You Look Hilarious

[Pure-hearted country boy x arrogant black swan

Next up: the reunion romance with a male lead who suffers, "The Sincere Facade", and the mutually healing older-woman/younger-man romance "Underdog". See my author page.]

After her family's bankruptcy and her parents' deaths, Bu Zhiyao falls from the clouds overnight and has to share a home with a roommate.

She really needs to feel loved. When she sees Zhou Yihan running around doing things for her, handing over his salary card, and saying he wants to save up to buy the place they share, with only her name on the deed, she can barely stand it inside, but she just smiles and says nothing.

Once she has the money, she can return to her old life. Even if her childhood sweetheart and fiance is no longer by her side, there will be someone even better. It certainly won't be some poor guy without a decent set of clothes, whose socks are worn so thin at the heels that you can see through them.

That day, Zhou Yihan is so tired he falls asleep, murmuring in his dreams, "You look so beautiful when you smile."

Bu Zhiyao's lips curl in mockery as she replies, "You look so ridiculous."

*

After Bu Zhiyao makes a comeback, a friend introduces her to a rising star at a banquet one day.

The man is cool and distinguished, with a face she knows all too well.

Zhou Yihan asks in a low voice, holding back his emotions, "Do I still look ridiculous to you?"

Bu Zhiyao links arms with her new beau and walks straight past him, saying only, "Ridiculous."

Bonus Scene:

At the engagement banquet, her fiance's family is arrested on the spot. Bu Zhiyao picks up the glass at the top of the champagne tower and drinks to the revenge she has taken with her own hands.

When Zhou Yihan arrives in a suit, she smiles and asks, "Mr. Zhou, are you here to see just how ridiculous I am?"

But Zhou Yihan takes her glass and drains it before pulling out a ring in front of her. "Would you do me the honor of marrying beneath you?"

Blurb posted on October 5, 2021

Reader's Guide:

1. Both leads have no previous partners, and it's HE. After breaking up with the male lead, the heroine seriously dates someone else, and their relationship is depicted in detail, with emotional scenes and interactions. The male lead is devoted to her in both body and mind.

2. There is a great deal of introspection from both leads.

3. The leads are child-free by choice and do not plan to adopt children.

Upcoming novel "The Sincere Facade":

[Former aloof male idol turned resentful rich husband x spoiled heiress, scheming actress, second-chance romance + male lead suffers]

Everyone in Yancheng's upper circles knows that Ming Lu, the daughter the Ming family went to great trouble to find in the countryside, is crude and vulgar, a hopeless fool with no manners.

On her first day at an elite private school, Ming Lu, dressed in a bold red dress, blocks Shen Xingyan's car and plops herself onto the hood. "Handsome senior, wanna be friends?"

Shen Xingyan's icy face doesn't so much as twitch. "Get lost."

Then he deliberately drives at a crawl, listening as she chases after the car, calling out "I like you" again and again.

*

When she learns that the Shen family has "gone bankrupt," Ming Lu runs off with one heel missing to find Shen Xingyan, then hands him a dating contract. "Handsome senior, pretend to be my boyfriend. I'll dance street dance to support you. All you have to do is smile at me more."

Shen Xingyan hides the strange feelings in his heart. "Actually, we don't have to pretend."

He has been acting aloof for over a year. It's about time he treated her better.

*

Six months later, Ming Lu seizes power and takes over the Ming family, ruthlessly cutting out old problems and revealing her sharp, cold side. Only then do people realize her vulgar behavior in the past was just a disguise to hide her real intentions.

That same day, the Shen family goes bankrupt.

In the villa, Shen Xingyan can barely conceal the anguish in his eyes. "Did you do this?"

"Did you think I wouldn't know how to use Tianyancha? You have twenty-five companies under your name." Ming Lu smiles with an innocent, guileless air. "Shen Xingyan, I told you to pretend to be poor."

Bonus Scene:

On their third wedding anniversary, someone asks in public, "President Ming, it's been three years and you still haven't divorced. What do you see in Shen Xingyan?"

"Please call him Mr. Ming-Shen." Ming Lu swirls her wine glass. "Of course I want him because he's honest and obedient. What else does he have going for him?"

Everyone bursts out laughing.

Shen Xingyan takes out their marriage certificate and runs his fingers over the official seal again and again, murmuring, "Laugh all you want. I'm the one who's legally married to her."

Blurb posted on November 9, 2021

Reader's Guide:

1. The heroine has previous partners, the male lead does not. HE.

2. The heroine has a mild histrionic personality. Some early scenes may make readers cringe. The male lead has neither a job nor assets in the middle section, so proceed with caution if that bothers you.

Upcoming novel "Underdog":

[Arrogant, unruly, troubled boy x small-town girl who has hit rock bottom and is determined to fight her way back]

At eighteen, Lu Miaoran is the provincial college entrance exam top scorer, honored with seven days and nights of lavish celebrations throughout her town.

At twenty-one, Lu Miaoran is a loser who gave up her direct PhD track, dropped out, cut ties with her parents, and returned to her hometown to retake the entrance exam.

The day she arrives, everyone comes out to welcome her. A strange boy stands apart from the crowd, his proud, rebellious features striking. His cold laugh drifts to her on the breeze.

They tell Lu Miaoran his name is Jin Xiao, and she should stay away from him.

That night, Lu Miaoran runs into Jin Xiao again. He smiles. "Didn't your parents tell you to stay away from mad dogs, or they'll bite you to death?"

She smiles back. "Good thing I'm a stray dog. We're the same kind."

*

After her mentor dies by suicide and his final letter is made public, Lu Miaoran becomes mired in rumors of an improper relationship. As reporters chase her down, a motorcycle pulls up in front of her.

That troubled dog has been at each other's throats with her for a long time. Lu Miaoran thinks he's going to stop her, but Jin Xiao tosses her a helmet. "Get on. I'll take you away."

From the back seat, Lu Miaoran smiles. "Thank you."

Jin Xiao smiles too. "I want to."

*

Everyone in the entertainment industry knows that award-winning actor Jin Xiao is madly in love with his wife. He takes only one acting job a year to help with household expenses, and spends all his other time with his professor wife, Lu Miaoran, following her wherever she goes to conduct archaeological research.

At another year's awards ceremony, Jin Xiao steps onto the red carpet. A car window behind him slowly lowers, and a pale, slender hand reaches out.

To everyone's envy, the once arrogant man walks back to the window and lowers his head, obediently letting her tug his ear.

Blurb posted on May 11, 2022

Reader's Guide:

1. Both leads have no previous partners. 1v1, HE, older woman/younger man. The heroine is 21 and the male lead is 18 at the start.

2. The male lead never attacks anyone first; he only acts in self-defense. He also has a motorcycle license.

3. The school portion takes up a fairly large part of the story. The heroine is always at the top of her class, while the male lead is a pure 24-karat academic failure.

Theme: Love requires mutual understanding.