My Cousin and I Aren't That Close

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Before Ying Yan was brought back to the marquis's residence, she was framed and blinded, and once became the lover of the Commander of Yongzhou.

But the night before, he'd told her passionately to wait for him. The next day, she heard that the commander was getting married.

As soon as her eyesight was healed, Ying Yan ran away.

The most beautiful woman in Yongzhou was gone, and the capital gained a quiet, easygoing little cousin who lived under someone else's roof.

When she heard that the commander was about to return to the capital to report on his duties, Ying Yan was afraid he would take her back, so she went to the heir, Lu Yanjing, and asked him for protection.

Lu Yanjing was cool and refined, radiant as the moon, deeply trusted by the crown prince, and on close terms with the Commander of Yongzhou. He was the object of many young noblewomen's secret affections.

Having heard plenty of stories about romance between cousins, Ying Yan thought she shouldn't repay his kindness by getting in the way of his love life.

She always said, "My cousin and I aren't very close."

Lu Yanjing gave her a long look.

He gave her a hairpin.

Ying Yan: My cousin feels sorry for me because my family has little money, so he's helping me put together a dowry.

He took her along to play polo and go boating, and wouldn't let her out of his sight.

Ying Yan: He doesn't want me to embarrass the marquis's household when I marry, so he's broadening my horizons.

In her cousin's study, she found clothes similar to the commander's.

Ying Yan: ...They're friends, so it makes sense they have similar tastes.

Until she saw the Commander of Yongzhou with her own eyes.

His voice was rough, his arms long and powerful, his waist lean. He was nothing like the man who had whispered softly in her ear in the dead of night!

The worst part was, he had his eye on her too!

Drugged, Ying Yan's face flushed as she stumbled away in a panic. She bumped into someone and felt his arm.

It was a scar she'd touched many times in Yongzhou.

She slowly looked up and met Lu Yanjing's meaningful gaze. He raised an eyebrow. "Not very close, are you?"

His calm voice sounded especially dangerous.

Ying Yan: ...!!!

This was bad. Very bad.

Reading Guide:

1. Set in a fictional world. The plot exists to serve the romance. A light, sweet story.

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The Regent's Easygoing Princess

The late emperor died suddenly, leaving behind the youthful princess Su Qixue and the six-year-old crown prince.

They said Regent Li Ci was cold, cruel, and unpredictable.

The head maid warned Su Qixue to watch what she said and did. Otherwise, he'd lock the princess away in the inner palace and take away her right to participate in court affairs.

Su Qixue, who wanted nothing more than to laze around, hated constantly attending banquets, and was fretting over an endless pile of memorials to review, lit up. "Uncle really is wonderful."

The court officials bowed in the great hall. The regent watched Su Qixue curtsey to him, her neck pale and slender, as fragile as if it might break.

She hadn't stood for long before she rubbed her legs and quietly leaned against a pillar.

The regent watched and sneered. "Didn't the late emperor teach the princess proper etiquette?"

He had.

Su Qixue glanced at the imposing, intricately decorated dragon throne behind him and hesitated. "It wouldn't be very proper to sit on that..."

The princess hadn't appeared for several days.

Everyone sighed. In the clutches of a vicious beast, she was probably being tortured beyond recognition, or even killed.

Meanwhile, in a lakeside pavilion, the regent held a pink embroidered handkerchief and patiently wiped pear juice from the fingertips of the princess, who was supposedly dead. Soft silk bound her slender wrists.

Regent: One piece of pear for three memorials. Run away again, and we'll try something else.

Easygoing princess: *Sob.*

A soft, lazy princess with an unusual way of thinking x a ruthless regent who wants revenge but somehow turns doting

Theme: Cherish the rare bonds we find.