Photograph

I discovered a secret.

A secret about my father.

It was tucked inside my father's favorite book.

A photograph of an unfamiliar woman.

Please note:

1. This was originally an abandoned project, but I've turned it into a short story and changed it from danmei to a romance light novel. Sorry to everyone who bookmarked it before. Feel free to remove it from your favorites~

2. I chose mystery, but this short story isn't really mysterious at all. Hope you enjoy it~

Some recommendations:

1. Completed romance novel: "I Got Rich by Writing Gossip About My Nemesis After Transmigrating into a Book"

Blurb:

Breaking news! Tian Ning was slacking off at work and writing a novel when her new nemesis of a boss caught her!

Tian Ning was devastated. She hadn't even had time to come up with an excuse when a flash of white light swept over her, and she and her new boss both transmigrated.

As luck would have it, they transmigrated into the very novel Tian Ning had just been writing on the sly.

She became the vicious supporting female character, Meng Youning, while her nemesis of a boss transformed into the story's great villain, a regent.

The author, their very own loving mom, declared that scheming in the inner courts was too much work. No thanks! Since they were already here, why not just lie back and make money?

So a storyteller named Deng Xiaoxian suddenly appeared in the capital, regaling everyone with one sensational tale after another! Today's release was "Things You Absolutely Must Know About the Regent", tomorrow's was "The Dark-Hearted Prince's Beloved Wife", and the day after that was "She Runs, He Chases, and Neither Can Get Away".

Whenever Mr. Deng Xiaoxian released a new book, the capital's streets were deserted.

Meng Youning: Making money? Piece of cake!

*

Zhao Linyue, the youngest regent of Yue, had campaigned across the land with the late emperor in his youth and was notorious for his brutality.

After returning from battle wounded five years ago, everyone noticed that the regent had changed.

No more beheadings at court over the slightest disagreement. No more people beaten to death for no reason. Instead, he'd summon ministers to the palace in the middle of the night to discuss building bridges and roads, and improving waterworks...

The ministers: We're free at last, but somehow not entirely free.

Zhao Linyue: Thanks for asking. I was forced to transmigrate into a book.

Recently, stories about the regent have become all the rage in the capital. Everyone keeps saying, “I had no idea things like this happened!”

So every day, Zhao Linyue sees the palace maids looking at him with pity and the eunuchs struggling to hold back their words...

Even his mother, Consort Yi, wipes away tears and takes his hand. “My son, a melon forced from the vine isn't sweet. You should let go!”

Zhao Linyue: ...Tian Ning, you're dead!

2. Completed ABO fantasy danmei: "The Alpha Has Been Plotting This for a Long Time"

3. Next up, a future-set entertainment industry fantasy: "Imagination Rules the Entertainment Industry"

Theme: Study hard and stop letting your imagination run wild