A Secret Wish

At the turn of the staircase, several boys stood in a circle, laughing and teasing someone. The one in the middle leaned against the railing, his school uniform jacket hanging loosely off his shoulders. “So, do you like her or not?” The boy in question lifted his eyelids and lazily glanced around at his friends, who were egging him on. Twirling an uncapped pen in his hand, he replied nonchalantly, “No.” Shu Tao had barged in by mistake and was just about to quietly back away when he suddenly turned his head. He stared right at her, a faint smile playing at his lips. His voice dragged out, slow and languid: “What about you? Had enough of eavesdropping?” - When Shu Tao learned that Xu Jianye wouldn’t be coming back to school, she summoned every last bit of courage she had to write him two lines of well wishes and pass them to him through the crowd. Just keep moving forward. From now on, may the road ahead be smooth, with sunshine all the way. She didn’t sign her name. She truly only hoped he would be well. - Their reunion came without warning. Steam from the oden fogged the glass. Outside, the night was slick with rain. Shu Tao lowered her head and bit into a fish ball, then heard the door open. She glanced up without thinking. The man who walked in was tall and slender, raindrops beading on the shoulders of his black coat. His exposed face was still almost unnaturally pale. All these years later, that clean-cut sharpness he’d had as a boy seemed as untouched by dust as if the rain had washed it clean. A moment later, Xu Jianye’s eyes curved into a smile. Even the beauty mark at the corner of his eye was damp from the rain. Just like the first time they met. - I want to return to those moments I once fought so hard to hold on to, to take the step I once lacked the courage to take and came to regret, to throw caution to the wind, to feel, to laugh. ／I never got the chance to thank you for giving me courage ／For letting me be myself again From the song “A Little Happiness” A crush that comes true | A girl’s secret feelings | From school to the city | Bittersweet One-sided crush → mutual pining Gentle, sensitive girl × charming, tender-hearted bad boy 「Reader’s Guide」 1. One-on-one, both leads’ first love, both physically and emotionally chaste, and each other’s one and only. 2. Neither lead is perfect; they grow together. 3. The early part is a slow-burn school romance, with the heroine nursing a secret crush. Her perspective inevitably brings some bittersweetness. Later, the story moves to the city, where the hero pursues the heroine. 5. If anything bothers you while reading, please click ❌. Please be kind in the comments. Thank you. 6. The first version of the blurb was finalized in February 2021, and the final version in July 2026. Screenshots of both have been saved. Please don’t claim otherwise. 7. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy it ovo Next up: Please Hold Me. Add it to your collection o3o Here’s the blurb. Feel free to skip it if you’re not interested. 「I can see you clearly」 Love at first sight | Rekindled romance | Contract relationship | A little rented-apartment romance When they first met, Lin Qingxuan was the adored eldest daughter of the Lin family, born to stand above everyone else. Xu Shen, meanwhile, was a poor boy fighting to survive in the mud. Even looking up at her felt like an offense. That day, he was shoved in front of her, covered in dust and utterly disheveled. The girl’s lips were red and her teeth were white. As if suddenly amused, she gave him a mocking smile that was hard to read. “Fine, let’s have some fun.” ／ When her family fell from grace, the once-wealthy young lady was left destitute. Everyone avoided her, except Xu Shen, the poor boy she had once looked down on. His dark eyes reflected Lin Qingxuan’s sorry state. “Will you come with me?” With no other choice, Lin Qingxuan said yes. On a day of torrential rain, inside a cramped, stuffy rental apartment, Lin Qingxuan clung tightly to the boy’s feverishly warm waist, like a drowning person grasping a piece of driftwood. Her voice trembled. “Don’t go. I’ll be good.” But in the end, she left without looking back, leaving behind the now-famous Xu Shen, who would never forget that rainy season for as long as he lived. ／ Years later, they unexpectedly met again. Over drinks, someone brought up the once-destitute young lady. Asked about their history, Xu Shen didn’t even look up. He toyed with the beads in his hand and scoffed. “I don’t remember.” By then, Xu Shen had long since been welcomed back into his family. The most privileged heir in the clan, he was iron-fisted and no one dared cross him. Lin Qingxuan, meanwhile, was no longer the dazzling young lady she’d once been. With nowhere else to turn, she had to seek Xu Shen out again. ／ Lin Qingxuan thought Xu Shen would take revenge, humiliate her, and return every slight she had dealt him. But he did none of that. He simply kept her by his side, drew up a marriage contract, and gave her the grandest villa and the most luxurious clothes. Yet he never kissed her or held her. The man came home late again. Lin Qingxuan waited all night. The alcohol had gone to her head, but before she could say a word, tears began to fall. Xu Shen slowly wiped the tears from her face, his tone calm. “Miss Lin, you were the one who started this game.” “But now I make the rules.” A fallen heiress × a poor boy ／A stray dog becomes the king of wolves ／A touch of bittersweetness “I can see all the different sides of you, get to know you, understand you, and still love you.” - Please hold me, in case I accidentally fall. 【Please note】The heroine won’t be put through angst, but the hero is stubborn and won’t admit how he feels. There will be misunderstandings and differences in perception. - Weibo: @Qingshan Yin o - Theme: Don’t let fate capture or hold you prisoner. I wish you well.