One Substandard Product and Another

Not-quite-siblings | Childhood sweethearts | Mutual salvation A cocky stray dog who offers up his own leash x a gentle, steadfast older sister -1 From the alleys of their hometown to the campus confession wall and the company grapevine, Chen Siyuan is always the center of attention. A small-town prodigy who started a business as a teenager, his net worth is beyond measure. He's six foot three, with broad shoulders and a trim waist, yet his face is so cold that he keeps strangers at a distance. Even his subordinates complain that Chen Siyuan looks down on everyone. He furrows his brows and interrogates people over every mistake or shortcoming in meetings. He never shows up to company dinners, and rumors say he won't even spare investors' feelings at the banquet table. He's nothing short of the King of Hell. And when Chen Siyuan is on the phone by his office's floor-to-ceiling windows, pacing back and forth with an irritated look, no one dares go in to give him a report. Even his secretary shakes her head. On the other side of the soundproof glass door, Chen Siyuan's voice is petulant and whiny, unlike anything anyone has ever heard from him. He draws out the end of his words: "Sis is lying to me again. She promised to keep me company tonight..." "...I'll wait, no matter how late it gets. Don't even think about running away." -2 When Guan Qingyan was six, her father brought Chen Siyuan to pay respects to their ancestors, declaring that the Guan family would have an heir from then on. Little brother. That's how Guan Qingyan always thought of Chen Siyuan. Chen Siyuan huddled by the door with his knees hugged to his chest, sheltering from the rain, his eyes damp and pitiful. He was her innocent, helpless little brother. Chen Siyuan's eyes turned vicious as he ruthlessly drove away a gang of punks. He was her grateful little brother. When Guan Qingyan left home to seek her freedom, she reminded Chen Siyuan to focus on his studies and take care of himself. He slapped her hand away and looked at the surprise in her eyes. "Guan Qingyan, are you pretending to be clueless, or are you really that clueless?" "I don't want to be your stupid little brother." -3 The rain is endless, damp and stifling. You are the only sunshine I long for. Reader's guide: 1. Both leads are each other's first and only love. 2. They are not related by blood, and there is no romance before adulthood or while they are still family. Saved on April 19, 2025 Theme: Breaking free and escaping