Moonlight Wine

[Completed. Comments containing stolen translations are not welcome.] Looking for readers for my upcoming novels, Bandit Stone and Tequila Sunrise -- After her first-ever blind date, Qiao Yu got married on a whim. Her new husband had a younger sister, a rebellious beauty in Qiao Yu's class. After the wedding, she and the rebellious beauty lived in fear of being bossed around by that awful older brother: Sneaking up in the middle of the night to bake a pizza piled high with ten times the cheese? Caught. Giving the girl a couple of sips of sweet wine when they had nothing better to do? Caught. Even skipping tutoring to take her to see Billie Eilish in concert ended with them getting caught outside the Olympic Sports Center. Qiao Yu felt like getting married had sent her straight back to boarding school for another round of punishment :) -- Ever since birth, Lin You Ning had been firmly under the thumb of her brother, who was eleven years older. He looked like a perfect gentleman, but in reality he had severe germophobia, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, and perfectionist standards. With the guiding principle that “my sister must never bring shame on the Lin family,” he ran her life like a military operation. Then he got married, and her new sister-in-law turned out to be an unbelievably smart, sweet, and understanding girl On that historic day, she saw her brother stumble sleepily out of Qiao Qiao's room. “Didn't you tell me before that… you wanted to go to the UK early this summer?” She hesitated, then nodded. So Lin Yi An gave his blessing. “Then go. You can leave as soon as school lets out, and you don't have to come home for the summer.” Lin You Ning: “…?” “And apply to live in the student dorms next semester. Haven't you been going on about that forever?” Lin You Ning: “???” Then she watched him walk back into Qiao Qiao's room carrying two glasses of water. From then on, Lin You Ning became a free little bird :) Meanwhile, Qiao Yu, who had sacrificed herself for You Ning, could only weep in silence. orz -Picky, sharp-tongued, impeccably polished architect × clear-eyed, unflappable, straight-as-an-arrow homeroom teacher -A slice-of-life marriage romance / one-on-one / first love for both -They lied, saying I had lost the moon, predicting my fate would be like a desert -Pablo Neruda, One Hundred Love Sonnets -- Bandit Stone synopsis: Song Xiu Jun was always hearing Tang Xiu's name from Old Master Tang, whether they were playing chess or watering flowers. He'd been hearing it since childhood. Whenever the old man finished showing off, he'd sigh with regret. “What a pity you're a bit too old. Otherwise, you really could have been my son-in-law.” When Tang Xiu was in her third year of college, Song Xiu Jun filled in for his supervisor and moved back to an apartment near campus. After becoming her roommate and spending more time together, he realized the old man's praise wasn't unfounded. She really was wonderful, and her little dog was adorable too, fluffy and very well-mannered. He loved taking her poodle out for a walk at five-thirty every morning. Song Xiu Jun decided he was fond of everything she was fond of. Until someone else got there first. -- Tang Xiu had been secretly in love since childhood with an older man: exceptionally handsome, refined, and elegant, like a flower on a high peak, lovely to look at but impossible to reach. With such a paragon before her, she'd never dated anyone until a sports major named Cheng Xuan Yi confessed to her. He was sunny and handsome, with an eight-pack. Tang Xiu thought it over for two days and realized she had no reason to turn him down. Who knew things would get complicated as soon as they started dating? After a mixer, Cheng Xuan Yi walked her home and happened to run into Song Xiu Jun, who was taking the dog out in the middle of the night. Song Xiu Jun gave them a cold look, picked up the dog, and walked over, radiating the sort of possessive authority that made him seem like the one who belonged at her side. “Tang Xiu told me about you. You're the guy she just started dating.” “But that's enough for tonight. It's past her curfew. Let go of her hand.” On a holiday date, Tang Xiu received ninety-nine bright red roses. The next morning, while arranging flowers at the table over breakfast, Song Xiu Jun smiled as she praised them. “Really? You brought red roses home last night. I was worried you might not like white peonies.” Gradually, Tang Xiu noticed that someone was acting strangely. He was working out enthusiastically, dressing with care, constantly bringing her gifts and fussing over her. He was like a peacock showing off, but she could always come up with an excuse for him. Until one night, Song Xiu Jun came home from a work dinner after two glasses of red wine. His ears flushed red as he took her hand and asked: “Do I still have a chance?” “I'm sorry. I couldn't control myself just now… But you're too good to him.” “When are you two going to break up?” -Golden girl, beautiful but clueless × aloof, old-fashioned man on a high peak -Also known as The Aloof One Goes Crazy for Love and Tries to Steal Her Away -Seven-year age gap Theme: I looked at the moon, but all I saw was you., Michael Ondaatje