Cheng Qingsui is a C-rank omega, with a plain, understated appearance and a gentle, timid nature to match. Everyone says she's married above her station. Even her parents often remind her that having such a high-ranking Alpha willing to marry her is the greatest blessing of her life.
Her husband is handsome, and his family was once noble, though it later fell into decline. Otherwise, she would never have stood a chance with him. They followed the usual course: blind date, marriage, and life together. Her husband's business started to take off, and he seemed poised to return to the aristocratic circle.
One day, Cheng Qingsui's husband takes her to an extravagant gala celebrating an omega's birthday. There she meets Lin Hezhu for the first time: the radiant birthday star of the evening, an S-rank omega dressed in a dazzling, flamboyant red outfit like a blazing flame, with a beauty as vivid and rich as an oil painting.
He smiles as he walks toward her, closer and closer, then stops beside her husband in full view of everyone.
Laughter rises around them. In a sweet voice, he greets her: "Hello, sister-in-law. I've wanted to meet you for so long."
Only later does she learn that Lin Hezhu was her husband's childhood sweetheart. Everyone believes the two were once attracted to each other, but were separated by a feud between their families. Now, Lin Hezhu looks at her with a determined gleam in his eyes, and she is too tongue-tied to speak.
Near the end of the gala, Lin Hezhu finds her crying alone on a balcony and grabs her. He lifts her chin and looks her over, then smiles.
Her tears fall one by one onto his hand. He smiles, bright and cruel, and says slowly, word by word, "Oh my, how pitiful."
Later, much later, on a certain day.
The room is warm and sweet in the night. The person before her is crying messily, face flushed as if with a fever. His usually haughty, flamboyant eyes are nearly unfocused.
He sobs incoherently, sometimes begging her not to leave and to stay by his side; sometimes cursing her, calling her stupid, boring, and unsuited to high society. Then he starts crying and begging again, saying that what he just said was nonsense, asking her not to be angry and to hold him a little longer.
Cheng Qingsui says nothing. She only gently wipes the tears from his face. He clutches her hand, crying so hard he can barely breathe, his cheek still unconsciously rubbing against her palm. For some reason, she thinks back to what he said when they first met.
Oh my, how pitiful.
[Reader's Guide]
* Kind, gentle wife-type female O x flamboyant, gorgeous bad-boy male O
* The author's all-out exploration of their personal kinks, BGB, with a chaotic mix of elements!
* The male lead and male supporting character have no romantic relationship, and there are no BL elements.
Theme: Love helps us find a better version of ourselves.
