Raising Deer Comes at a Cost

This story will go premium on Wednesday, May 18 (retroactively). If you've already read chapters 24–47, please don't buy them again. There will be three new chapters when it goes premium. Thank you for all your support so far, and please keep supporting me!

Note: A sweet, indulgent story, with no melodramatic pitfalls and no angst.

Younger, devoted, deeply loving puppy-like guy x older, flirtatious painter beauty with an elegant, mature charm

Lu Ran had spent her childhood living under other people's roofs. After living with her uncle's family for a year, she was suddenly told one day that Aunt Ning, an old friend of her parents, wanted to take her in.

What she hadn't expected was that Aunt Ning was young and beautiful, with long, wavy hair cascading over her shoulders. She looked like someone who had stepped out of a TV show, dazzlingly radiant and beautiful, and Lu Ran hardly dared look at her.

She smiled warmly, her lovely eyes curving into crescent moons. "Don't be so shy. Just think of me as family."

Back then, Lu Ran never imagined that staying at Ning Huai's home would last for so many years, binding them together inseparably.

When Lu Ran first arrived at Ning Huai's home at thirteen, the girl lingered nervously in the entryway, shy and reserved, yet sensitive. She was just like a wounded fawn.

Ning Huai's heart softened, and she doted on her with all her affection.

Lu Ran was obedient and well-behaved, too. As the days passed, they went from cautiously feeling each other out to growing accustomed to living together. Through all those long years, it seemed they had made each other's lives a little less lonely.

But everything changed once Lu Ran came of age.

One day, as Ning Huai was fondly stroking Lu Ran's head as usual, Lu Ran angrily slapped her hand away and pinned her against the wall.

"Ning Huai, could you stop treating me like a child?"

Ning Huai assumed it was just a rebellious phase, and smiled as she stroked Lu Ran's cheek, not taking her words seriously at all.

That was, until Lu Ran kissed her, eyes brimming with jealousy and affection.

"I really like you, too..."

Ning Huai: What do I do when raising a fawn becomes a problem?

Theme: Even on a sea where you sail alone, you will eventually find someone to lean on.