An Expired Crush

● Complete. The author is a compulsive reviser, so beware of pirated copies. The print edition goes on preorder August 16. See Weibo @Banjiangxia for details.

[My next book is a marriage-first, love-later story, The Third Year of Marriage. Check my author page for the blurb, and feel free to add it to your collection!]

This novel: // Proud top student × timid girl / Unrequited love turns mutual / Mostly set in college, with flashbacks to high school / A sweet, clichéd campus crush

*

The closest Su Xiany in and Chen Xun's names ever came to each other was ten places on the exam rankings.

The closest she and Chen Xun ever came to touching was a brush through their clothes, lasting 0.1 seconds, during a speech contest.

Everyone at the affiliated high school knew Chen Xun, their brilliant pride and joy. Handsome and upright, excellent in both studies and conduct, and so popular that the entire school loved him, he was practically the embodiment of first love.

Su Xiany in's feelings were swallowed up in the late-summer breeze. She couldn't bring herself to confess.

She thought she'd always be content to watch him quietly from afar.

Until the day the college entrance exam results came out and she returned to school. As she passed the elite class, she heard deafening cheers.

"Get together! Get together! Get together!"

She turned her head and saw Chen Xun looking down at Song Yuan, a gentle smile on his face and a trace of helpless awkwardness in his eyes.

Su Xiany in suddenly felt the weight of her schoolbag pressing down on her shoulders, so heavy it brought her to tears.

She knew her unrequited love had expired that day.

*

Su Xiany in never expected to run into Chen Xun again in college.

Even less did she expect that when she was angry with him, he'd be...

Chen Xun stroked two cats and teased, "So eager to be our daughter-in-law?"

Su Xiany in: "I was after your family's money, your handsome face, your stubbornness, the way you refuse to listen and talk back to teachers, and how you care more about saving face than your future..."

She looked at him stubbornly, tamping down her anger. "Do you think that's possible?"

Chen Xun froze for a moment, rubbed his nose, and lowered his voice. "I don't think so."

He chuckled. When he realized Su Xiany in's gaze had finally settled on the two cats beside him, he delivered the finishing blow without mercy: "But I was asking about Niunai."

Su Xiany in: "..."

She ran off in a rage, but he easily caught her by the wrist.

Su Xiany in wanted to flee the planet. "What now?"

"This time, I'm the one who wants something."

"What?"

"I want you to be my girlfriend."

Be our daughter-in-law. :)

* Timid girl × proud top student

Reader's guide:

1. Unrequited love turns mutual, reunited after a brief separation, happy ending, one-on-one romance, both leads' first relationship.

2. The first paragraph of the blurb is a misunderstanding. The male lead was never together with Song Yuan. Niunai is Su Xiany in's cat.

3. No real-life inspirations. Feel free to come and go; no need to tell me if you drop the book. Please go easy on any bugs, and no personal attacks. I only accept suggestions made in a friendly tone. The author responds to kindness, not force. (Just kidding.)

--------- Blurb for The Third Year of Marriage, please add it to your collection! -----------

Blurb to be revised. Here's a preview for now. If you're interested, please add it to your collection!

// Versatile DIY blogger × powerful heir to a wealthy family / Marriage first, love later / Unrequited love turns mutual / Happy ending

* In their third year of marriage, she experienced her wedding night anew.

Song Zhixia × Jin Yugui

After two years of marriage, Song Zhixia could still count on her fingers the number of times she'd seen Jin Yugui.

The day after their second anniversary, she saw a trending topic: "Jin Group's heir enters a hotel late at night with a woman."

The Jin Group's PR team had nearly burned out their brains trying to find the best way to handle the fake scandal.

Then the trending topic "Jin Yugui's wife responds to scandal" took Weibo by storm.

In the video, a woman wearing sunglasses and a scarf retorted to a reporter, "Have you ever heard the phrase 'newlyweds still in their honeymoon period'?"

Reporter: "Huh?"

Song Zhixia tilted her head. "Yugui and I were just celebrating our anniversary. I didn't expect everyone to be so interested."

Soon, the hashtag "When you've found the right person, every day feels like your honeymoon" shot to the top of the trending list.

-

The PR crisis the company couldn't handle was casually resolved by Song Zhixia.

That night, Jin Yugui postponed a meeting and rushed back to the villa, wanting to see his "newlywed" wife.

As soon as he opened the door, he heard Song Zhixia's phone on speaker. A female friend asked, "You and Jin Yugui are still in your honeymoon period? Give me a break."

Song Zhixia: "I was just helping out."

"But how am I so amazing? I just solved it like that? If I were him, I'd be rushing home today to serve my wife tea and water, then work even harder to earn money and take good care of her."

She turned around. Jin Yugui smiled politely at her.

Jin Yugui: "I'll go back to the office and work hard to make money today."

He paused. "To take care of my wife."

Before leaving, he added, "Oh, and about serving my wife tea and water..."

"I'll owe you that for now."

Song Zhixia: "..."

-

Song Zhixia thought her marriage to Jin Yugui was as flimsy as the contract they had signed.

She never imagined that the man who ruled the business world with ruthless decisiveness would one day hurry home, through the night and the elements, just to lean close and ask in a low, slightly threatening voice, "I've already transferred your allowance. When are you going to keep your promise?"

Song Zhixia blinked. "What promise? I don't remember making one."

The man bent down, his warm breath falling against her neck. Helplessly, he said, "That you like me, Zhixia."

Song Zhixia never imagined this, either.

In the third year of their marriage, she experienced her wedding night anew.

Theme: Keep growing, even in adversity.