Blurb:
The first time Yu Yan saw Li Shuyin, the other girl was onstage as the new student representative, calmly and firmly reciting, "A scholar should establish a heart for Heaven and Earth, secure life and destiny for the people, continue the lost teachings of past sages, and bring peace to all generations." Yu Yan couldn't stop herself from scoffing, thinking, What a pretentious snob.
The first time Li Shuyin saw Yu Yan, the other girl had a rosy complexion but was clutching her stomach and pretending to be sick. Holding a sick leave note from who knew where, she asked Li Shuyin, her military training assistant, to excuse her from training. Looking at the beautiful girl putting on such an affected act, Li Shuyin labeled her a spoiled princess.
For all three years of high school, "pretentious snob" and "spoiled princess" sat together. Everyone knew they didn't get along, but whenever the teacher wanted to change the seating arrangements--
Yu Yan: If she wants to switch, I'll switch.
Li Shuyin: If she wants to switch, I'll switch.
Everyone else: What is going on with you two???
--
Ming University beauty Yu Yan had been single from her freshman year all the way to her second year of doctoral studies. Her eight years without a relationship had once topped the list of Ming University's greatest mysteries.
After all, Yu Yan had enough admirers to circle the sports arena three times, and they included both men and women.
Until one day, a friend introduced her to a new tenant, hyping her up beyond belief: an overseas PhD, a National Outstanding Young Scientist, author of more than twenty SCI papers, the youngest member of the M-country Society for Scientific Research, holder of seven invention patents and four software copyrights, and Ming University's youngest associate professor...
After hearing all that, Yu Yan could only think of one big question mark. With an academic superstar like that, wouldn't Ming University be burning three sticks of incense for her every day? Why would she need to find a roommate?
On the day she met the new tenant, Yu Yan lost herself for a moment in the woman's cool, beautiful face at the cafe. Seeing a spark of possibility, her friend considerately tried to leave. She had barely taken a step--
when Yu Yan picked up a glass of orange juice and expressionlessly splashed it in the woman's face.
Friend: !!!
The woman smiled instead of getting angry, lifting her eyes to Yu Yan, water dripping from her face. Her voice was as gentle as flowing water. "Yanyan, long time no see."
Yu Yan: "Get lost."
In her whole life, Miss Yu had confessed her feelings to someone only once, and been rejected only once. As it happened, it was the same woman both times.
The roommate arrangement seemed doomed, and she'd offended a promising new professor. Her friend was racking her brains trying to figure out how to make amends when, that evening, messages arrived from the new professor and Yu Yan one after the other.
New professor: "I still want to try again."
Yu Yan: "I said yes."
Friend: ???
Am I part of your little game too?
Yu Yan thought that this time, she would seduce that woman, sleep with her, make her fall in love, and then dump her.
As it happened, the other woman had the same idea in three out of four ways.
"When a long-standing secret crush becomes an illness, maybe we should fight poison with poison."
Reading guide:
1. Mutual pining, the pursuer has to win back their love, with misunderstandings.
2. Couple: pretentious snob pursuer x spoiled princess pursued. Interspersed with high school flashbacks; they were rivals who loved and fought in high school.
3. A sweet, short romance. The author isn't an academic, so the professional details may not be accurate; don't take them too seriously. The focus is on romance. Around 200,000 to 300,000 words. The whole novel will be completed before it starts updating.
Theme: Secretly loving someone makes you a better person
