Tasting Cherries

[Arranged marriage to romance, sweet little treat. Energetic little sun x straightforward, pure-hearted man] After setting out on a military campaign, Qi Ci, the only son of the Marquis of Yongchang, became a frail invalid. From then on, he grew gloomy and withdrawn. The Marquis of Yongchang doted on his son and found a young woman to bring him good luck through marriage. Although Song Ying was the daughter of a minor official, her parents cherished her dearly. When it came time to discuss marriage, she thought she would get to choose a good husband. Who could have known that an imperial edict would order her to marry a sickly man and bring him good fortune? But the man she wanted to marry was a gentle and considerate young man. Fortunately, after their wedding, Qi Ci promised to let her leave. Song Ying happily agreed, without investing much feeling in him. But as time went on, Qi Ci's gaze changed from cold and distant to burning with passion, and she began to feel that something was wrong. She cautiously asked, "When will you ask His Majesty for an edict granting us a divorce?" After a long silence, the corners of his straight lips lifted into a faint smile. His dark gaze settled on her. "How can we casually divorce when His Majesty granted this marriage?" * After falling ill, Qi Ci had lost all hope. When he woke, he saw the young woman who had married him only to bring him good fortune. He promised that he would set her free one day. His new bride happily agreed. But when his illness made him cold to the bone, the young woman hugged him tightly and warmed him again and again. Gradually, Qi Ci realized that all his moods were tied to Song Ying. That's when he knew he had fallen for her. When he learned that Song Ying had no feelings for him, Qi Ci experienced the pain of wanting something he couldn't have for the first time in his life. For the first time, he wanted to win a woman's heart. From then on, in his midnight dreams, he saw her curled timidly in his arms beneath the bed curtains, tears in her eyes. The usually stern and taciturn man could no longer hide his feelings for Song Ying. Even if his methods were clumsy, he would make Song Ying worry about him and fall in love with him. - One day, Song Ying returned to her room to find Qi Ci, who had not suffered an attack in a long time, curled up on the floor, shivering with cold. Panic-stricken, she hurriedly pulled him into her arms. Qi Ci rested his chin on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her slender waist. "I'm cold. Hold me tighter." A sweet story about a man who falls hard while the woman has no idea, and a pure-hearted hero secretly chasing his wife. - At first, the male lead is a gloomy invalid. Once he falls in love, he becomes cunning but pure-hearted, and speaks his feelings plainly. Later, his poison will be cured and his legs will recover. - One-third of the story is the male lead falling for her, one-third is him chasing her, and one-third is the newlyweds' sweet daily life. - The male lead's mother is somewhat awful because she's been misled. Later, she'll change her attitude and dote on the heroine. This story avoids bothersome family drama and focuses on the sweet daily life of the leads. Written on 2022.11.4, revised on 2023.8.3 Upcoming novel, Big Sister: An aloof beauty's dark obsession Long ago, her father brought home the orphaned son of an old friend and raised him. Years passed, and the boy who had once been dependent on others rose to become a rising star at court. The ailing Xue Yutang came to the capital seeking medical treatment and stayed at the Gu residence. She was glad that, when Gu Ruzhang had once lived under her family's roof, she had looked after the boy who was a year younger than her. When they reunited, they treated each other with respect. Gu Ruzhang did everything he could to find her a doctor and care for her, treating her with respect as he softly called her, "Big Sister." Xue Yutang thought they would get along as well as they had before, until one day she discovered a secret passage in her room. It led to his room. His secret room had her portraits covering every wall. The silk handkerchiefs she'd lost and the discarded drafts she'd thrown away were all there. A small notebook recorded everything about her, from her preferences to her daily life, in meticulous detail. So he'd harbored feelings for her from the moment they met. Xue Yutang was horrified and uneasy. She tried to escape, only to discover that Gu Ruzhang had locked the door securely. The man, as clear and bright as the breeze and moon, advanced step by step. "Where are you going, Big Sister? Are you running away because you saw it?" * In the eyes of the world, Gu Ruzhang was a model of propriety and self-restraint, a favorite of the emperor and an untouchable flower on a high peak. But only he knew how vile his feelings were for the big sister who had once cared for him. He had been worrying over what excuse to use to bring her to the capital, and then fate handed him the perfect opportunity. Gu Ruzhang had held back for years. He intended to confess his feelings once he had made a name for himself, but before he could speak, he saw her out on a boat with a young nobleman, the water shimmering around them. She held a bouquet of peonies and gazed fondly at the man beside her. He gave a cold, sinister smile. So Big Sister wanted to marry someone else. That would never do. * Xue Yutang got married, but lost a stretch of her memory. She couldn't remember anything, only that her husband was a childhood friend and a rising star at court. After their wedding, they were loving and affectionate, sweet as honey. But gradually, Xue Yutang sensed something was wrong. Only when her memories returned did she realize that the man she had wanted to marry was someone else. Xue Yutang packed her things and ran. A galloping horse blocked her path. Gu Ruzhang stared at her coldly. The swell of her belly beneath her dress could no longer be hidden. "You're pregnant, my wife. Do you still want to run?" Theme: Learn to face life's hardships with optimism.