A sweet, spoiled young lady × a cool, taciturn minister
Jian Zhaozhao was bright and spoiled, always doing as she pleased. One day, she stood up for someone and ended up caught in the middle of a gang of bandits plotting something big. She was fabulously wealthy, but she feared none of it would be of any use.
Just when she was losing hope, she discovered a cool, taciturn man. On closer inspection, he was the teacher who had taught her for a few days. He had placed first in the imperial examinations at twenty, enjoyed a flourishing career, and was a master of political maneuvering. Surely he would have a way to get them out of there.
Ever mindful of her own life and “filial” to a fault, Jian Zhaozhao stuck close to him and brought him his medicine.
The bandit chief came to value the teacher more and more. One day, he suddenly took it into his head to arrange a marriage for him.
The teacher pointed to her. The bandit chief studied her for a while, then smiled and agreed.
To put her at ease, the teacher secretly told her about the approaching rescue forces every day. How could she feel at ease after taking such advantage of him?
So, in the dead of night, she opened her heart to him. She told him about the young gentleman she'd fallen for the previous year on a pleasure boat by the river. He was the teacher's nephew from his clan.
She respected the teacher deeply and had not the slightest improper thought about him.
But as soon as she said those words, the teacher's expression turned even colder.
.
Xie Zhang never expected to see her again in such a dangerous place. Afraid she'd come to harm, he kept her by his side. On rainy days, he coaxed her, and when they went down the mountain, he remembered how much she loved sweets. He took very good care of her.
When the bandit chief said he would find him a wife, Xie Zhang knew someone was secretly coveting her beauty, so he named her.
He thought that once things had settled down, he would marry her properly and make sure she wasn't wronged.
Who knew that at night she'd confess the truth to him: she'd fallen in love at first sight with his nephew from his clan.
Xie Zhang's expression darkened.
He was the one who'd helped her out of trouble, yet she kept another man's name in her heart?
One day, Xie Zhang brought up the past again. Jian Zhaozhao blushed, her eyelashes trembling as she dared not look up.
He lifted her chin and looked down at her, smiling faintly. “You were so bold on that pleasure boat. Why won't you look at me today?”
His long, strong fingers lightly brushed her chin.
Her eyes were moist and red at the corners as she timidly turned her face away.
Ten-year age gap. One-on-one sweet romance.
Written on May 15, 2022.
Theme: Stay true to yourself.
