A Belated Heartbeat

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[Follow my author page and add this to your favorites! My next book, Silver Bell, is introduced below. While you're at it, check out my upcoming books, The Long Night and I Only Love Your Money. Add them to your list if you're interested!]

Capitalist heir from Beijing's elite circle x cool, glamorous DJ

Steals his friend's girl / morally gray leads / happy ending / equally strong leads

The first time Ji Qichuan saw Jiang Qian, she was dating a friend of his from their circle.

From his vantage point on the second floor, Ji Qichuan watched her through the bar's chaotic lights and couldn't help lighting a cigarette.

Later, he decided that cigarette that night had been quite a kick.

After her breakup, Jiang Qian went to a party with their circle wearing the dress she'd worn the day before.

By the buffet table, Jiang Qian held a glass and casually picked out a dessert.

A few seconds later, she sensed a familiar scent drawing closer.

As her ex stood before her, Ji Qichuan seemed to be watching her from behind. His voice was low. "After you left my place this morning..."

"You didn't even have time to change?"

Reading Guide:

There are no explicit scenes before the leads get together.

If you have a strong sense of morality, this one's probably not for you. It's just an ordinary, melodramatic sweet romance without much of a grand plot, featuring a male lead who falls for the heroine at first sight and is physically drawn to her. You know the type!

Silver Bell:

Cold and aloof x flirtatious charmer

Both each other's first and only / school days to city life / healing / reunion after years apart / slightly serious tone / happy ending

After the high school class stream split in their sophomore year, Shi Yuan got a new deskmate.

In the scorching summer heat, the classroom fans rattled noisily. His new deskmate spun a ballpoint pen in one hand and quietly rolled up her uniform trousers twice.

Her crossed legs swayed. Shi Yuan lost his train of thought while doing exercises and glanced over. The culprit was the silver bell on his new deskmate's fair ankle.

After the college entrance exams, Ji Yaoyao lost the bell on its red cord.

She'd left it at the hotel where she'd spent time with Shi Yuan on the night of their teachers' farewell banquet.

Six years later, when they met again, Ji Yaoyao found the bell. Its red cord had faded with age, and it was looped around Shi Yuan's wrist.

By then, the man was impeccably dressed in a suit, at the center of the world of fame and fortune. His deep, ink-blue gaze, like the sea, met hers.

As their eyes locked, Ji Yaoyao suddenly remembered that night years ago, when Shi Yuan had kissed her like a madman.

I Only Love Your Money

[Blurb to be revised, but the main premise stays the same!]

Quirky and clever x aloof heir from Beijing's elite circle

Both each other's first and only / happy ending / light, sweet romance, not a typical serious drama

A few years ago, they spent one reckless night together.

Afterward, Su Yanning grabbed her high heels and ran. Outside the hotel, rain poured down, and the ride-hailing app stopped working.

Then a luxury car, washed by the rain, pulled up before her. The owner lowered the rear window. Marks of last night's intimacy were still visible on his neck.

His profile was half swallowed by shadow. He tossed out a few words as if they meant nothing: "Want to be famous?"

After three years of struggling in the industry with no name to show for it, the young actress gritted her teeth and finally nodded.

"I'll make you a star."

Years earlier, Chu Yubai had made his way into the world of fame and fortune by his own efforts, using any means necessary and driven by profit. Everyone thought he'd never fall sincerely for a minor actress.

Even his friends in the industry used to joke that the young master only bowed to money.

After they got together, Chu Yubai became convinced that Su Yanning loved him. She'd act cute and coax him, and she'd even set up a shrine in the backyard of their home.

Chu Yubai thought she was praying for their love to last forever. But one day he caught her kowtowing in front of the shrine. "Please bless Boss Chu's career and make it prosper."

Please don't let him go bankrupt. She really did love his money!

Chu Yubai: "..."

Excerpt:

Only Su Yanning knew what happened after that.

In the dead of night, Chu Yubai kissed her and coaxed the woman in his arms. "Ningning, how much more money do you want?"

"How much will it take for you to marry me?"

The Long Night:

Cool, aloof movie star x female student

Both each other's first and only / win-her-back-after-losing-her / he goes mad after she leaves / very cliched and melodramatic / unrequited love on her side / serious tone / entirely fictional, not based on real people

In her junior year of college, Lin Jiangzao's childhood crush came true. The man was Jiang Ji, a hugely popular movie star.

He was a beloved, exceptionally talented man who'd won nearly every award over the years and always claimed to be single in public.

After they got together, Lin Jiangzao could only sneak off to see his movie premieres. She could never openly acknowledge their relationship. Jiang Ji always told her to wait a little longer.

After two years with him, what she got in the end was news of Jiang Ji's romance with someone else shooting straight to the top of the trending lists. Lin Jiangzao stared for a long time at a photo of the perfect couple outside a hotel.

The day she left, she set her house key on the cabinet in the entryway and calmly said to the man behind her, "Jiang Ji, I don't want to wait anymore."

After they broke up, the detached villa in the city center felt empty.

One day, after drinks with the cast and crew to celebrate wrapping, Jiang Ji couldn't hold back his longing and called the familiar number.

On that cold night, he said Lin Jiangzao's name in a hoarse voice.

After a few seconds, an unfamiliar man's voice came from the other end. "Sir, Miss Lin is taking a shower."

That night, Jiang Ji went mad.

Theme: Work hard and live well.