She Is a Cold Flame

* My next book is The Whirlpool. Click into my column to read the blurb, and please add it to your collection. Bonus chapters on Weibo: @Ban Se Shui Qian Cong [This novel will become a paid title on October 4, with a 10,000-character update that day. Thank you all for your support.] 1. Her biological mother is a double-award-winning actress in public, but a closeted fangirl and devoted simp in private. Zhong Jia hasn't exactly done much better for herself: she dives straight into the adult entertainment industry upon her debut, and her scene partner is none other than Xie Yingnian, the woman her mother has been fawning over. Zhong Jia's response: “Thanks for asking. My dream came true. I'm over the moon.” But at the film's press conference, she gets so close to Xie Yingnian that her heart starts skipping beats. A trending topic about her moving her arms and legs in sync lands her squarely in the ranks of aspiring comedians. After joining the film crew, Zhong Jia accidentally overhears a few conversations and finally learns the truth. Zhong Jia: “You were the one secretly paying for my schooling?” Xie Yingnian, who has only just cleared herself of suspicion that she was Zhong Jia's stepmother, smiles. “So what if I was? Should I sign an IOU, or will you repay me with yourself?” The latter isn't out of the question... In the very next scene, Zhong Jia acts out an intimate moment with her brand-new creditor. Even though the woman looks like she has one foot in the grave, Zhong Jia still finds herself shamefully swept off her feet by that kiss. 2. Xie Yingnian's origins are a mystery, and scandals cling to her. She's a top-tier star among actors, and a powerhouse performer among top-tier stars. Unfortunately, her love life is a complete mess. Her entanglement with Qiao Yingqiu, the double-award-winning actress who died unexpectedly, would be bad enough, but now she's back in the adult entertainment industry for a second time, this time with Qiao Yingqiu's daughter. The public is going wild with rumors that the fiction about a lover's double has come true, and that Zhong Jia is eerily similar to her mother. Xie Yingnian's response: “At most, a stand-in would share her face. These two don't look alike at all. If Qiao Yingqiu were still alive, she'd probably take Zhong Jia for a DNA test.” Zhong Jia is no substitute, and this isn't a case of seeing the beloved in someone else. To Xie Yingnian, Zhong Jia is an unexpected gust of wind, stirring a seed buried in her heart for far too long until it finally sprouts. When the doctor asks how she's been doing, Xie Yingnian calmly replies, “Much better lately, though every now and then, some unfamiliar thoughts come to mind.” “Unfamiliar?” The doctor asks her to explain. Xie Yingnian lets out a quiet laugh. “Or you could call them wicked.” / An older woman who seems utterly desireless and bland, but is actually a thirty-year-old wolf in sheep's clothing / A younger woman who's all about punk music and a punk life, and whose direct, sweet-and-cool personality makes her think having a half-crazy partner sounds just right Both leads have flaws. The older one struggles with her mental health, while the younger one is deaf in one ear. Content warnings: * Nine-year age gap | older top | the top is a little unwell, usually restrained and cool-headed * The tags aren't quite as clear-cut as they sound. Happy ending. * Neither is a virgin; readers who require virgin characters, please don't read. * This is the tenth version of the blurb. Screenshot uploaded on 2021.9.22. Updates every other day before it reaches the charts, follows the chart schedule before going premium, and aims for daily updates afterward. I'll announce any breaks. Theme: No matter how many hardships lie ahead, I won't give up. I'll keep working toward the future.