A Classic Short Story: Fireflies

(For everyone who likes this... I'll try to finish it in 2026.)

Liuying knew from the start that she was a substitute.

She wanted to warm Zhaonan's heart, but she didn't know that the hardest thing in the world is making someone who doesn't love you turn back.

An emperor who sits upon the dragon throne is cold to the core.

The first half of Shen Zhaonan's life seemed glorious, but he was always walking on the edge of a blade, never knowing if he'd see the next day.

The little tenderness in his heart belonged entirely to Cui Xingling.

No one else mattered to him.

By the time he realized that his heart had been filled by someone else,

everything had already been settled.

What is lost is lost.

Content warnings: An old-school, melodramatic fantasy, full of heartbreak. The early part is painful; later, she thrives on her own. The second male lead may end up with her.

Theme: Stay positive and know when to walk away.