An Expert at Showing Favoritism

[Next up: "Scorching Sun, Floating Clouds"] 1. Zhuo Jin is the only younger sister of Zhuo Wei, the richest man in West City. Her parents died in a car accident when she was little, and from then on her brother and his circle of friends doted on her, giving her anything she wanted. Rong Rui never thought much of their overprotectiveness. That is, until one late night, Zhuo Jin woke from a nightmare and sobbed, "I'm afraid to sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I see my parents." The little girl spoke in a sweet, tearful voice, her eyes veiled by a sheen of tears. To Rong Rui, it was no different from her begging for mercy after surrendering completely. After that, he could never say no to her again. 2. People in their circle are mostly afraid of Rong Rui. He built his fortune from nothing, and within a few short years his assets rivaled the Zhuo family's. Naturally, he's ruthless and shrewd. Outsiders don't know what his private life is like. They only know that since Zhuo Jin returned to the country, he has shown special affection for this "little sister." Even his fearsome temper vanishes whenever she's around. He's been single for years, and people are always finding ways to get close to him. When Zhuo Jin hears the rumors, she starts overthinking and ignores Rong Rui for several days. By the time Rong Rui realizes what's going on, he has her cornered in a room, his arms braced on either side of her. He leans in to kiss her, but Zhuo Jin dodges him. "No kiss?" Rong Rui sighs. "You really know how to make things difficult for me." 3. On the day their relationship is exposed, Rong Rui's company runs into trouble, and he's been out of touch for days. When he finally returns, Zhuo Jin suddenly rushes through the crowd in the busy company lobby and wraps herself around him like an octopus, clinging with all her limbs for fear he'll leave again. People are used to seeing others flatter Rong Rui, but no one's ever seen him yield to anyone. That day, Rong Rui holds Zhuo Jin around the waist with one arm and strokes her head with the other, kissing her again and again. "I'm not leaving, I'm not leaving. I'll stay with Jinjin from now on. I'm not going anywhere." 4. When news of their engagement gets out, most people comment that Rong Rui has finally managed to marry into the Zhuo family. Zhuo Jin hears this and asks him, "So you're with me because of my family's money?" Rong Rui grips her collar and kisses her somewhere conspicuous. "Your brother's little fortune isn't worth me selling myself for." "Then why are you with me?" Rong Rui loses his temper, grabs Zhuo Jin by the wrist, and pins her beneath him. "The first time I saw you, I wanted to do this. What else could I possibly want?" Reader's guide: 1. Both virgins | One-on-one romance | Seven-year age gap 2. Creative designer x business-world rising star 3. The heroine is resilient and has a mind of her own. She doesn't simply let people walk all over her. ---Coming-soon blurb for "Scorching Sun, Floating Clouds"--- 1. Zhou Fu is the youngest concertmaster in the country, winning awards at home and abroad at a very young age. Rumor has it that she was abandoned as a child, then taken abroad and raised by a mysterious tycoon who lavished her with riches. Too many people envy Zhou Fu's effortless rise to a position where everyone adores her. They try to sabotage her in subtle and overt ways, but they all suffer major setbacks and never make a comeback. So no one dares scheme against Zhou Fu anymore. Everyone fears the person behind her. 2. Bai Zhuoshen comes from a prominent family, commands great wealth, and holds real power. He's used to controlling everything, and he's particularly good at using dismissive words to conceal how he really feels. People often wonder what kind of person could possibly tame that sharp tongue. Bai Zhuoshen says there is no such person, but he knows that all Zhou Fu has to do is glare at him, and he'll shut up. Zhou Fu meets all his requirements for a lover. She's obedient and sensible, and perfectly suits his needs, both physically and emotionally. He thinks they'll go on like this forever, but somewhere along the way, Zhou Fu starts to seem mysterious and impossible to control... 3. Her relationship with Bai Zhuoshen heals Zhou Fu's miserable childhood. She cherishes and protects their relationship, but gradually realizes it's not going the way she had imagined. After her first solo concert since returning to the country, Zhou Fu is cornered by a reporter with ulterior motives. "Now that you've returned, are you planning to settle down?" Zhou Fu's answer takes everyone by surprise. "Wherever Bai Zhuoshen is, that's home." Zhou Fu's bold words spread through every street and alley of Beicheng. By the time they reach Bai Zhuoshen, he's thrilled inside, but still puts on his usual tough front. "Zhou Fu is still young. She didn't mean it, so don't take it seriously." 4. Bai Zhuoshen dismisses all her heartfelt efforts with the excuse that she's "still too young," so Zhou Fu moves out of the Bai family home. After drawing a clear line between them, Zhou Fu lives freely and does as she pleases. Suitors keep appearing, and the most popular rumor is about some rich young man kneeling outside Zhou Fu's apartment all night without even getting to see her. At a dinner party, someone drunkenly brings it up. Before Zhou Fu can say anything, Bai Zhuoshen laughs scornfully. "Kneeling doesn't work. Zhou Fu has no conscience at all." That night, Zhou Fu demands to know, "How do I have no conscience?" Bai Zhuoshen admits, "I've been kneeling for days. Have you forgiven me yet?" "And where were you kneeling?" "In bed." Bai Zhuoshen shamelessly adds, "But I need to soften either your body or your heart, don't I?" Theme: Love comes first.