The Censor's Wife's Guide to Advancement

[Upcoming: A Si [Pseudo-Incest], please add it to your collections, dear readers!]

Blurb:

A cool-headed, top female student disguised as a man x a proud, aloof top male student who is actually a loyal puppy

The eldest son of the Shen family, Shen Ying, died under mysterious circumstances. Very few people knew about it.

Shen Qing, who had been raised by her maternal grandparents since childhood, was entrusted with the grave responsibility of impersonating her elder brother and secretly investigating the truth.

From that day on, people noticed that the usually gentle and refined "Young Master Shen" had become taciturn and aloof, and kept his distance from women.

But that only made women like him even more.

Even the Chief Councilor's daughter wanted to nab him as a husband after the imperial examinations. Shen Qing had no choice but to reveal a difficult secret:

"I actually like men, too."

From then on, everyone in Bianjing knew that the newly appointed top scholar was handsome, but liked men.

People sighed over it, but they did not know that in a secluded corner, Lord Cheng, who sat high above the clouds, had an arm around Shen Qing's waist as he murmured, "Lord Shen, why not like me?"

-

Cheng Che had never understood love. He held the power of life and death in his hands, and for the first half of his life, his only focus was his official career.

Until the day of the metropolitan examination, when he saw through Shen Qing's disguise. Cheng Che pressed his sword to her throat. "Do you know that disguising yourself as a man to take the examinations is a crime of deceiving the emperor?"

Shen Qing remained cool and composed, her expression unruffled. "Lord Cheng, I had no choice. If you help me this once, the Censorate may call on me for anything in the future. I will be at your disposal."

"As it happens, there's something only you can help me with."

"Please, my lord."

Cheng Che's voice was low and husky as he stroked her chin. "The Censorate needs a censor's wife. Would you be willing?"

Reader's Guide: One-on-one romance, happy ending, sweet story.

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[In July: Marrying the Libertine Heir [Marriage Before Love]. Visit my author page to add it to your collection if you're interested!]

A clever, cool beauty heroine x a cunning, flirtatious hero who only pretends to be a libertine

Everyone in Yecheng knew Bai Chuanzhou as a spoiled young heir: he carried a birdcage, teased sparrows, idled his days away, and never studied. Yet he was bound by a marriage agreement with the Chu family, arranged by the previous generation.

As the least favored adopted daughter, Chu Yinge was sent off in a wedding sedan chair just like that.

On their wedding night, both understood without a word and slept in separate rooms. The golden lamps went out.

Who could have guessed that an hour later, they would run into each other at a brothel full of singing and dancing?

They stared at each other.

Chu Yinge watched him surrounded by women. "Coming to a brothel on your wedding night? Your reputation as a libertine exceeds even my imagination, Young Master."

Bai Chuanzhou looked at her in men's clothes. "Coming to a brothel on your wedding night? Your tastes are beyond my expectations too, Young Madam."

If this got out, the marquis's household would lose all face, so they decided to cover for each other.

As they continued covering for each other, they grew closer and closer.

At some point, Chu Yinge noticed that Bai Chuanzhou no longer visited brothels or teased sparrows. Instead, whenever he had free time, he lounged around at home and followed her everywhere.

Then one day, Bai Chuanzhou cornered her against a wall. His misty, peach-blossom eyes fixed on her as he asked with a low laugh, "A Chu, want to try it with your big brother?"

Chu Yinge eyed him warily. "Try what?"

Bai Chuanzhou leaned close and whispered in her ear, "Make-believe into the real thing."

-

Bai Chuanzhou had a handsome face that seemed carefree and charming. He was flamboyant in his dealings, untamed and wild. Everyone called him the number-one libertine in Chang'an.

But only he knew what bloody path lay hidden beneath the fallen libertine's facade. He thought he would have to walk alone through that long night for a very long time.

Until that woman appeared. Smiling brightly, she told him, "Let's give it a try, then. Just don't regret it."

There were countless stars in her eyes, lighting up the desolation around him.

Reader's Guide:

1. Both leads are sexually inexperienced, one-on-one romance, sweet story, marriage before love, and mutual healing.

2. They clash at first, then choose each other wholeheartedly.

Theme: Equality between men and women.