AirDropped by a Stranger in the Library

[Pre-release: Ridge Snow Roses (Secret Crush). Scroll down to read the blurb.]

A short story, not contracted for publication.

Wen Lu was one of the many students cramming for finals at the last minute. After a lot of effort, she finally managed to grab a seat in the library during the final month of the semester.

But she never expected someone to send her a set of study notes out of the blue for her difficult law exam, which had no clear focus.

Wanting to show her gratitude, Wen Lu sent a thank-you sticker in reply, only to hear someone nearby complain,

"Why haven't they sent it yet?"

That's when Wen Lu realized the notes had been sent to the wrong person.

But after that, every time she went to the library, she received another set of key notes.

On the day of the exam, Wen Lu went back to the library to thank her "kind benefactor."

Unexpectedly, she came face to face with them.

The sparks flew. She never expected her benefactor to be Jiang Hualan, the top student in her major, hailed as the most beautiful man in the law school.

The moment Wen Lu saw him, she swallowed hard.

First, because she was hungry. Second, because Jiang Hualan really was handsome.

And just like that, the two got together, and their relationship went beyond ordinary conversation.

=Ad space: Ridge Snow Roses (Secret Crush)=

When Wen Ying was sixteen, she met Chu Yan for the first time.

The boy wore a white shirt and black pants. With a gentle expression and a smile, he walked past her.

From that moment on, Wen Ying's heart beat like a startled fawn's. But Chu Yan never realized how she felt, and treated her only as a younger sister from another prominent family.

Years later, Chu Yan became a highly sought-after Best Actor.

Wen Ying, meanwhile, was a little-known actress at the bottom of the entertainment industry.

After falling out with her family, Wen Ying happened to run into Chu Yan again while drinking away her sorrows at a bar.

She used the alcohol and the bar lights to hide the clear look in her eyes.

Pretending to be drunk, she fell against Chu Yan.

Her red lips parted slightly, and the scent of her perfume was irresistible.

Chu Yan, dressed in a suit and as courteous as ever, gently helped her up, though his expression was distant.

Before he could take his hand away, Wen Ying wrapped her arms around his. In a soft voice, she asked, "Would you marry me?"

She thought Chu Yan would laugh off her drunken words.

But to her surprise, he agreed.

They kept their marriage a secret and met only once a month, on the first day.

Chu Yan was always gentle and courteous. But one time, he came home to find Wen Ying soaked from falling into the water, and his eyes darkened.

That night, when they "worked on their relationship," Chu Yan was clearly holding back his anger.

The next morning, Wen Ying received a new acting offer.

Everyone in the entertainment industry said Wen Ying was lucky: she could win the Best Actress award with just one drama.

But only Wen Ying knew what she had traded for that position.

And she knew perfectly well that she was not the one in Chu Yan's heart.

The two kept their marriage of convenience secret, until the media accidentally caught them entering the same residential complex.

That night, news of their relationship broke.

Wen Ying tried to clear things up several times, but in the end, she didn't know what to say.

Finally, she prepared a divorce agreement and knocked on the door to Chu Yan's study.

The room was dim. The tall, slender man stood by the window.

A faint ember still glowed between his fingers.

Its tiny light made his features look even more striking, but his eyes churned with emotions he could barely hide.

Wen Ying stepped forward and placed the agreement on the desk.

Before she could say a word, Chu Yan pinned her against the desk. His voice was low, but filled with anger. "Don't even think about getting a divorce."

Highlights:

The woman has a secret crush on the man. He's an over-the-top perfect male lead. If that's not your thing, please leave. No real-life inspiration, so don't read anything into it.

Theme: Let's study together.