After the Most Hated Little Darling Was Forced into a Marriage Alliance

☆ An illustration event is available. If you have any attempts left, feel free to draw for fun, but don't get too invested!

An Yisi is the second son of the An Group, and a child nobody likes.

Ever since his birth mother was driven into depression and died by a mistress, he has gotten used to being bullied and ignored.

Just as he graduated from college, the An Group's funding chain ran into trouble. His father then "sold" him off to the powerful Qi family in a marriage alliance with their current young head, whose temper was said to be awful.

An Yisi didn't resist at all.

He was a child nobody liked anyway. It made no difference where he went.

But after actually moving into the Qi household, An Yisi realized that things didn't seem to be the way he'd imagined...

The Qi family's young head, rumored to have a terrible temper, called him "baby" at every turn. He also always noticed changes in An Yisi's mood and indulged him in every way.

An Yisi curled up in his own little world, withdrawn and a little lost.

Then the young head, Qi Muliang, swept him into his arms and spoke slowly and clearly, one word at a time, right by his ear.

"Are you wondering why I'm so good to you?"

"Of course it's because I like you."

"I started liking you four years ago."

A gloomy, antisocial, introverted bottom × a goofy, adorable, double-standard top

"Reader's Guide"

① The usual 1v1 pairing. The top's secret crush turns into an open one, very openly.

② His bad temper is an act, but his double standards are real. He's a cool, domineering young CEO in front of others, but a sweet, adorable goofball around the bottom.

③ The bottom has acquired hearing loss and won't make a full recovery. His withdrawn nature is descriptive, not autism. The early tone is rather gloomy, but brightens as his outlook becomes more cheerful.

④ A lighthearted, goofy romance focused on feelings. The author has no brains, so expect villains to act stupidly. Important: absolutely, absolutely do not think too hard while reading. Just enjoy the sweetness!

§ Next Danmei Novel §

Title: Weren't We Supposed to Love and Hate Each Other?

In a word: Are you filming a group variety show or a dating show?!

Blurb: (Now underway, come join the fun!)

There's a pair of publicly acknowledged rivals in the entertainment industry: Yu Molang and Jiang Li.

With similar levels of fame, they keep getting booked for roughly the same gigs.

Then, after appearing on the same variety show several times without any physical contact or even a smoldering glance, they somehow gained a huge following of shippers.

They called it love-hate.

Yu Molang: ?

Jiang Li: ? That's not the truth.

Later, it was revealed that they had been members of the same boy band. They'd given up as soon as they debuted, and fans speculated that their conflict stemmed from competing for resources within the group.

A few days later, the boy band, newly popular again, reunited and announced that all five members would film a semi-live group variety show together.

Yu Molang and Jiang Li's shippers were ecstatic. They got their magnifying glasses ready, waiting for the show to air so they could enjoy the two facing off in a love-hate relationship.

Then they saw Jiang Li wag his tail like a puppy and throw himself at Yu Molang, only for Yu Molang to shove him away in disdain.

They saw Jiang Li offer him a piece of cake, then a sip of milk tea, soothing the just-about-to-get-angry Yu Molang until he lost his temper completely.

They even saw Jiang Li put on a collar of his own accord and hand the other end of the leash to Yu Molang.

Shippers: ... Huh?

What happened to the love-hate relationship?

How did the love part happen, while the ones getting slaughtered were us lonely singles?

Are you filming a group variety show or a dating show?!

Once the show aired, casual viewers flocked to the fandom, and the shippers grew ever larger, having a field day shipping the couple on the show.

But the shippers, hardened by years of seeing industrial-grade sugar marketed as real romance in the entertainment industry, were careful to keep their fantasies within the fandom and not project them onto the stars themselves.

Until one interview

Host: Everyone's been talking a lot about your pairing. Is there anything you'd like to clarify?

Yu Molang, baffled: Clarify what?

Jiang Li put an arm around Yu Molang: We've been a couple for years.

The shippers went wild, celebrating as if it were New Year's.

Mom! My ship is real!!!

Cool, proud beauty bottom × straightforward, scheming puppy top

Theme: Learn to tell right from wrong, and don't believe rumors too easily.