Breaking a Branch, Becoming a Ghost

Yun Ke, a street urchin who couldn't afford a meal.

On a dark and windy night, she sneaked into a tomb to steal its treasures. When she turned around, she ran straight into the young master of the household. "How dare you come here and steal!"

In her panic, she struck a fire striker and flung flour at him, blasting the young master into a roasted chicken. Then she took off, fleeing as fast as her feet would carry her.

The young master raised his sword and roared, "You little wretch! I'm going to kill you! I swear I'll kill you!"

Years later, the two became classmates.

She thought they would never have anything to do with each other again. A handsome young man and a beautiful young woman, spending their days together as classmates, would surely grow close in time.

Then one night, a thief crept in to steal a kiss. The thief at least had the decency to wear a mask and spoke politely, too. "Pardon me."

But the thief's actions were far too bold. A light touch of the fingertips, their clothes loosened, the bed curtains drawn. The man and woman on the bed were... meditating to regulate their qi...

On the final night, Yun Ke reached out and pulled off his mask.

She leaned close and whispered with a laugh, "Stop pretending. I knew who you were on your very first day here. And... thank you."

Beneath the covered walkway of the academy, the young master hid in a corner, watching the two of them in the distance.

"A Yun, this is Persian eyebrow pigment. I brought it for you."

Yun Ke saw the shining tears in the young man's eyes. A spring breeze blew, and his face turned scarlet. He was the man she would marry one day.

That night, after the candle was snuffed and they had gone to bed, the fragrant scent of Tusu wine drifted over. The young master's eyes were red as he demanded in a trembling voice, "I'm the one who stood by you through life and death. I'm the one who opposed the entire Mystic Order for your sake. Why? Take a good look at me. I'm a good man, too."

A streetwise, proud, and brilliant heroine x an arrogant scion of an influential family and champion of the righteous path

[Reader's Guide and Content Warnings]

1. This book opens with a flash-forward in which the heroine dies before being reborn. She dies between the ages of eleven and nineteen, and is later reborn through a young woman's sacrificial offering. If you dislike a story where the heroine is dead from the start, please read with caution.

2. The heroine, Yun Ke, is neither wholly righteous nor wholly wicked. The male lead is utterly devoted to her. His betrayal has another explanation and is one of the biggest twists in the book. The main couple's romance is sweet.

3. Both angst and sweetness; there is more angst in the middle and more sweetness later. A deliciously bittersweet read.

4. Strong mutual-salvation themes, with everyday moments like grilling fish, playing music, drinking and chatting, and teasing children.

5. The heroine's career and revenge drive the main plot. Dark elements include tombs, sorcery, mermaids, mercury puppets, and wrongful convictions.

Theme: I'm a good man, too.