My Boyfriend Was Bought Secondhand Online

[Energetic, cheerful publishing editor x cool, reserved literature professor]

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Liu Boyan is a publishing editor. She's beautiful and has a wonderful personality, yet somehow she's only ever had one relationship, back in college.

The reason? The moment he got a job, her first love dumped her. She was the one left behind, and she swore she'd never fall in love again.

But her mother hounded her relentlessly to get married. So Liu Boyan bought several candid photos of a handsome man online, edited them into couple photos, and used them as her profile picture.

By chance, one day she attended a lecture and realized the author onstage, speaking eloquently, looked just like the man in her profile picture.

Knowing her mother was about to check up on her, Liu Boyan stopped him as soon as the lecture ended. "Hey, handsome, would you be my boyfriend?"

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When she unexpectedly learned that her mother was seriously ill, Liu Boyan practically begged and pleaded until he agreed to pretend to be her boyfriend.

At first, she tried to hold his hand, but his brows furrowed deeply as he struggled to pull away. His cold, distant air kept everyone at arm's length.

A few months later, he remembered what she liked to eat and casually placed a peeled shrimp in her bowl. His expression was still cool, but he no longer showed any sign of resistance.

Day after day, their life went on.

Then her mother's health improved, and there was no need to keep up the pretense. Liu Boyan prepared a farewell dinner to thank him.

But when she opened the door, she found roses everywhere. The man stood in the middle of them, about to propose... marriage?

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Gu Tingshen is a professor of literature at a top university. He writes novels as a hobby. With his cool, reserved looks and tall, muscular build, he holds himself to exceptionally high standards.

The only thing he's ever done out of line is become Liu Boyan's boyfriend in name only.

Women are troublesome and delicate, and she spouts nonsense the moment she opens her mouth. He made up his mind to break things off as soon as her mother recovered.

Who knew that before the time was up, her ex, the one she still seemed to carry a torch for, would return from abroad and ask to get back together? And she seemed genuinely swayed, even going so far as to prepare a farewell dinner.

Gu Tingshen immediately took action and turned the restaurant into a proposal venue ahead of time.

Holding a ring box, his ears slightly red, he spoke in his usual calm tone: "Now it's my turn to pursue you."

Reader's note:

1. Both leads are sexually inexperienced. Sweet romance.

Theme: Love life