Playing Dirty

My next novel, After Eating Conveyor-Belt Hot Pot Beside My Ex, is now underway! [Complete. Please leave a five-star review! For all after-sales support, find @Shi Chunbai] ■Rekindled romance | Tangled love | Fated salvation | He’s six years older ■Flashy, wealthy villain × Poor, stubborn, upright little white flower The day Ye Fuqiu entered the Qi family home, Qi Xing leaned against a high railing and looked down at her. One glance was enough to leave her too scared to breathe. He had sharp phoenix eyes, frightening yet often filled with a smile she couldn’t read. For some reason, he sent a chill down her spine. Qi Xing was the eldest son of the richest family in Xiaoyue Bay. Ye Fuqiu was just a poor girl from the north, living at the family’s expense as a boarder. He was born bad to the bone, while she was innocent and kind. They stood at opposite ends of society. He looked down on her, and she kept her distance from him. That all changed the night he caught Ye Fuqiu sneaking into his study. She dared to confront him, but after listening to all his threats, Qi Xing only curled his lip in a smile. Ye Fuqiu’s face went deathly pale. Qi Xing bent close and smiled. “Ye Fuqiu, this time, let’s have a little fun.” 2- The night before she was to leave the Qi home, a typhoon brought torrential rain. She sat collapsed on the study carpet, backing away, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t put any distance between them. Qi Xing gripped her slender wrist. Eyes wet, Ye Fuqiu struggled and cursed him to his face. After listening, Qi Xing forcibly guided her hand to his collar. He smiled. “How about I teach you another naughty thing?” Ye Fuqiu’s heart gave a violent thump. 3- Ye Fuqiu thought Qi Xing would never be part of her life again. Until the fourth year, on the night a male friend who was of marriageable age confessed to her during a snowstorm in Binyang, Qi Xing appeared before her. The man who hated the cold stood at the entrance to the alley she had to pass through, snow covering his shoulders. His eyes were dark, his gaze solemn and tentative. Qi Xing grabbed her, leaving her unable to move. She struggled. “Who was it that said I’d better stay away from you if we ever met again? What do you mean by this now?” Qi Xing slowly lowered his gaze to the vivid red roses in her arms and smiled. “I did say that. So what?” “Even if I’m going back on my word.” [Reader’s guide] *The male lead is a beautiful, strong, tragic character with issues, and he’s no good guy! If you’re not into arrogant villainous male leads, this may not be for you. The heroine has the male lead wrapped around her finger throughout the main story √ He can’t live without her √ *The setting is fictional. This is just a fun, melodramatic romance, so please don’t compare it to real life. If the subject or writing style isn’t for you, feel free to move on! *First love for both, and both are virgins. Neither has had another relationship during their four years apart. *See the author’s note in Chapter One for detailed content warnings. The author reserves the right to moderate the comments after that. - A crossover with A Burning Love. The leads will appear as well. - Cover art by Lili Sheng Weibo: @Shi Chunbai - My next novel will be the short second-chance romance After Eating Conveyor-Belt Hot Pot Beside My Ex √ ■Short story | Rekindled romance | Flirty everyday life between adults ■Proud, sharp-tongued elite × Unlucky, easygoing natural charmer Expected July 2024 Ming Que had moved to the big city alone to make a living, only to lose her job and get cheated on. She was at the lowest point of her life. Short on cash, she had to keep lowering her spending standards. On the day she got dumped, a snowstorm hit, so she ducked into a conveyor-belt hot pot restaurant famous for its low prices. The weather was awful, yet the little restaurant was packed. After waiting an hour for a table, just as she was about to faint from hunger, a server finally found her a single seat in the middle of the counter. The seats at a conveyor-belt hot pot restaurant were so close that diners’ arms brushed. As soon as Ming Que sat down and turned her head, she met Lou Yuzheng’s dark eyes. The man wore a black turtleneck. His hand around the rim of his cup was pale and elegant, and he looked at her coldly. Only then did Ming Que realize there was a Pro Max version of the darkest moment of your life. That was when, at your lowest point, you ran into your rich fourth-generation ex, the one you’d hurt and played with. Ming Que knew that look all too well. He clearly wanted to hit someone. She was ready to die on the spot. Sheepishly, she said, “If you want to settle accounts, fine… Could you let me finish my ‘last meal’ first?” After a long pause, Lou Yuzheng raised a hand and pointed at her. “Bring her another plate of meat.” Ming Que: “…” Thanks, I guess. 2/ After that, Ming Que kept running into him at dinner after work. Somehow, every time, they were seated right next to each other. She owed him for what she’d done, and guilt gnawed at her. So day after day, their shoulders brushed as they ate together in the steamy little restaurant. The first time, he said, “My family went bankrupt. This is all I can afford.” Ming Que sighed and painfully paid to add a plate of meat for him. The second time, he said, “My lease is up. I have nowhere to sleep tonight.” Ming Que reluctantly pushed her apartment key toward him. “My landlord has another room… I can put you in touch.” Two servers huddled together, completely baffled. “…Is the boss losing his mind?” The day Ming Que saw through all of Lou Yuzheng’s lies, she hurled a string of angry words at him. When she’d finished venting to her heart’s content, he sent her a single WeChat message. It said [So why did you ask to break up back then?] Theme: Cherish and preserve traditional intangible cultural crafts. Work hard and take control of your own life.