Die If Your Persona Cracks

Lu Hao is a pampered heiress with terrible acting skills, yet her family's connections have made her a popular star. Blunt and hot-tempered, she relies on her looks and her family's money to fear nothing and no one. The one exception is Jiang Wen, her childhood friend, who has outshone her at everything since they were kids. She can't stand him.

Jiang Wen is a rising star in the legal world: handsome, principled, and disciplined. His aloof, rigorous, and humorless demeanor has driven away countless admirers. He despises people who get ahead without merit, especially Lu Hao, his childhood friend, whom his parents adore and want him to marry as soon as possible.

Unexpectedly, an accident sends them transmigrating into a parallel world, back to their senior year of high school.

The merciless System informs them: Welcome to the parallel world's beta test. Keep up your personas and continue living your lives. Complete tasks and earn enough points to transmigrate back. If your score falls below zero, the System will reclaim your life.

And the damn System is shared between the two of them.

So Lu Hao has to swallow her anger, rein in her temper, and stop snapping at Jiang Wen. She even has to smile and thank him for the snacks and drinks he buys her every day. Jiang Wen, meanwhile, is forced to tutor his childhood friend and complete a daily romantic-words check-in.

Later, the two cooperate through several more transmigrations, all in the hope of going home.

After playing the gentle green-tea type, pretending to be cute and shy, and then trying out a reserved, cold persona, Lu Hao says: Give me a proactive persona for once, and I'll chase him down right away.

Jiang Wen, who has to pursue Lu Hao the first time, the second time, and every time after that, wonders: How can I make her understand that I'm already pursuing her sincerely?

A bold, hot-tempered beauty star x a strict, taciturn, handsome lawyer.

1. There is a reason for the System and its setup. It will be explained later.

2. Everything is in service of developing the main couple's relationship.

My next novel, A Feast Beneath the Stars, is open for advance reservations. Here is the blurb:

Yan Yan worked hard to make her debut for the sake of her dreams, but ended up with the lowest popularity in her group. People repeatedly spread rumors that she was a pretty face who rose to fame through casting-couch favors.

Later, the members of the group pursued solo careers. Her many haters waited eagerly, but instead of watching Yan Yan fade into obscurity, they saw her return to the industry through a talent show. She could set the stage on fire, hit soaring high notes, and rap, then smoothly claimed the center position by a landslide in the rankings.

Her rival went to great lengths to claim that she was being kept by entertainment mogul Yan Yi.

Yan Yi: She's my biological daughter. I don't support her taking that path, and I've never given her a cent.

They also accused her of bullying her former teammate, Gu Duoyuan.

Gu Duoyuan: Don't be ridiculous. I freeloaded in her apartment for three years, and I still haven't even moved out.

Then came the revelation that she and Yu Yanzhi, a stunning esports star who had just won another domestic grand slam, seemed to be dating.

Yu Yanzhi: I've had a crush on her. I haven't confessed, and I don't dare pursue her because I'm afraid it'll get in the way of her career.

Yan Yan: This is it, this is it. The scene from my dreams where millions of my male idol's fans chase me down the street is about to happen.

But when she checks the comments, she finds Yu Yanzhi's fans up in arms: Didn't you say you'd waited seven years for someone? So what if you won two world championships? So what if you're the most popular? So what if you're the ace? You still changed your heart! Jerk!

Yu Yanzhi replies: Thanks for asking. It's her.

A seemingly cutesy, cool-onstage, all-around ace and beloved group darling x a gentle, cunning esports champion and team captain who used to be a school bully and later became the boss of his team.

Occasionally swoony, frequently satisfying, and definitely sweet. Mutual pining.

“I've loved you for many years.”

Bonus scene:

Yan Yan hears that Yu Yanzhi used to be a school bully in middle school. She can't believe it's actually true.

So when Yu Yanzhi tells her the truth and locks the car doors, Yan Yan blurts out, “Are you going to silence me?”

Yu Yanzhi unbuckles his seat belt and leans in, brushing his lips against hers. “I was hoping to seal your lips.”

1. The male lead is a good person. He does not bully the weak.

2. The characters are original and not based on real people. The esports setting is original, and the timeline is 2030. Please don't compare it to or project it onto real life.

3. I made up the lyrics for the original characters' songs myself. Don't laugh if they're not beautiful, don't rhyme, are incomplete, or aren't professional. Sob sob.

Theme: Love makes people cherish life.