Echoes

Peacockish guesthouse owner vs. stoic architect | High school rivals × mutual crushes When Jiang Yingxi left Baitong Town at sixteen, she never imagined she'd carry that handsome, insufferable boy in her heart for twelve years. Nor did she imagine she'd return to Baitong Town years later to forget him. But after returning and seeing him again, leaving becomes a pipe dream. She thinks: Who could stay indifferent when their crush is in trouble? So she decides to stay a little longer. At thirty, Li Hui finally sees the girl he'd had a crush on at eighteen come home. Even knowing she has a “fiance,” Li Hui carefully plots to keep her there, determined not to waste their reunion. Jiang Yingxi knows they can't be together, and that she'll leave in the end. But day after day, the border she'd drawn in her heart slowly breaks down and disappears. 〖Bonus scene〗 One day, while they're on a date, Jiang Yingxi asks him, “Did you have a crush on me in high school?” Li Hui raises an eyebrow and smiles. “Is that why you're with me?” Jiang Yingxi says nothing, so Li Hui has to answer for her. “Yes. I've liked you since freshman year of high school, and I've kept loving you ever since, even after we met again.” As Jiang Yingxi shakes her head, she rises on tiptoe and kisses him on the lips. Her doe eyes are bright and dewy, sparkling with a smile. “No. I'm with you for the same reason: I like you.” Because I've liked you ever since high school, and I still do. I've been in love with you all this time. 【Every time you hesitate, it's a sign you're coming closer to me.】 · Both leads are sexually inexperienced, and each other's first love. The female lead has no fiance. · The characters aren't perfect, and the author's headcanon is extensive. Professional details are based on online research, so anyone looking for strict accuracy should steer clear. Theme: Cherish the present and embrace life