you. I really do."

Reader Notes:

Both leads are inexperienced. He's six years older. The man pursues the woman, shamelessly, like an old letch. The male lead is completely in love and very calculating.

The male lead has rivals in love, more than one.

Theme: We must save ourselves from the flames again and again, and find the courage to love again and again.