The Seventh Year After My Childhood Friend Died

[Main story complete. 70% of chapters are protected from spoilers]

[Pre-order: Why Won't You Pursue Me This Time? Blurb at the bottom. Please add it to your library!]

Childhood friends / Reunion after a long separation / Secret crush comes true / Airhead vs. grump

A slow-witted, wooden shou x a haughty, sharp-tongued gong

-

Lin Zui died on the liveliest night of the entire cultivation world: the night of the temple fair.

By the time he returned to the human realm, seven years had passed.

White mist swirled before him, with a somewhat familiar figure standing at its center.

The man wore blue robes, his thin lips pressed tight as he stared at Lin Zui with a broken, fixed gaze.

Lin Zui stepped closer to look him over. After a while, he asked uncertainly, "Jing Xing?"

The other man said nothing, greedily tracing every inch of Lin Zui's face with his eyes.

No, no, no. This man absolutely wasn't Jing Xing.

The stare gave Lin Zui goosebumps, so he hurried past him.

Behind him, the man rubbed the fingers that had just brushed Lin Zui's sleeve. Emotions roiled in his eyes, and the corners of his mouth rose despite himself.

Seven years had passed, and his illness seemed to have grown even worse.

Otherwise, how could a mere illusion feel so real?

-

One day after his resurrection, Lin Zui accidentally entered Jing Xing's study. On the desk sat not paper and ink, but a wooden memorial tablet about the size of a palm.

Its edges were smooth and worn, as if someone often held it in their hands.

Remembering that he'd once heard Jing Xing had someone he longed for, Lin Zui had asked him about it. All he'd gotten was the indifferent reply, "My late wife."

Naturally, the conversation had ended there.

He knew he shouldn't pry, but Lin Zui couldn't help wondering what sort of person Jing Xing's wife was, if he had been longing for her for so long. He couldn't resist leaning closer.

My wife, Lin

"What are you doing?" A deep male voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.

A hand with distinct knuckles pressed the tablet down hard. The sound shook Lin Zui, leaving his thoughts in a muddle.

The newcomer lowered his eyes, his gaze dark and inscrutable. His fingertips slowly traced the edge of the tablet, and his voice gave nothing away.

"Did you see whose name is written on it?"

Lin Zui pretended to be calm, twisting his fingers behind his back. His voice came out strained.

"...I couldn't quite make it out."

Oh, crap!

That looked like his name on the tablet!

A moment later, the other man gave a soft laugh. He lifted the tablet in both hands and held it out before Lin Zui, his eyes blazing with madness.

He said gently, "Then take a look."

"Once you've read it, say the name aloud, all right?"

P.S.:

1v1, SC, HE. The main story is the final authority. No need to tell me if you drop it.

If an already-posted chapter gets updated, it's probably just a typo fix. No need to reread it.

The main couple will not be split up, changed, or reversed. I'll block anyone who makes personal attacks. (I'm serious!)

Not too long, about 200,000 words, and complete.

Pre-order blurb for Why Won't You Pursue Me This Time? ↓

Sickly, snarky shou x scheming white-lotus gong

Wen Yu transmigrated into a novel called In Search of Daylight as a sickly antagonist master who shared his name. He had only two goals in life.

One: provoke and frame the protagonist.

Two: get eliminated by the protagonist as the story's big bad.

Wen Yu: "..."

He's a fan of the protagonist, for crying out loud! How could he bring himself to frame him?

So, watching his protagonist disciple in fine clothes, riding high and brimming with righteousness, Wen Yu forcibly turned the original power-fantasy story into a raising-and-pursuit romance.

But the day after the protagonist confessed to him and they were happily married, time rewound to the first day Wen Yu had transmigrated into the book.

He shook the System until it finally told him the truth: if the protagonist didn't follow the original plot, everything would start over at a certain point.

Wen Yu: "..."

So this was the save-and-reload version of the game.

He intended to calmly follow the plot, but when they met again, he still couldn't resist wiping the icy water from the protagonist's face.

Once more, they shared a joyful time together and confessed their feelings.

Just as expected, Wen Yu was sent back to day one again.

This time, the System stepped in to warn him:

If he failed to complete the plot on the third try, he would be kicked out of this world, and his life would be his own responsibility.

Wen Yu sighed. "...Fine."

He'd spent two lifetimes being intimate with his favorite character. He had nothing to complain about. It was time to settle down and play the evil big bad.

-

Liu Zhu watched coldly as a fellow disciple poured a basin of ice water over his head. He didn't move, still kneeling.

With his head lowered, he paid no mind to the other's taunts and insults. He simply counted down silently, waiting for that person to hurry over and help him up.

The familiar sound of coughing rang out. Liu Zhu looked up, ready to say what he'd prepared, but the other man walked straight past him without sparing him a glance.

Then he heard Wen Yu laughing and chatting with someone else.

After a moment of stunned silence, Liu Zhu slowly turned his head and stared at that familiar back, which he had seen countless times. Shadows gathered in his eyes as he murmured,

"Master, why won't you choose me this time...?"

At that moment, Wen Yu was staring at the status bar before him in impotent fury.

He'd only just activated the progress bar for Mission One, with an impossibly long way to go. He couldn't even begin to imagine how many more awful things he would have to do.

As for Mission Two...

The story had only just started, hadn't it? Why was some major event near the ending lighting up already?! Why had the countdown to his death started?!

Theme: Treasure your life