Rekindled love / childhood friend takes the lead / devoted love / bittersweet push and pull
[Completed. Love is a game where you resent me and I resent you, yet still want to lie close, cheek to cheek.]
Qi Yuan's life seemed almost perfect. She was beautiful, tall, had achieved some success in her career, and had a handsome, wealthy boyfriend who doted on her. That was until a small get-together, where her boyfriend introduced her to a childhood friend...
The man wore a sweatshirt and sat casually, yet his features were crisp and his air so distinguished he seemed untouchable. He introduced himself: Li Jixiao.
She paused. Her clenched fist loosened, then tightened again. After a moment, she smiled faintly. "Qi Yuan. My name is Qi Yuan."
They exchanged only a few words, as though they had never known each other.
-
After one meeting, then another, then countless more, at last, in the sultry darkness of night, he looked at her with cold, unwilling eyes. "Between him and me, who will you choose?"
She was taken aback at first, then smiled teasingly.
"Of course him. He's my boyfriend. Who are you?"
-
Many years later, Qi Yuan still remembered the sunlight shining through the window onto his face, brightly outlining his straight nose and long eyelashes.
She wasn't the least bit embarrassed to be caught staring at him. Instead, she spoke with easy familiarity. "Could you buy me breakfast?"
That was the first thing she ever said to him, the first thing she said after they became deskmates.
It was also the beginning of their tangled fate.
-
Dramatic twists / push and pull
Next book: Knowing the Fine Details Brings Victory
Marriage first, love later / secret crush comes true / proud childhood friend / enemies-to-lovers
Blurb:
Not long after Qiao Zhiwei's career finally stabilized, her mother started urging her to go on blind dates.
But why were all the men she met such losers and weirdos?
Just as she was about to convince her mother to let her grow old alone, her former childhood friend and longtime rival handed her a marriage agreement.
The man raised his chin slightly, his tone haughty. "Marry me, Qiao Zhiwei."
Qiao Zhiwei: ?
The man before her looked arrogant, though the tips of his ears were slightly red. "Be my wife in name and help me deal with the elders. I can give you anything you want."
"Of course, I won't have any other feelings for you..."
Her eyes lit up. "Sure! When are we getting married?"
What a joke. Even if it was her rival, she wasn't passing up a windfall like this.
*
She'd thought married life would be just like their contract: they'd leave each other alone.
Until one day, in a torrential downpour, Qiao Zhiwei saw the man struggling against the rain with an umbrella.
His cold, broad hand gripped hers tightly, as if afraid to let go. "Didn't you know there's a typhoon? You didn't answer your phone, and you didn't bring an umbrella..."
Qiao Zhiwei tilted her head. Seeing the raindrops clinging to the corner of his eye, she smiled.
Perhaps her childhood rival hadn't been so awful after all.
But the warm moment lasted barely a second.
After they got home, Qiao Zhiwei looked at the empty balcony, then at the neatly folded undergarments in her wardrobe. Her cheeks flushed bright red.
Can someone explain why the president of a major corporation would carefully smooth out every bit of lace on a bra while folding it?!
Author's Notes:
1. They are instinctively attracted to each other.
2. They have a brother-sister relationship through temporary cohabitation, which lasted only three years. They aren't on the same household register, so it's only pseudo-incest to a degree.
Theme: See yourself
Come on 🐰, keep your claws and collect them 💪