Beneath the Roses

(Print edition signed. Weibo: @Jin Hua Occasionally Writes) 1. Xie Yinlou is a renowned classical beauty from a family of scholars. Born with breathtaking looks, she became known after a video of her performing the Water Goddess dance. In the video, the girl wears a red dress with flowing sleeves, her beauty radiant and enchanting. A dark red beauty mark graces the corner of her eye. The media hailed her as an ethereal, pure beauty and the very pinnacle of good looks. Just as millions of fans eagerly awaited her signing with an entertainment agency... Someone anonymously posted: [She's the heir to an intangible cultural heritage embroidery workshop. She's ten thousand times prettier in person than in photos. Her family keeps a very tight rein on her, and they arranged her marriage long ago.] 2. Fu Rongyu is a rising star in the business world and one of the most powerful figures in the entire elite circle, someone no one would dare offend lightly. Everyone knows he is cold and ruthless, with exacting standards and severe germophobia, which has kept countless women hoping to marry up at a distance. People in their circle were curious and gossiped in private: "Why does President Fu always fasten the cuff of his right sleeve whenever he appears in public?" Then, one day, with a roomful of guests watching, Fu Rongyu lounged against a sofa, a hint of drunkenness in his eyes. His long fingers slowly undid his cuff, revealing black Sanskrit ink on his pale wrist. The design beneath it translated to: "Yinyin." That night, everyone present speculated about the identity of the woman the powerful man had tattooed on his arm. But no one ever uncovered the truth: during the darkest period of his life, Fu Rongyu met a gentle little fairy who healed him... From then on, he treasured her in his heart for years, never daring to forget her, wanting only to give her the most exquisite love with everything he had. 3. [Bonus Scene] Xie Yinlou is not only beautiful, but also skilled in incense appreciation, tea ceremony, guzheng, calligraphy, and Chinese painting. At a young age, she has already won every kind of award, both at home and abroad. During a livestream for an official media outlet, the host randomly picked a mysterious contact from her phone and sent them a video call invitation. On screen, the man, usually cold and indifferent, stood before the bathroom mirror. His white shirt was soaked through and clung almost transparently to his chest, strikingly eye-catching even in the dim light. Xie Yinlou pretended not to know him. "Hello." But the man's thin lips curved into a smile, and his lazy, low voice came through: "I read you 136 rose love letters just last night, and now you've lost your memory?" "On my barren land, you are the final rose. Beneath the rose lies the love I keep buried in my throat." The line above is by Neruda. [Notes] · A gentle, classical beauty X a tycoon · Childhood sweethearts, a secret crush comes true · An unconventional entertainment-industry story, fictional setting, one-on-one romance, many creative liberties. Readers who are particular about research, please proceed with caution. Hope you enjoy reading! O(∩_∩)O~ Completed companion novels: "Addicted," "Enchanted," and "Kindling the Fire," available on the author's page. Theme: Stay optimistic and keep looking ahead.