A Budding Crush

The print edition is now available. To-sign event: @Zhu Nei Ge Zhi

Long-planned scheme / stealing the love of another / reunion after a long separation / contract couple / mutual secret crushes

As the eldest son of a major investor in Beichuan, Qi An is handsome and wealthy, with a devil-may-care, rakish air that makes him pure walking hormones. He is hailed as the most stunning campus heartthrob of all time.

Song Zhien, who is just as famous, has a cool, refined aura and excellent grades. As soon as she enrolled, she was named the most ethereal campus beauty in the school's history.

The only place these two stars from different orbits ever appeared together was on the school forum.

That is, until a party. Song Zhien went to bring medicine to her boyfriend, He Kai, and caught him flirting with someone else. She turned and left on the spot, but He Kai barely cared. He told his buddy, "It's just a little lovers' spat. Once she's done making a fuss, she'll come back."

That very night, Qi An stopped Song Zhien as she stood by the road, drenched in the rain.

Later, at a party, in a cramped corner, the soft, warm scent of her lingered around them. The man looked at her openly and recklessly. "Want to try something exciting?"

Song Zhien met his gaze. "Like what?"

Qi An leaned closer, his breath beguiling. "Like getting together with his good buddy."

-

After learning that Song Zhien had gotten together with Qi An following their breakup, He Kai flew into a rage and went to confront them. He thought things would go as they always had: if he begged, she'd forgive him. But Song Zhien had stopped being softhearted. She coldly told him, "The person I've always liked is Qi An. You were just a stepping stone to get closer to him."

Those words left He Kai utterly heartbroken.

With her goal achieved, the bonfire night should have ended with them going their separate ways. But Song Zhien lost a game and was forced to reveal the boldest thing she'd ever done. "In my senior year of high school, I slipped a love letter into the desk of the boy I liked."

Everyone was curious and asked what happened next.

Under the table, a hand clasped hers. "Then that boy watched with his own eyes as his own buddy stole her away."

Song Zhien stiffened, realizing that a pair of long eyes, dark with tenderness, was gazing steadily at her.

Qi An's dimples curved faintly, his fingertips tender as he said, "After plotting for three years, he finally stole her back."

-

Song Zhien had always thought that getting together with Qi An was a case of two rogues joining forces, each getting what they wanted. That was, until she saw the only photo of them from high school, carefully kept in Qi An's cabinet.

On the back of the photo were two bold, carefree lines:

"Song Zhien"

"Mine"

#Both sexually inexperienced + one couple only + happy ending#

Important content warnings:

#This is not a face-slapping power fantasy. The romance develops at a slow pace, and before the breakup, the heroine and hero had a completely innocent relationship.

#The hero's line, "Want to try something exciting?", was not said right after the heroine's breakup.

#There was a reason the heroine and the second male lead were together for three years.

#The hero is faithful, but no moral blackmail about chastity. Absolutely not.

#This is a normally written story, with no rivalry between women and no misogyny. Thank you.

#Please don't put labels on people or make personal attacks.

#Reading should be fun. If it isn't, X out right away. Wishing everyone prosperity.

Theme: There is no medicine for regret in this world