Yearning for the Light of Heaven

Cheng Nuo is a mystery writer who has always stood apart from the rest of the online fiction world.

He doesn’t interact with fans, promote himself, or play up romantic pairings. Aside from announcing new books, his readers can barely catch a glimpse of him.

In an era where marketing reigns supreme, he seems out of place. Yet sheer talent has earned him a place on the online fiction youth chart, and he’s now a hugely popular bestselling author.

But he’s famously devoted to conserving his energy. Then one night, while heading out for food, he happens to rescue a “dog” with badly singed fur.

Only after bringing it home does he realize: that’s no dog.

It’s Chiyang, a wolf demon and prodigy of the demon realm, whose tribulation ended in failure and whose cultivation was completely destroyed.

One just wants to live an energy-efficient life; the other is in a hurry to get back to the demon realm.

Through a series of mishaps, their chaotic life under one roof begins.

Chiyang brazenly stays at his place to recover, eats his takeout, drinks his iced Americanos, takes over his leather office chair, and even criticizes him to his face. “You may be cold as ice, but I suppose you’re a decent person.”

Listen to that. Just listen to her. Is that any way for a person to talk?

Oh, right. She isn’t human.

Cheng Nuo types away at his manuscript without changing expression, but his mechanical keyboard clatters like thunder.

And yet... he seems to have fallen for this wolf demon.

But he’s human, with less than a hundred years to live. She’s a demon, a once-in-a-century genius of the demon realm.

What does he have to offer her?

So Cheng Nuo tries to restrain himself, keep his distance, and talk himself out of it, but he can’t stop himself from pouring his feelings into his new book.

When a mystery writer switches to romance, the criticism never stops. That is, until the livestream promoting his book the night before its presale...

The comments flood in with insults. “Online fiction is a service industry these days. If you want to make a living from it, you’d better get on your knees and serve!”

“Your readers want mysteries, and you feed them romance. If you’re out of ideas, just quit writing and leave the scene! Stop wasting your readers’ enthusiasm!”

“You’ve run out of talent. That’s all there is to it. You might as well retire!”

Cheng Nuo stares at his phone, thumb hovering over the power button, unable to press it.

Chiyang snatches the phone from him and addresses the entire livestream. “Do you have a mouth just to spew crap? Writers speak through their work. My man can write whatever he wants!”

The comments explode.

So does Cheng Nuo.

After the stream ends, Chiyang corners him against the wall in his study and taps him over the heart.

“Do you know the first step in a demon’s cultivation? Admitting that you’re different. You were born human, and that means you’ve had that right from the start. Are you really going to throw it away?”

The moonlight is clear, but Chiyang’s eyes shine like the sun.

Cheng Nuo’s heart, held tightly in check for so long, completely loses control in that moment.

Afterward, caught between repeated attempts to hold himself back and run away, Cheng Nuo chooses to lose his mind.

But the more he wants to get close to her, the less he knows how, because he can’t give her what she wants.

After yet another futile attempt, he breaks down, sobbing until his voice is hoarse. “You don’t need anything, and you don’t need me.”

Chiyang reaches up and ruffles his hair, her voice as soft as a sigh.

“I never said I didn’t need you.”

Cheng Nuo jerks his head up, eyes blurred with tears.

Chiyang doesn’t look away. Her gaze is as open and honest as a waterfall three thousand feet high.

“Maybe liking you is the only thing I can give you. Would you accept that?”

In that instant, a spark flares to life in Cheng Nuo’s eyes.

"If it’s you, I’d gladly sacrifice myself like a moth to a flame."

Bonus Scene 1

Cheng Nuo wakes up in the morning, still groggy, and sees a silver-haired beauty wrapped head to toe in bandages standing in front of his fridge.

She’s holding a bottle of milk.

“Why aren’t you wearing clothes?!” Cheng Nuo covers his eyes. “Ah! No, wait! Who are you?! What are you doing in my house?!”

“Oh.” Chiyang looks down at herself. “I forgot I don’t have fur right now. I didn’t have any clothes when I transformed.”

Bonus Scene 2

Wearing Cheng Nuo’s white shirt, Chiyang lounges on the sofa. After eating and drinking her fill, she lets out a satisfied burp. “That’s what happened. Call the police!”

Cheng Nuo clutches his hair and rubs it frantically. “You’ve got to be kidding me! Hey, hey! Aren’t spirits and demons not allowed to exist after the founding of the country?!”

Chiyang pulls out another bag of chips and crunches away.

“Hey! Could you at least react a little?!”

“Oh.” Chiyang keeps crunching. “Call the police!”

“Aaah!!! I’m losing it, I’m losing it!!!!” Cheng Nuo breaks down.

[Reader’s Guide]

Naturally flirtatious wolf-demon prodigy × energy-saving, poker-faced writer

A sunny girl who knows she’s naturally seductive × a secret admirer who loses his mind trying to keep his feelings in check

Theme: Love is the pursuit that remains uncontrollable even after you try to restrain yourself.