Luring the Charming Gentleman

See the end for content warnings. Upcoming stories: The Delicate Lotus and A Debt of Imperial Favor

Aloof, celibate nobleman x sweet-talking woman who never lets a grudge go

The Pei family of Hedong served as pillars of the court through three dynasties, their halls filled with distinguished descendants. The Prime Minister's eldest son, Pei Ye, became famous at a young age and had no shortage of admirers.

Among them was the new young cousin who had recently arrived at his residence.

She was beautiful and delicate, and spoke in a soft, gentle voice. Countless men were charmed by her, yet she loved only Pei Ye.

Many mocked her for pining after someone out of her league, but she didn't care.

No one knew that deep down, she hated this sanctimonious hypocrite.

He ruined her marriage prospects, took her virtue, and after having his fill, planned to marry her off to someone else!

After Pei Ye grew tired of her, he wanted to go back to being that pure, aloof gentleman and marry the emperor's elder sister. But she refused to let him have his way.

She played the coy beauty with Pei Ye, while secretly swearing to herself:

“One day, I'll be by my lover's side, watching Pei Ye lose his reputation and his family.”

*

Pei Ye had never been interested in women, but unexpectedly became intimate with his own cousin.

She was selfish and vain, with plenty of secrets she couldn't let see the light of day. She was nothing like the world expected of a future mistress of the Pei household. Yet she risked her life for him and, with a sweet smile, said she loved him. She was willing to stay by his side even without a title.

But she was young and lively, so it was only natural that plenty of men around her had designs on her. His own younger brother was among them.

He quietly got rid of some of them, never imagining that one might slip through the net.

Until one day, she threw herself into his arms, overjoyed. “Cousin, I'm carrying your child. Are you happy?”

--

When the Pei family fell, Jiang Caiheng, who was about to marry into the Xiao family, disappeared as well.

Some claimed to have seen her flee across the river with Pei Ye.

Inside the carriage, Jiang Caiheng couldn't speak. She glared at the bandit who had kidnapped her.

The usually dignified man looked cold and grim. “A-Heng, whose child are you carrying?”

Since she'd lured him in, she had to take responsibility for it to the end.

Every man who had coveted her besides him deserved to die. He would walk over their corpses and join her in a life of bliss.

The Delicate Lotus

[Big, rough, ambitious hero x delicate, pampered beauty]

A-Fu was born as beautiful as a celestial maiden and raised as the center of everyone's attention. Then she fell on hard times and was sent as a plaything to the powerful Grand Marshal's residence.

Rumor had it that Grand Marshal Qin Yi had no interest in women and was ruthless in battle. A-Fu trembled with fear, afraid he might casually give her away to someone else.

But Qin Yi casually looked over the many beauties, then fixed his gaze on her. He stepped down from the dais, lifted the jade pendant at her waist, and asked, “Are you a member of the Lin family, my lady?”

From then on, A-Fu not only stayed at the Grand Marshal's residence, but rose to a life of privilege and became Qin Yi's only wife.

Everyone said A-Fu was lucky. As a child, she'd casually given a slave a bowl of soup, and in return, she got a lifetime of wealth and a happy marriage.

But A-Fu was often anxious, especially when she saw Qin Yi break the limbs of a guard who had lied to him. Her fear reached its peak.

Because the girl who had given the slave that bowl of soup all those years ago wasn't her. It was her half-sister, A-Yue.

But after several years of marriage, A-Fu gave birth to two children, and her husband became regent. Her worries gradually faded away.

Until Qin Yi returned from his final campaign with several prisoners, including a young lady.

It was her half-sister. Dressed in jewels, she stood behind Qin Yi, looking over at A-Fu with a smug, mocking expression.

A-Fu lowered her eyes, a chill rising within her. She knew she could no longer keep up the lie.

Content warnings:

1. Both leads have had previous sexual partners. Before they define their relationship, the heroine isn't fully committed and treats the other potential partners as possibilities, whether or not they amount to anything.

2. The blurb reflects misunderstandings from both perspectives. The hero is rather old-fashioned about marriage and never truly intended to marry someone else.

Theme: Love and hate can spring from the same cause, and flaws and virtues coexist