The One and Only

[The full story is complete. I've made some edits to fix errors, and I hope you'll support the official release!] Zhi Zhi thanks you all in advance (*·▽·*)

[Coming soon: Under the Thorns, blurb below] [Also hoping to gain another collection]

A pure yet sultry intellectual property lawyer vs. a cool and refined, virtuous and accomplished movie star

Putting scumbags in their place / The male lead is Yu Xiuzhu / Sweet and wholesome / The heroine falls in love after marriage / The hero's secret crush turns into an open pursuit / A movie star's quest to win back his wife / A heartwarming, healing romance

1.

Xia Zhi had loved Zhou Tingshen for eight years.

For all those years, she dutifully played the backup girl.

When she caught Zhou Tingshen embracing a petite, clingy girl at a hotel, Xia Zhi finally decided to give up on him.

With her heart turned to ash, Xia Zhi accepted her family's arranged marriage with a prominent family. Her prospective husband was handsome, wealthy, and distinguished, with no flaws to speak of.

She thought it would be a marriage in name only, but little did she know he had been plotting to make her his for a long time.

2.

The newly popular movie star Yu Xiuzhu, perched atop the entertainment world's pedestal, had two defining traits:

First, he never had any dating rumors.

Second, he never appeared on variety shows.

His fans could only see him in his films and TV dramas. The rest of the time, his whereabouts were a mystery.

Until one day...

Yu Xiuzhu attended a press conference for his upcoming film. Dressed in a black suit, he looked both distinguished and carefree.

But the ring on his left ring finger was impossible to miss.

During the interview, Yu Xiuzhu idly turned the ring with his finger, making sure it appeared on camera now and then.

The cameras zoomed in, and the room buzzed with excitement. The host tried to smooth things over: "Are you getting into character for your new film, Mr. Yu? That ring you're wearing must have some special meaning. Could you tell us about it?"

At that, Yu Xiuzhu looked at the diamond ring, stayed silent for three seconds, then gave a faint smile. "It does have a special meaning."

The host held their breath, but all Yu Xiuzhu offered was a matter-of-fact explanation: "It's my wedding ring."

Some time later, Yu Xiuzhu, who was known for never appearing on variety shows, made a surprise appearance on a lawyer-themed variety show, sending his popularity soaring.

Behind-the-scenes footage soon emerged. In the office, the usually cool and aloof man wrapped his arms around the slender waist of Xia Zhi, a glamorous, highly popular lawyer, and pleaded in a pitiful, wheedling voice, "Honey, I'm sorry. I just wanted to see you so badly. Please don't be mad anymore."

"In the life I had planned out step by step, you were the only arrangement I followed of my own free will."

* This is the author's debut, and there are plenty of shortcomings. I'll polish the whole story after it's finished. Thank you all for enjoying it.

* Content warning: The heroine genuinely likes the second male lead at first. She's not foolish; the scumbag is just very good at pretending. The second male lead features heavily in the early chapters. The heroine and the second male lead never dated.

* A purely sweet romance about a movie star who's cool on the outside but playful and flirtatious underneath, and who keeps hitting snags while trying to win back his wife.

* This book is not based on real people. Please don't associate it with anyone.

* Primarily a romance, with intellectual property cases woven into the story.

* The author isn't a professional and still has a lot to learn. If you spot any errors, please point them out gently. I'm always open to criticism and happy to make corrections!

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[Coming soon] Under the Thorns

Double agent X pure-hearted campus beauty

1.

"What am I to you?"

Bai Zhixi thought for a moment, then searched her limited vocabulary for the right words. "Um... like an omnipotent god."

"An omnipotent god?" They happened to hit a red light. The man turned the words over and over in his mind, then smiled faintly. Rare tenderness softened his usually placid eyes. "I'm no god. Gods love all of humanity. I only love you."

2.

A year earlier, Bai Zhixi had become separated from a friend she was traveling with on the streets of New York. That's when she met Si Yuheng, who was undercover in a drug-trafficking and arms-smuggling syndicate.

Criminals often appeared in that neighborhood. The man walked toward her through the rain, menace radiating from him, but as he drew near, he reined in his sharp edge and slowly held out a hand to lead her away.

Seeing the unease on her face, he took off his expensive coat and draped it over her shoulders, then asked in flawless Chinese, "Are you Chinese?"

The surprise of meeting someone from home helped Bai Zhixi gradually calm down. Then he said, "Don't be afraid. I won't let anything happen to you."

After returning to China, Bai Zhixi soon forgot about their encounter. Little did she know she had long been the most important piece in the man's meticulous plan.

3.

When they met again, Bai Zhixi mistakenly thought Si Yuheng was just a department manager at a business karaoke club.

Later, when she learned he was a "drug dealer," she hated him with all her heart.

Later still, she received his uniform, decorated with medals, and finally understood: the seemingly peaceful life she had lived was a sanctuary someone had built for her at the cost of his own life.

"I'll bear all the darkness in this world for you. You just go on and enjoy every beautiful day and every lovely night."

* Before, I struggled to survive amid a hail of bullets. After meeting you, my life came down to two things: staying true to my duty, and staying alive so I could be with you.

Reader advisory:

! Happy ending

! Everything the male lead does is because of his undercover identity.

Theme: Heal from the past and journey together into the future