How Could I Not Like You?

[Coming soon: My Ex-Wife Is So Charming, Welcome to the World of Wishes and Resentments. Please add them to your favorites! Blurbs below.]

Blurb: (This novel enters VIP status on the 27th!)

The grandfathers of the Gu and Jiang families shared a bond forged through life and death. After Old Master Jiang passed away, Old Master Gu felt sorry for his orphaned granddaughter, who had no one to care for her. He decided that Gu Ningxi and Jiang Zhi should marry, so Jiang Zhi could move in and be looked after.

Gu Ningxi had no dislike for Jiang Zhi, and didn't want her grandfather to worry or be upset, so she married Jiang Zhi.

Gu Ningxi was gentle, considerate, attentive, and protective toward Jiang Zhi, doing everything a spouse should do in a marriage.

She also looked after Jiang Zhi's feelings and told her, "Now that you've come to the Gu family, we're family. Don't worry, I won't do anything you don't like. You can think of me as your closest family, like an older sister. We can support each other as family."

But she had no romantic feelings for Jiang Zhi, and knew that someone so sincere and kind wasn't someone she should make a move on.

Once Jiang Zhi became strong enough to stand on her own, Gu Ningxi would respect her choice, whether she wanted to stay or leave.

-

Jiang Zhi gradually fell for Gu Ningxi, but Gu Ningxi didn't love her. She only looked after Jiang Zhi as she would a friend from the neighborhood, without a hint of romantic affection.

Jiang Zhi thought her unrequited love would last until Gu Ningxi couldn't take it anymore, or found true love and chose to end their engagement.

Later, Jiang Zhi mistakenly thought Gu Ningxi had truly fallen for someone else. She rushed to a bar without caring about anything, drinking to forget her troubles and even thinking of letting herself go.

But before the drunken Jiang Zhi could make a move, Gu Ningxi grabbed her wrist and led her into the hallway.

Under the dim lights, Gu Ningxi held back her emotions and asked in a low voice, "What are you planning to do?"

Influenced by the alcohol, Jiang Zhi burst into tears. Between sobs, she complained, "It's not like you love me anyway, so why do you care what I do?"

Gu Ningxi sighed and kissed her. "How could I not love you?"

Maybe she'd fallen for Jiang Zhi from the very beginning. Otherwise, why would she have agreed to the marriage, cared for her so much, and eventually given her whole heart?

[Trying my hand at a marriage-first, love-later story: older woman, affection growing over time, and a secret crush coming true.]

[Modern alternate setting. In this world, same-sex marriage is legal, and people can marry at twenty.]

Idea logged on March 1, 2022.

Coming soon: My Ex-Wife Is So Charming. Click into the author's page and scroll down to the [Girls' Love] section.

Blurb:

Pei Ning is sweet and ladylike, gentle and well-mannered, with long, straight black hair falling smoothly down her back and a soft-spoken manner. Chi Qingyuan is mature, steady, and solemn, always tying her hair up neatly and wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

Their parents introduced them, and they married after a blind date. But after the wedding, neither of them felt any spark.

Pei Ning thinks Chi Qingyuan is taciturn, old-fashioned, and no fun. Chi Qingyuan thinks Pei Ning is so fake she seems like a robot. Despite being married for a long time, they haven't even had sex once.

They can't stand each other, and finally decide to divorce by mutual agreement.

After signing the divorce papers, Pei Ning smiles and wishes Chi Qingyuan a smooth career and an early second romance. Chi Qingyuan calmly and evenly wishes Pei Ning all her wishes come true and all goes well.

As soon as Pei Ning moves her things out of their former marital home, she calls an old flame to help her look for a place, then makes plans with her best friend to go to a party full of attractive single women the day after tomorrow.

After calling a cleaner to tidy the house, Chi Qingyuan changes and heads straight to her familiar stylist, Tony, at the salon. She gets a mullet shag, dyes it smoky blue, and puts on the earrings that have been gathering dust.

Then, on the third day after their divorce, they run into each other at Lemon Bar.

Pei Ning looks at Chi Qingyuan's new outfit, hairstyle, and color. After a moment of surprise, she smiles faintly. "May I ask if you're the composed and dependable Professor Chi?"

Chi Qingyuan looks at the attractive women of every shape and size surrounding Pei Ning. After a brief pause, she raises an eyebrow. "May I ask if you're the gentle and virtuous Ms. Pei?"

Their eyes meet. They are both struck by each other's beauty, and surprised to find that they need to revise their impressions of one another.

Pei Ning glances at the silver earring in Chi Qingyuan's ear and the cool steel chain around her neck, and can't help licking her lips. "It's too crowded here. Why don't we go somewhere else and talk?"

Chi Qingyuan looks at Pei Ning's newly permed, relaxed French-style waves and her modern qipao, which accentuates her figure. Smiling, she nods. "That sounds good."

And so, after their divorce, they sleep together for the first time.

Then they do it a second time, and a third.

Pei Ning thinks of Chi Qingyuan and feels her heart stir.

Chi Qingyuan thinks of Pei Ning and feels a little tempted.

So one day, the two of them wonder: How about getting married again?

Coming soon: Welcome to the World of Wishes and Resentments. Click into the author's page and scroll down to the [Girls' Love] section.

Blurb:

After witnessing a car accident and opening her eyes again, Li Nian finds that the world has completely turned upside down.

Above the head of the grotesque driver gripping the wheel and deliberately ramming into people is another hideous, evil monster. It clings to the human being, controlling their body and making them commit crimes. This is a Resentment.

Resentments are born from humans, attach themselves to people, and control them into doing one bizarre thing after another. In the aftermath, humans are either punished by law or driven by the Resentment to kill themselves, while the Resentment searches for its next Host.

The crimes committed by humans are judged by the law, but what about Resentments, which ordinary people can't see or touch?

Just as Li Nian is about to be attacked by a Resentment, a breeze sweeps past her. Someone else puts an arm around her and pulls her close. One hand rests at her waist while the other reaches forward, palm out. An unknown force bursts from her palm.

"Get lost!"

Amid the gale and a deafening crash, Li Nian looks up and finally sees the person.

The bright, bold woman lowers her hand and smooths her wind-tossed curls. Noticing Li Nian's gaze, she lowers her eyes and smiles. "Welcome to the world of Wishes and Resentments~"

A few months after being brought to the Wish-Power Association, Li Nian is stopped by the chairwoman, who says she wants to set her up on a blind date.

Li Nian: ?

Chairwoman: "It's hard to find a partner in our line of work. Most of us end up dating each other. I see you don't know many people here, so I thought I'd introduce you to someone."

Li Nian: Has the chairwoman changed careers to become a matchmaker?

Chairwoman: "The person I want to set you up with is beautiful, the strongest in the association, and incredibly wealthy. Her personality isn't great, but she's undeniably capable. Oh, and her Wish Power can deflect any attack."

Li Nian glances at someone sneaking around by the doorway, trying to eavesdrop. After a moment's silence, she says, "Chairwoman, why not just give me Jiang Shiyi's ID number?"

Theme: If you love someone, be brave enough to pursue them and say so.