He Fell First

In June, Qingda's official website finally updated its admissions poster. The star of this year's admissions campaign was an upperclasswoman in a graduation gown with yellow trim and a bachelor's cap. In front of the university motto stele, a tall, slender young woman stood in the sunlight. Her obsidian-black eyes sparkled and shimmered. She held a small blackboard that read, "Qingda welcomes you." Thanks to this admissions poster, Qingda stood out among universities, filled all its enrollment slots, and even made the trending searches. In October, the MFA opened applications alongside the nationwide civil service exam. At a regular Foreign Ministry press conference, reporters asked the newly appointed Director-General of the Information Department about it. The handsome, refined man smiled slightly at the cameras. His voice was clear and bright. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warmly welcomes all young people with diplomatic aspirations to apply." Thanks to this interview video, the MFA's applicant-to-position ratio this year exceeded 5,000 to 1. Later, at a diplomatic reception, the spokesperson wore a custom-tailored suit, the red national emblem on his left lapel gleaming brightly. Beside him stood his wife, also dressed formally. Her manners were impeccable, and her smile was gentle. Before long, the news site posted official photos. After Qingda and the MFA had each topped the trending searches, they finally came together as #Qingda&MFA#. A truly god-tier trending topic. #I Love You Like a Midnight Train Whistle# MFA here does not mean Master of Fine Arts. It stands for Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Author's Note: 1. Fictional setting. The setting is inspired by reality, but no characters are based on real people. Please don't associate it with real life. 2. A diplomat who plans every move x a capricious little schemer who is not what she seems. 3. Marriage first, love later; silly everyday life; melodrama; cunning pursuit. 4. [Important content warning]: The characters are flawed. The heroine is very capricious. The hero seems normal, but actually isn't even human. If you want wholesome, virtuous characters, please look elsewhere. 5. I write whenever the mood strikes. No need to notify me if you drop the story. NB:CS, thanks for your cooperation. [Content warning for the blurb: The controversial chapter is Chapter 6, with clarifications in the author's notes. The online version was revised back in March 2020, and longtime readers know where I stand. There's nothing I can do about pirated copies. I'm sorry to all the new readers.] Theme: