Late Spring

The blurb for another upcoming novel of the same kind, "When the Smoke Clears and the Snow Is Gone," is below. [He pretends to be proper vs. she's genuinely unflappable] [Genuinely sweet and loving vs. a fake rekindled romance] At the Dragon Boat Festival palace banquet, Su Yining, the legitimate daughter of the Earl of Zhongqin, was set up. Staggering away while fighting the drug's effects, she collided with a man and fell into his arms. Dazed and disoriented, she thought she caught a familiar hint of aloeswood incense, but she could no longer tell whether it was real or a dream. The wind and rain raged outside all night. The person lost in a dream was caught in an intimate, tender embrace... When she suddenly woke from the dream, Su Yining's cheeks were flushed. She stared blankly at the person beside her for a long while. He had deep-set features, and when he looked up at her, his eyes seemed to burn like a wildfire. It was Xie Yu, the heir of the Marquis of Yong'an, who had broken off their engagement. The news spread like wildfire, and the Noble Consort personally arranged their marriage. On their wedding night, the bridal veil was lifted. Su Yining looked up nervously, her hair piled into an elegant style, her jeweled hairpins swaying gently. Their eyes met. Xie Yu's gaze held neither joy nor sorrow. "This marriage may not be what you want, but things have come to this, and there's no turning back." Su Yining nodded calmly. All right. Her father had broken off the engagement when the Marquis of Yong'an's household was down on its luck. It was only natural that Xie Yu held a grudge. [She pretends to be an aloof beauty, but is actually a lovesick fool] Coming Soon: "When the Smoke Clears and the Snow Is Gone" [Rekindled romance between childhood sweethearts] Young general vs. noblewoman In the early spring of the Renchen year, the snow melted and the ice thawed. Rebels entered the city overnight, and the capital was engulfed in flames. The first people threatened by the rebel invasion were naturally the nobles of the capital, who had been indulging in extravagant pleasures and lavish parties just the day before. To avoid being harmed, Lin Wanjiao put her hair up like a married woman, changed into coarse clothes, and hid among the maids. She hoped to flee the capital with the panicked crowd and head north to find her closest friend, County Lady Rong of the Northern Pacification Marquis's residence, far away in the north. Now that her country had fallen and her family was gone, she might as well seek her friend and spend what remained of her life with her. Lin Wanjiao lowered the white veil of her hat and hurried forward with her head down. Suddenly, the sound of galloping horses rang out from the crowd. A sharp sword sliced through the night sky and knocked the hat from her head. Lin Wanjiao's heart leaped. Her limpid eyes lifted slightly. Sitting astride a tall horse was none other than Rong Huai, heir of the Northern Pacification Marquis's residence, who should have been far away in the north. He looked at her with a crooked smile. His sword was drawn and still in his hand, its icy edge pressed against Lin Wanjiao's pale neck. "Did you really think I'd died out there? It hasn't even been two years, and you've already married?" The night wind rose, and the shouting never stopped. Amid the flames filling the city, Rong Huai swept his arm, sword in hand, and thrust at Lin Wanjiao. Lin Wanjiao's long black hair came undone, and the cloth she had used to tie it up fell to the ground in several pieces. "That hairstyle looks terrible." Rong Huai pulled back his sword and said coldly. The hero's perspective: The puppy cries: My whole family was exiled, but I've fought my way back. But now that we're reunited, it seems my beloved has married someone else. Should I wish her a speedy widowhood? A married-life bonus scene: The following spring, the snow on the pond had melted. Lin Wanjiao sat by the window, still in her clothes. Rong Huai came over, took her hand, and pulled her into his arms. In a low voice, he said, "Your hairstyle looks beautiful today, my lady." Lin Wanjiao teased him on purpose. "But I remember someone once said it was ugly." Rong Huai coughed softly and lowered his eyes. "I hurt my eyes that day. I really was a bit blind." Theme: Love yourself before loving another.