A Textbook Case of a Secret Crush

1. At seventeen, Gu Junxian was the star of the show, dazzling and sharp-edged. One day he was accepting an award onstage, the next he was writing a self-criticism. Handsome and wild, he was the very picture of a spoiled rich kid. Everyone loves a teenage prodigy, and Zhu Junhao was no exception. Back then, Zhu Junhao was a small-town student who had made it into No. 1 High School through a special admission program. Ordinary in every way, the thing she was praised for most was her pretty name. When Zhu Junhao ran into Gu Junxian laughing with the glamorous school belle in the stairwell, her first instinct was to hurry downstairs and stop the discipline director, who was about to come up. Still shaken, she turned around to see Gu Junxian a few steps away, calmly wiping a lipstick mark off his cheek. He nodded and said, "Thanks." They were worlds apart, and no one knew Zhu Junhao liked Gu Junxian. 2. At twenty-seven, Zhu Junhao had won three Best Singer awards. She was the center of everyone's attention, and her endorsement ads covered every street and alley. On the day Gu Junxian returned to the country, he happened upon Zhu Junhao's fans seeing her off at the airport. He looked up and caught sight of her among the crowd, in a flowing red dress, smiling like a flower. To his assistant's surprise, he walked straight over and said nonchalantly, "Long time no see." Zhu Junhao replied without batting an eye, "Long time no see, old classmate." Gu Junxian curled his lips and teased her, "What kind of old classmate am I? The kind who gave you a confession letter and didn't even deserve a reply?" The drink in Zhu Junhao's hand crashed to the ground, splashing everywhere and leaving a mess. Gu Junxian frowned, took out a tissue, and bent down to carefully wipe the droplets from her calf. In a low voice, he coaxed her, "All right, be good. If you won't reply, you won't reply. I'll write another one." 3. In the first-class cabin restroom, Gu Junxian had Zhu Junhao cornered by the sink, leaving her nowhere to go. She turned her head away, refusing to look at him. His warm breath reddened her skin, and his low, pleasant voice brushed her ear. "Give me a chance and I'll let you go." Zhu Junhao snapped, "How can you be like this?" Gu Junxian held her chin and turned her face toward him, looking utterly at ease. "You don't know what I'm like?" 4. Everyone fears hardship, exhaustion, and coming up empty. The whole world may have given up, but I haven't, and I won't let up. Even a dedicated superstar can be moved. A bad-boy flirt x a sweet, gentle girl Both leads are virgins, but they aren't each other's first love. The male lead has no romantic history after realizing he likes the female lead. The line in section 3 is from "A Letter from Chiquita Leevis," lyrics by Wyman Wong. Blurb screenshot dated 2021.8.12 Theme: As long as you don't lose heart, there's always a way to overcome difficulties.