I’m Wearing a Sweater at 36°C, and I’m Not Hot

*A groveling pursuit after the breakup / switching love interests Also known as "My Cousin’s Wife Is Mine Now" Meng Xinzhu doesn’t believe in the seven-year itch, but Zhou Ling really hasn’t kissed her in a long time. She continues to make soup and stew as usual, fuss over her, and believe what the elders say: “That’s just how it is when two people have been together for a long time.” She also believes Zhou Ling’s promise: “I’ll love you forever.” Zhou Ling comes home from a late-night business dinner. Meng Xinzhu takes the handbag she offers and is pulled into her embrace. She thinks the kiss, heavy with the smell of alcohol, will land on her lips. Zhou Ling laughs and pushes her away. “I thought you were someone else. I’m drunk.” After seven years, Meng Xinzhu has become another household object, no different from a coat rack, teacup, or watch. To Zhou Ling, she’s simply optional. Back when they were in love, Meng Xinzhu joked, “If we break up, I have nowhere to go. I’ll have to sleep under a bridge.” So when they break up, Zhou Ling doesn’t believe she’ll really leave. She has nowhere to go, and even if she storms off, she’ll be back in a few days. * Zhou Xing waits all night in the rain outside her cousin’s building. It’s nearly dawn when she finally sees Meng Xinzhu appear at the entrance with a suitcase. She’s been plotting this for ages, waiting for a chance to move in on her. After a lot of coaxing, she finally gets Meng Xinzhu into the car and brings her home, where she gives her ginger tea. When Meng Xinzhu sits on the sofa, eyes blurred with tears, and says, “She doesn’t want to kiss me,” a thousand screaming rubber chickens shriek in Zhou Xing’s heart: “I want to! I want to! I want to! I want to!” * Zhou Ling spoiled Meng Xinzhu, so she deserves to be left without a wife. Zhou Xing already stole her away. The doorbell rings. Zhou Xing digs out the matching couple’s outfit Meng Xinzhu had buried at the bottom of her suitcase, puts it on, and opens the door with an innocent smile. “Cousin, were you looking for me?” Zhou Ling says, “It’s thirty-six degrees out, and you’re wearing my sweater. Aren’t you hot?” Zhou Xing answers honestly, “I’ve got the air conditioner on.” *A relationship-stealing romance. Readers with strict moral standards, proceed with caution. Coming soon: "No More Next Time" Synopsis: It starts with a dream. Xie Shuyu dreams that she and Wen Wan almost kiss. Even in the dream, she’s polite. Just before their lips touch, she turns her face slightly and says, “Wait a moment. I need to brush my teeth.” Two minutes pass on her electric toothbrush, and she wakes up. Xie Shuyu tosses and turns, unable to fall back asleep, the image of those rosy lips lingering in her mind. Xie Shuyu has known Wen Wan for twenty years. They were inseparable as children, sharing everything, but as they grew up, each got busy with her own life. They barely call or text, and by her rough count, it’s been two years since they last met. She travels to Wen Wan’s city and meets her at an elegant Western restaurant. Xie Shuyu gets straight to the point: she needs a favor. The woman’s long, smooth hair falls over her shoulders. She wears no makeup, and her lips are soft, pink, and full. Xie Shuyu doesn’t dare look directly at her as she struggles to speak. “I dreamed about you the other day.” Wen Wan nods, and Xie Shuyu continues. “I dreamed we kissed, but we didn’t actually get to.” Wen Wan asks, “So?” Xie Shuyu says, “Could you let me kiss you once?” Her fingers pick at the tablecloth. “You know I don’t have any other friends. We’ve known each other for twenty years… You wouldn’t refuse to help me, would you?” After that, there’s no stopping them. A spark becomes a wildfire and burns everything to ash. In all their years together, they’ve had their share of arguments and cold wars, but neither of them imagined they’d be so perfectly in sync in this way. Xie Shuyu grips the bedsheet and swears to the heavens. “I promise it won’t happen again. We’re still good friends. Let’s just pretend it never happened, okay?” Wen Wan gets up and puts on her clothes, lowering her eyes as she softly replies, “Mm.” Half a month later, Xie Shuyu gets a drunken call from Wen Wan. “One last time.” Then it happens again and again, until their little friendship boat turns into a bed. Theme: Treat others sincerely. It doesn’t just benefit them, it benefits you even more.