Out of Tune

The complete novel is finished. My next book, By the Rhine, will be updated soon. Older man | Showbiz | Second Male Lead Takes the Lead 1: For the first twenty-three years of her life, Wen Jibai had a perfect script. Loving parents, a privileged upbringing, a beautiful face, and a sweet romance. For her twenty-fourth birthday, she wished to win every major domestic Best Actress award before turning thirty, and marry Xu Qiyan by thirty-five! Then she met Yan Yu. Handsome, strong, miserable, a broken man. He was exactly the type of male lead from the Mary Sue novels she'd read as a child. In a corner of the studio, Yan Yu stood tall and dignified in a suit, leaning on his cane as he drawled, “Miss Wen, I'd like to pursue you.” Wen Jibai smiled awkwardly. “Mr. Yan, I have a boyfriend.” The man seemed completely unbothered. “That doesn't matter.” She was speechless. What did this domineering CEO mean, it doesn't matter...? 2: Wen Jibai's palm smacks Yan Yu's arm away as he tries to put it around her. She takes half a step back, unsure whether she feels fear or disappointment. The afternoon light casts a cross-shaped shadow from the window frame, pinning Yan Yu in place. The pigeon-blood ruby on his cane presses painfully into his palm. The man at the helm of a trillion-yuan empire is uncharacteristically frozen, his expression helpless. He can only call her name in a low voice: “Jibai...” Wen Jibai thinks back on everything that happened. She feels as if she's fallen into an icy abyss. “Yan Yu, from the day you used your physical disability to blackmail me into loving you, you should have known you'd be found out.” Yan Yu lowers his eyes and gives a self-mocking laugh. “But without pity, how could you ever have loved me?” [Bright future in the entertainment world, happy and fulfilled Best Actress & scheming CEO who crawls in the shadows and begs for affection] “Life must either cease or keep on kissing.” E. E. Cummings [Important content warnings before reading!]: (Dear readers, please read the warnings first! This is a mutual choice!) - Female lead is not a virgin; the male lead is. The heroine only begins her next relationship after breaking up. - The heroine is not a strong female lead, nor is she perfect. - The leads are six years apart. The older man loves her but can't have her, and schemes to get her. He is a genuine villain, with no excuses or redemption. - The male lead's left leg is amputated. He is genuinely disabled, and there is no cure. - The heroine is supported without reservation. She is not the hero's devoted admirer. To some readers who like and feel sorry for the male lead, the emotional and physical aspects may make this feel like the man is being mistreated. - A slow-burn romance-focused story. Readers, please choose carefully. Again: - Readers who only like male leads paired with exceptional heroines, and dislike ordinary heroines, may want to try another author's story. This one might feel like the male lead is being mistreated. This is a mutual choice (heart). Theme: Love is only one part of life.