The Assassin and Her Tyrant

On her way to the Chen kingdom to assassinate its tyrant, Li Chu rescues a frail, beautiful man at the foot of a mountain. They fall into each other's arms and lose themselves in passion, until the deadline for her mission draws near and she has to leave in a hurry. - At the time, Li Chu thinks he's a kind, gentle young noble fallen on hard times, while Xiran thinks she's an innocent, pure-hearted country girl. For over a month afterward, Li Chu often reminisces about him, sometimes regretting how things ended. Little does she know that when they meet again, she'll discover he is the Chen kingdom's ruthless tyrant, while Xiran will learn that she is an assassin sent by an enemy nation to take his life. - In the dark, damp dungeon, Li Chu once again experiences that bone-deep, soul-shattering pleasure. This time, however, her hands and feet are bound, and what drips from his shoulder is the flesh she carved away with her bone-scraping hook. - Xiran grips her chin, his gaze as cold and thin as frost on a snowy night. He presses his lips to the tip of her nose and speaks, one word at a time. “Go on, keep trying to kill me. Why did you stop “Ah Li?” - *Love and hate each other; a slight old-school vibe (?) *Not a sweet romance, but an angsty, satisfying ride *Neither lead is a good person, and they scheme against and hurt each other. (The heroine gets less abuse than the hero.) Readers who are strongly attached to either lead should proceed with caution. *Both leads are virgins, but readers who hold the heroine to high standards are advised not to start this. Theme: Love can heal everything