My Mentor Became My Lover

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[Cheerful, optimistic daughter of a military family x brooding, scheming tutor]

Qiao Fuyue had a hard life in her previous one. Perhaps she had offended Heaven, for she had to walk on eggshells her whole life, enduring nothing but hardship and coldness. Born into a prominent family, she saw her entire household arrested and stripped of its possessions overnight, then unjustly exiled. Later, in the chaos of war, she was tricked and captured, and died in despair as a prisoner.

Heaven may not have had its fill of watching her suffer, because it gave her a chance to live her life over again, hoping to see her tragic story a second time. But she refused to repeat her past mistakes. She vowed to seize this opportunity, change the tragedies of her previous life, and make up for all her regrets.

At first, everything went smoothly. She wanted her whole family to be safe and prosperous, and to live in harmony. This time, by planning ahead, she successfully changed the tragedy of her family being framed and arrested.

She wanted to find a good man to spend her life with. At first sight, she fell for Tan Yao, the most handsome man in the capital and her tutor at the academy, a gentle and refined paragon of beauty rarely seen in the world.

She cleverly put her plans into action and relentlessly flirted with him until she won her tutor's heart. Their feelings were mutual, and they became a loving couple.

Her life was going smoothly, and love was going well. She thought things would only get better, but Heaven played another cruel joke on her.

By chance, Qiao Fuyue discovered another side of the man beside her. Beneath his kind and gentle exterior lurked a suffocating secret: he was the enemy who had imprisoned her for many years in her previous life, a notorious underworld assassin, sickly obsessive and possessive. In the name of love, he had driven her into a corner and made her life so wretched.

Learning the truth hit her like a bolt of lightning. She was stunned, and immediately decided she was done with all this.

What kind of nonsense was this love business? Whoever wanted to date could go ahead. She certainly didn't want to suffer through it.

From then on, Qiao Fuyue vowed to travel far away alone, wanting nothing more to do with him or that bitter pain.

Tan Yao had a beautiful face, but unfortunately, his heart was rotten.

Everyone thought he was gentle, modest, and sincere, but none of it was true. He was ruthless, merciless, and willing to do anything. He felt nothing for anyone, but couldn't forget one person: the only light in his dark childhood.

Heaven smiled on him when she became his student. Overjoyed, he doted on her, and gradually won her heart.

When their love reached its height, she confessed her feelings. "Tutor, will you spend your life with me and stay by my side forever?"

He was more than happy to agree.

But one rainy night, his disguise was accidentally exposed, and she resolutely pulled her hand away from his and left him.

"Our relationship is doomed. If we force ourselves to stay together, we'll only hurt each other."

He was confused and remorseful...but in the end, he couldn't win back the heart that had gone away from him.

Qiao Fuyue had intended to leave for good, but she never expected that the proud, aloof man would trail after her everywhere, unable to be shaken off, all in the hope of winning her heart back and earning her forgiveness.

She was amazed at how readily he humbled himself. Still, unable to let go of her lingering feelings, she couldn't help turning back. She delved into what had happened in the past and gradually realized that in this life, he wasn't a bad man. Everything he did was kind, and her resentment began to ease. She gave him a chance to explain and asked him,

"Tutor, you deceived me and kept things from me, and you hurt me deeply. Why should I forgive you?"

He bowed his head, humble as a slave. "If I can make the young lady change her mind, I'll do anything you ask."

Qiao Fuyue chuckled and reached out, lightly tracing his cheek with a fingertip as she teased him. "You said it. From now on, you're not my tutor. How about being my slave instead?"

His face flushed. In a low voice, he replied, "I'd be delighted."

Reader's Notes:

1. Both leads are each other's first and only partners. Happy ending. Serious tone.

2. This novel contains a few original elements and is set in an alternate history, with inspiration from the Qin and Han eras.

3. Both leads are reborn. Another major character is also reborn, which is crucial to the plot and closely tied to the changes in the male lead's personality across his two lives.

4. In his previous life, the male lead was ruthless and merciless. In this life, although he is still surrounded by darkness, he has been influenced by others and is kind at heart, a stark contrast to his former self.

Theme: Though born into a military family, she seeks only to end war. She would trade her life for peace throughout the land.