Qi Zhi Is Famous

[New quick transmigration story now available!]

The Chengyang Marquis's household had a daughter named Fanzhi, the fourth child, also called A-Zhi. She had been raised in a temple for years and was a sickly girl born with an illness. Everyone said she wouldn't live to see sixteen.

Yuan Qi was born in Beijun and was a young general of Dayi, as brazen and dazzling as the sun.

He had every right to be so arrogant. And his mouth was especially sharp: if someone displeased him, he cursed them, spouting one outrageous, shameless thing after another. If they weren't infuriated to death, it wasn't his fault, and if they were, it still wasn't his fault.

When a young man like him fell for a girl for the first time, he had no idea how to show it.

Before he understood his own feelings, he stubbornly denied them, often provoking and teasing her with extremely childish tricks.

After he understood his own feelings, he still denied them. The difference was that now he would deny them while getting down on his knees, basically saying, "I won't admit it, but that's what I mean."

He wasn't good at sweet talk, but Fanzhi understood him. She indulged and pampered him, and before long, it became a habit.

Yuan Qi didn't like to hide his feelings. He was proud to show her how he felt. If she liked him, that would be wonderful. If she didn't, he'd just have to try harder.

Turning other people down was perfectly normal, and so was turning him down.

The only time this always-blunt man ever beat around the bush was when he asked for her answer.

"If the cup is facing up, it means you like me. If it's facing down, it means you don't."

That was nice. Yuan Qi had learned to discuss things, even though the cup was already facing up when he handed it to her.

And then...

He simply took the teacup with him.

The young man's love was sincere. He only wanted to give everything to the person he loved.

He would make her a peachwood hairpin, because it symbolized safety and a happy life.

He would take each step with a bow, kneeling to pray to the merciful gods and Buddhas.

He would hang a prayer strip with her.

He would pray for the best possible fortune slip.

A preview of the sweet stuff:

1. Both leads are virgins. There's very little angst and there is a plot. If you're really not interested, you can skim those parts.

2. Yuan Qi is about four years older than Fanzhi. He's a loyal puppy type, all bark and no bite, and he has a sharp tongue. He's like a little boy in elementary school who teases the girl he likes. Early on, Yuan Qi doesn't understand love, and his stubborn denial is an upgraded version of Domyoji's.

3. The history is fictional, with a mishmash of customs and official systems. Most of it has been researched, but there's no need to take it too seriously.

4. The male lead is a bit of a rascal, not a domineering CEO type or a cold, fatherly figure. His values are sound, and he's absolutely devoted and respectful. The female lead's frail health can't be changed, but she's neither foolish nor saintly. She's simply perceptive, with a tendency to suffer from being too clever. This is a story written for my own tastes, and the ending is happy. If any of this is a dealbreaker, please don't read it.

5. The story briefly touches on BL, but nothing comes of it. Don't worry, and feel free to skip those parts.

6. I hope readers can find the strength to stop overthinking in this story.

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[Preview of the next story, please add it to your favorites~] [Locked Peony: A Male Lead Who Seems Courteous but Is Arrogant at Heart x A Female Lead Who Can Play Any Role and Turn Up the Heat]

Yifu was picked up by Qin Shi'an. Yifu was also brought up by Qin Shi'an.

She was fourteen then, and he was eighteen.

Qin Shi'an came from a noble family and readily accepted the marriage arranged by their elders. After all, an alliance between powerful families was beneficial in every way, so he had no reason to refuse.

He raised her, and he loved her. The trouble was, he fooled everyone, including himself.

How could he possibly love her?

After being brought home, every part of Yifu's life was governed by the rules for a noble young lady. She learned to read, learned proper etiquette, and came to understand social graces and the cruelty of human nature. She owed all of it to Qin Shi'an.

He raised her to have high self-esteem and be highly sensitive.

She depended on him and relied on him, because Qin Shi'an had reshaped Yifu bit by bit, starting with her name.

But that wasn't enough. She needed more than food and warm clothes. She also wanted freedom and true love.

Yifu had no intention of becoming a woman waiting day and night to be favored in the inner court. If Qin Shi'an hadn't brought her home, if she'd remained as she was before, she might really have accepted a few taels of monthly silver and become a flower clinging to someone else.

But the truth was, Qin Shi'an didn't love her. On top of that, there was his engagement and his clearly unkind, uncharitable fiancee. She could easily be harmed if she let her guard down.

Forget it. She couldn't afford to gamble in a game played by the powerful. She was terrified, and there was no way she wouldn't run.

Whose life isn't worth protecting?

That was what Qin Shi'an had taught her: never put your whole heart and body in the hands of a man.

Whatever people might say about ingratitude, if Qin Shi'an didn't love her, then someone else would. She was the most important person in her own life.

So Yifu humored Qin Shi'an with a false show of affection. Saying a few sweet words was easy. The important thing was getting things out of his hands.

She would use the Yifu Qin Shi'an had raised to shape a newer, more independent Yifu.

When Qin Shi'an caught Yifu, another man was still holding her hand tightly. Furious, he told himself that she was still young and inexperienced, and it was only natural that someone had tricked her into developing feelings for him.

Of course he didn't love Yifu. He just felt he hadn't done a good enough job with this part of her upbringing. He only planned to use a few little tricks to teach her properly: a person shouldn't have divided loyalties.

He would clean up her messes, but she could forget about leaving.

When the day came, Qin Shi'an put a knife in Yifu's hand and told her that unless she killed him, there was no way she could ever leave.

But he forgot that he had taught her well. Yifu was almost another version of him, and the knife stuck in his chest couldn't lie.

His life had gone too smoothly, so he'd forgotten all about that.

Yifu achieved her goal all the same.

One day, two days, three days...

Qin Shi'an couldn't take it anymore. It wasn't merely a withdrawal reaction.

He went to find Yifu and told her he loved her.

But Yifu didn't believe him. She could only think that Qin Shi'an had suddenly gone completely mad.

Are you insane?

Could you stop pretending?

Theme: The future you strive for has no limits