Wishing Her Years Upon Years

My next book, Secret Crush Journal, is now being serialized. Please add it to your reading list!

As the current owner of Liyuan, a privately owned classical garden in Sucheng, 21-year-old Jiang Yu has poured in everything she has and can no longer afford to maintain and restore the garden...

The garden and landscaping bureau is putting on the pressure, and the nanny who raised her is worried. Jiang Yu calmly sips her tea.

Her relatives have arranged plenty of dates, but none have worked out. Meanwhile, sneers have spread through wealthy circles: "She won't sell the garden, and we're not fools. Who would want to get stuck with that money pit?"

Then Xu Sinian, a mysterious man from the investment world who has been searching for her for years, appears out of nowhere.

*

In everyone's eyes, Xu Sinian, with his elegant, distinguished appearance and proud, detached heart, has never treated a girl this well.

He takes her home and cares for her in every way, has custom opera costumes made for her, hires a Kunqu master to teach her, gives her headdresses and Taihu stones, brings in an old master craftsman to restore the garden, and helps her clean up the mess caused by her earlier blind dates...

But Jiang Yu thinks he's pretty strict, too, and always telling her what to do.

"I have to evaluate you during your internship. You can't just coast through it."

"Don't stay out too late. Curfew is ten-thirty."

"If you like Kunqu, then study properly. Don't embarrass me."

*

Even passersby can see the deep affection hidden in the man's beautiful eyes. Only Jiang Yu pretends not to notice.

Until one day, Jiang Yu feels that she has met him before...

After being "missing" for 24 hours, Jiang Yu is caught by Xu Sinian. "So you've grown wings, have you? You won't answer my calls or reply to my messages. Did you think I was only being good to you to repay you for saving my life?"

Jiang Yu: "..."

Unable to contain himself, he pins her against the wall and leans closer. "You ungrateful little thing. Not coming home is one thing, but are you going to abandon me, too?"

A few notes:

@Both are virgins, with a seven-year age gap

@Capital-world power broker from Beijing x Jiangnan Kunqu beauty

My next book, Secret Crush Journal: a secret crush comes true, campus and city life, Bking campus heartthrob x bassist girl

The day Shen Jingxi reunited with Xu Du, a heavy rain fell over Jing City, and half a rainbow appeared in the sky. Twenty-year-old Shen Jingxi was carrying her bass on her way from school to a gig.

Compared with four years ago, the man seemed to have truly survived a trial by fire, and the sight made Shen Jingxi feel even more wistful.

He twirled his keychain and smiled at her. "Want a ride?"

Shen Jingxi silently opened the door of another friend's car instead.

At a red light, she saw him stretch his hand out of the car window. His long, distinct fingers held a cigarette as he tapped off the ash.

*

As the bassist in an all-female band, the beautiful and cool Shen Jingxi moves through all kinds of music events, banishing to the wilderness the feelings she'd written in her journal since eighth grade.

He crooked his lips. "Got a boyfriend? If not, I'll be your boyfriend."

Shen Jingxi, once so sweet and obedient, wanted to smash her bass. She held back and finally said, with rock-and-roll cool, "Get lost."

Xu Du: "Look at you, getting bold. Who taught you to swear?"

*

At a gathering, a friend exclaimed, "So your girlfriend is Xixi?"

"Don't make things up. I'm still pursuing her."

"With a face like yours, getting a girl should be easy."

What a load of nonsense. If showing off his looks were enough, what would he have to worry about? The girl had grown up and become so hard to pursue. She cried easily, and no amount of comforting worked...

Notes:

1. Both are virgins and each other's first love, with a two-year age gap; a touch of healing

2. The heroine had a crush on the hero as a teenager. Later, the hero pursues her

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Theme: Protecting classical gardens is everyone's responsibility.