The Undying Phoenix and the Sparrow in His Palm

[Sorry, the novel is awaiting release from paywall.] [Second-chance romance. Love makes the one in power bow their head.] 01 For four years, Xia An quietly played the role of the understanding confidante by Jiang Chen's side. After they broke up, a friend laughed and asked Jiang Chen if he regretted losing such a beautiful girlfriend. Jiang Chen chuckled, speaking with casual indifference. “We each got what we wanted.” His tone was so flat, as if it were nothing worth giving a second thought. 02 Until one day, at a runway show unveiling a luxury brand's new couture collection. Jiang Chen saw Xia An walk onto the runway as the special guest closing the show. The person who had always spoken softly and called him “Mr. Jiang” now strode down the runway in stiletto heels, without sparing him a glance. This was a Xia An he had never seen before: proud and confident, vivid and dazzling. For a moment, he lost himself in the sight of her. 03 Three years earlier, a landscape photographer known as “Phoenix” had suddenly risen to fame in the photography world. Behind the screen, no one knew if Phoenix was a man or a woman, young or old. Then Phoenix was invited to shoot a promotional series about ethnic cultures for China Central Television. In the network's high-definition footage, a young woman appeared, beautiful and radiant despite wearing no makeup. Someone beside her called her, “Teacher Xia An.” Among the crew members for that shoot, the photographer Xia An had the name “Phoenix” listed beside hers. 04 Paparazzi caught Jiang Chen appearing in public with a young woman by his side. Some recognized her as Xia An, a rising star in the photography world. That day, the hashtag #RisingPhotographerXiaAnHooksUpWithJiangChen,PowerfulHeadOfACorporateEmpire# topped the trending list. The internet erupted, and everyone rushed to Xia An's Weibo to ask if the photos were real. But to everyone's surprise, it wasn't Xia An who responded. It was Jiang Chen. At a press conference, the man wielding immense power addressed his love life for the first time. “The photos are real. But she wasn't the one who made the first move. I'm the one asking her to get back together.” ** “I want to see the mountains and the sea, climb snowy peaks and set foot on the plains. I want to grow wild and free like a phoenix, not be a caged bird trapped in a mansion.”, Xia An “Across ten thousand miles of mountains and rivers, the journey is long. If the mountain won't come to me, I'll go to the mountain.”, Jiang Chen ** Notes: 1. Updates may be irregular. 2. This isn't a long novel. I hope you enjoy reading it. If you don't, it's because I didn't write it well, so feel free to drop it. 3. The leads aren't perfect, but this is a one-on-one romance, with both leads sexually inexperienced. 4. I'll add more if I think of anything. Theme: The phoenix plant is also known as “leaves take root.” It symbolizes being grounded and growing freely.