The Perfect Time to Marry [Marriage Before Love]

My next story will be a marriage-first, love-later romance, Shirt and Long Skirt. Coming soon, please add it to your reading list.

A refined CEO x a woman from the streets, marriage first, love later

After returning to the country, He Muning finally learned the truth: the handsome man on the plane, who looked like a character rendered for a video game, was the Gu family's newly appointed CEO, and the man she had actually been matched with a year ago: Gu Chen.

A year earlier, the aloof, proud man had sent a senior from his lab to take his place on the blind date, turning He Muning into a laughingstock. That happened to give her an excuse to escape.

When their elders tried to set them up again, He Muning was evasive, but Gu Chen stated coolly and with certainty, "It's Sunday today. Tomorrow is the perfect day to get married. Shall we go register?"

He Muning: "We're not right for each other."

*

After a series of twists and turns, the two still ended up at the marriage registry. The social circle exploded:

"She only just returned to the He family. She grew up on the streets, has a bad temper, and doesn't get along with her father."

"Why would Gu Chen choose her? Are there no other women in Yuncheng?"

"They won't last..."

But whenever people ran into the couple, they were practically always cuddling, embracing, or kissing, making it impossible to look away.

He Muning was helpless, too. Gu Chen was the one forcing all those public displays of affection. How was she supposed to know that he had known her for ages, had a crush on her, and had even pursued her...

*

After getting married, though, He Muning found her inspiration and became a fan-favorite artist who kept putting out new work. What could she do? With a ready-made model right beside her, wouldn't it be a waste not to draw him as much as she could?

When an opportunity came along, she left her husband behind and happily went to a neighboring city to focus on her career.

Before long, her company was acquired, and the new CEO, Gu Chen, showed up in the art department with a stony expression.

After that night's "punishment," the person in his arms was breathing evenly, her sleeping face peaceful, but the man couldn't quite fall asleep:

He had arranged for someone to look after her when she was struggling in high school. Later, he had pursued her in secret, only to be rejected or stood up. Now they were married in name and deed, yet she still wanted her career more than him?

The angrier he got thinking about it, the more he roused her again...

Notes:

1. Both leads are each other's first and only partners, with a three-year age gap. The male lead has a secret crush and carefully plotted to marry his wife.

2. The leads' names are taken from the line "The dusk deepens, and the vast Chu sky stretches away" in a poem by Liu Yong.

Theme: Marriage takes care and effort to maintain.