Wild Growth

[Next up: "A False Relationship." See the author's column for the blurb. -3-]

Cheng Jingye offended a superior at the TV station and was transferred to a godforsaken place to work as a feature reporter.

It was a township far from the city. The roads into town were so confusing that he got lost after taking only a couple of steps.

Along the way, he ran into a dirty, none-too-bright stutterer. Cheng Jingye went up to ask for directions. The stutterer glanced at him. "D-directions cost two hundred."

Cheng Jingye: "..."

-

The countryside was remote, but rich in cultural heritage. After taking up his post, Cheng Jingye was assigned to film a piece on intangible cultural heritage: lion dancing.

On top of a tall pole, a mighty lion leaped into the air and caught a scarlet embroidered ball in its mouth. Applause thundered below.

The young man was drenched in sweat, his eyes bright and full of life.

Cheng Jingye's fingers twitched. For the first time in his life, he took a photo that came out as a blur.

Cheng Jingye x Jiang Huan

A brash but upright reporter gong x a not-too-bright, naturally goofy young lion dancer shou

1. One-on-one romance, happy ending. More or less a rural love story (?)

2. The author is not an expert. Please don't scrutinize the lion-dancing details.

--Coming soon: "A False Relationship"--

As an ordinary man with no particular talents and an average appearance, Yue Qin's only strengths are his hard work and reliability.

From washing dishes at tiny restaurants to serving as a rich young master's study companion, Yue Qin has done it all.

Now past thirty, he's saved enough to run a small shop. He's not rich, but he's doing just fine.

Then one day, the rich young master who used to follow him around crying more than a decade ago suddenly reappears as the head of a corporation.

Not only does he come back into Yue Qin's life, he also brings a marriage agreement:

1. Maintain a fake marriage according to the terms of the contract.

2. Do not interfere in each other's lives.

3. Divorce when the three-year contract expires.

The contract is packed with all kinds of restrictions, and Yue Qin doesn't cross a single line.

A generous salary and a client who barely talks: this is unquestionably Yue Qin's dream job.

Acting isn't his forte. He does his best to maintain this fake relationship, never noticing the strange things happening in his life.

Like how his lips are sometimes slightly swollen when he wakes up, or the inexplicable way Xu Zhouye looks at him.

.

Because of his family situation, Xu Zhouye had a bad temper from a young age, and the household's nannies came and went in waves.

It wasn't until the housekeeper's son showed up that Young Master Xu began to change.

He would only let Yue Qin touch him, so at just thirteen, Yue Qin began looking after eight-year-old Xu Zhouye. He did so for three years.

When it was time to move, Yue Qin said goodbye to Xu Zhouye with a gift.

Furious, Xu Zhouye threw it to the ground and said in his usual tone, "If you dare leave, don't let me find you again!"

Who knew that threat would only make Yue Qin run faster?

He knew Yue Qin hadn't taken those angry words to heart, but he remembered them for more than a decade.

Back then, he had no idea what he might do if he found Yue Qin again. But now that Yue Qin had truly reappeared before him, Xu Zhouye had a plan of his own:

He would keep Yue Qin by his side, where he could never leave.

A dominant, defenseless, obedient yet crazy gong x an honest, extremely oblivious shou

--Coming soon: "Would You Like to Come Over to My House?"--

Lin Xian had been sickly since childhood. Even when he was old enough to play with other kids, none of them wanted him around.

His parents felt sorry for him and sent him over to the Lu family's house across the street.

The Lu family was a family of police officers. Their only son, Lu Yuan, was upright, clever, and polite. Looking at the soft, chubby little boy in front of him, he smiled and said hello.

But inwardly, he thought: What a nuisance.

The two children became friends. Every now and then, Lin's parents would see the little boy standing by the window, calling to the window across the street:

"Big brother, can I come over to your house?"

Before long, they would hear his little feet pattering downstairs, followed by a few rings of the doorbell at the house across the street.

Lin Xian treasured their friendship. He introduced Lu Yuan to everyone he met: "This is my big brother. I like him so much!"

Lu Yuan kept a straight face, secretly delighted.

That continued until high school, when Lin Xian brought a boy home and introduced him the same way: "This is my big brother. I like him so much!"

"..."

For the first time in his life, Lu Yuan felt a sense of crisis.

After the boy left, he trapped Lin Xian between his arms, his expression unreadable.

"Come on, tell me. What do you like about me?"

Lu Yuan x Lin Xian

Possessive gong x soft and cuddly shou

Theme: Even in adversity, never lose the courage to keep striving