Springtime for the Cat

One spring day, Lin Sheng bought a kitten she had fallen in love with at the Daxiangguo Temple.

It was a long-haired calico, with a sweet voice and a lovely face. Every little thing about it charmed Lin Sheng.

Lin Sheng named it Jutuan. They were inseparable, and she even took it to bed with her every night.

During the half-month they spent together, Lin Sheng was happier than she had ever been.

But one day, members of the Shen family came to her home, claiming that a cat dealer had stolen Jutuan from their household and that they had come to take it back.

Her father and the Shen family patriarch had been political rivals for years, quarreling in court every other day, and sometimes every day.

The night Jutuan was taken away, Lin Sheng cried for most of the night.

From that day on, like her father, Lin Sheng hated the Shen family.

More precisely, she hated Shen Ling, the Shen family's eldest son.

Later, missing Jutuan too much, Lin Sheng privately tried several times to wheedle Shen Ling into selling the cat back to her.

But the cold-faced blockhead Shen Ling rejected her without mercy every time.

After sitting in dejection for a whole day, Lin Sheng came up with a shocking plan.

"Miss Lin wants to marry me?"

Shen Ling still had his usual cold, grave expression, but his voice wavered.

"That's right. Your family must be arranging a marriage for you, Young Master Shen, aren't they?"

"Why not consider me?"

She was about to marry, and Shen Ling was a far better match in family background and appearance than any of the men her parents had picked out for her. It wasn't a bad deal.

More importantly, after marrying Shen Ling, Jutuan would return to her in a different way. It was worth it.

She had assumed it would take enormous effort to persuade Shen Ling to marry the daughter of his family's political rival, and had prepared a whole list of arguments.

Who knew that after just those opening words, he would agree?

"You're not bad. I suppose that works."

Though he looked a little reluctant, at least he had agreed readily enough.

Lin Sheng was suddenly at a loss.

Through their efforts, the Lin and Shen families formed an unlikely marriage alliance.

On their wedding night, Lin Sheng got Jutuan back as she had wished, but Shen Ling also kept her busy to no end.

Who would have thought a scholar like Shen Ling could be so terrifying?

But in all fairness, married life turned out pretty well.

Shen Ling was cold on the outside but warm at heart. As a husband, he was attentive to her needs, and though awkward at first, he grew more considerate by the day.

Their relationship was blissfully sweet, and Lin Sheng soon became pregnant.

But gradually, Lin Sheng began to notice Shen Ling growing distant.

He no longer kissed her at night or held her as they slept, and he often came home late.

Lin Sheng suspected that the man had become unfaithful and was seeing someone else.

By chance, Lin Sheng opened the box Shen Ling treasured most, hoping to find evidence that he had betrayed her. But when she saw what was inside, she froze.

It was full of portraits of her. She pulled one out at random and stared at it for a long time.

It looked like her on a spring outing the year she came of age.

Reader's Guide

A sweet romance focused on feelings

The male lead has a secret crush

Theme: Love is worth fighting for