Burning Spring

Jiang Tanyin first met Jing Qu on the day her mother was laid to rest.

At the time, she sat on the steps in the cemetery, her eyes unfocused.

A warm coat was draped over her shoulders.

"My condolences," the man said, his voice low and calm.

Jiang Tanyin looked up in a daze and saw the most dazzling boy of her youth.

Jing Qu was a legend in Haicheng's business world, ruthless and cold, with few daring to cross him.

So when a man like him sat before Jiang Tanyin again, she couldn't help but be taken aback.

Jing Qu's dark eyes were deep. "Have you ever thought about getting married?"

As if under a spell, Jiang Tanyin said yes.

They made three rules: no intimacy of any kind, and they would be a married couple in name only.

Jiang Tanyin agreed. After the wedding, she kept her distance from Jing Qu, living with him like a stranger and never crossing the line.

*

One day, Jing Qu accidentally left some documents at home, so he drove back to get them.

When he opened the door, he saw Jiang Tanyin leaning weakly against the sofa.

He hurried over and felt her forehead. She was burning up.

"You have a fever. Why didn't you tell me?"

Jiang Tanyin dodged his hand. "I already took some medicine."

Jing Qu's answer was to scoop her into his arms.

Jiang Tanyin stared at him in a daze. "You said we were supposed to keep our distance."

Jing Qu gently laid her on the bed, his Adam's apple bobbing. "I'm the one who wants to cross the line."

He had thought his marriage to Jiang Tanyin was nothing more than a transaction. He never expected that, despite all his restraint, he would still fall for her.

*

Later, Jing Qu found an unsent letter tucked inside a book.

It was addressed to Jing Qu.

"Why didn't you send it to me?"

"I was afraid you wouldn't feel the same."

At that, Jing Qu slipped an arm around her waist and kissed her gently. "I will always answer you, in everything."

- You rekindled the spring that had long lain dormant in my heart.

Reading Guide:

1. Gentle and clear-headed heroine x cool and reserved hero

2. Set in a partially fictional world, no real-life inspirations, don't overanalyze

3. Hero is faithful and devoted, guaranteed sweetness

[Next Contemporary Romance]: "Gentle for Her [Entertainment Industry]"

Wen Xun is one of the music industry's top producers. Every song he works on becomes a hit, so countless singers want to collaborate with him.

His personality is just as famous as he is: arrogant, unruly, and volatile. In particular, when recording, he can tear someone to shreds with his insults.

His face could have come straight out of a romance drama, so he has as many fans as a popular celebrity, though they aren't exactly a respectable bunch.

- Did Big Bro yell at anyone today?

- Now you know why he's single. He traded his love life for that mouth.

Then the paparazzi caught Wen Xun taking a late-night stroll with a mysterious woman.

Fans: ???

*

Chu Mian was a child star who shot to fame at a young age. Though she had a face that could enchant the world, her cool personality made her practically immune to dating rumors.

When an actor from her crew tried to ride her coattails, she shut him down with a face-slapping retort.

One day, a gossip account claimed that a certain A-list actress with a two-character name was already married with a child.

The hints were so obvious that netizens started digging into the gossip.

- Pick someone else to make up stories about. I almost believed that one.

- That's right, she's married to me.

Then a music variety show went live from Wen Xun's recording studio as a surprise. To everyone's shock, Chu Mian came out of the inner room.

Sleepy-eyed, wearing a red dress and barefoot, she said, "I didn't know anyone was coming to your studio."

The livestream instantly descended into chaos.

[???]

[I must be seeing things!!!]

[This can't be what I think it is...]

Then everyone watched the famously short-tempered man scoop Chu Mian into his arms. Treating her like a treasure, he gently set her on the sofa.

"The floor is cold. You'll catch a chill."

*

After the two shot to the top of the trending list, everyone waited for a response.

@Wen Xun: The marriage is true. The child is not. If we have good news, we'll let everyone know.

Netizens: !!!

[Upcoming Contemporary Romance]: "Rose Addiction [Entertainment Industry]"

Wen Zheng has been an actress for three years, but what made her famous wasn't her talent or her looks. It was her scandals.

Spoiled heiress, nepotism hire, extravagant entourage: those were her labels, and she had countless haters as a result.

Wen Zheng felt wronged. None of those labels fit her. The real culprit behind it all was her brother, Wen Song.

When she rebelled and entered the entertainment industry, Wen Song laid down countless rules for her. Whenever she joined a production, he would send a whole group of people to look after her, making a bigger spectacle than the director.

Over time, the rumors just kept growing.

To get back at her brother, Wen Zheng secretly signed up for a dating show.

Her plan was to annoy him by dating as much as she pleased on the show, since he wouldn't let her date in real life.

*

Zhou Muchi is the decisive and forceful head of the Jinyue Group, but he happens to have a refined, aloof face that seems to reject romance.

A video of him getting out of a car went viral. In his black suit, he looked elegant and cool, outshining every male celebrity in the entertainment industry.

No one expected him to join a dating show.

Even Wen Zheng was surprised. Zhou Muchi and her brother, Wen Song, were sworn enemies who had been at each other's throats since their student days.

But what shocked her even more was that Zhou Muchi chose her as the person who made his heart flutter.

She immediately came up with a plan.

In a corner without cameras, Wen Zheng proposed, "I hear you can't stand my brother Wen Song. What a coincidence, neither can I. Want to team up?"

Zhou Muchi: "Sure."

Wen Zheng had already prepared a hundred reasons to persuade him. ???

*

When gossip-loving netizens heard Wen Zheng was joining the dating show, they tuned in for the drama, while her haters sharpened their knives.

Instead, they watched Zhou Muchi make all kinds of advances toward her.

- Mr. Zhou, blink twice if you're being held hostage.

- Boring. A bunch of people acting along with the spoiled heiress.

When Wen Song heard the news, he was so furious he nearly died and rushed straight over.

"Stay away from my sister!"

"Okay."

Then, on the show, Zhou Muchi took Wen Zheng's hand of his own accord and competed to take her on dates.

*

After the show aired, Wen Zheng's reputation completely turned around. She gained countless fans, and her couple pairing with Zhou Muchi became a hit as well.

It took netizens only a month to go from hating them to loving them.

- Zhengzheng is adorable and charming. Anyone who dislikes her has no taste!

- The Wen Zhou pairing is so good!

- I refuse to believe Mr. Zhou is that good an actor. He's obviously being sincere!

When filming ended, Wen Zheng decided they should go their separate ways.

But Zhou Muchi pulled her into that quiet corner.

"You got to decide when we started, but you don't get to decide when we end."

His gaze was dark and intent. "I came here for you in the first place."

Theme: Secret love is answered.