Refraction of Roses

(Complete. Pirated versions are incomplete, so please support the official release.) [Please add my campus romances Wild Breeze, Slow Warmth and Today, I Fell for Someone] (Blurb) Looks-obsessed designer x dramatic CEO _ Sheng Yingran is a young, up-and-coming designer who has already won a prestigious award. Her design philosophy, rooted in the culture of Beijing embroidery, has won her plenty of attention. With her strong, independent personality, people in the industry call her a dazzling rose. During the three years she was engaged to her fiancé, Sheng Yingran learned that some people never grow up, and that a playboy will never change his ways. She would let the girlish dreams of her past sharpen into a blade, clearing every obstacle from the path to her future. But what Sheng Yingran didn't know was that someone had quietly loved her for seven years. _ In just a few short years, Lu Weiqing became a legend in the business world. His peers said he was like a ravenous wolf, devouring every opportunity. The vast business empire he now commanded was proof of his ambition. Yet among all his business ventures was one inconspicuous French restaurant. A refracted rose was always displayed on a table there, as if waiting for someone to arrive. _ Everyone knew Lu Weiqing was proud and aloof. He kept the daughters of wealthy families at arm's length, and seemed destined to be a heartless man. And yet... After their wedding, there were two single beds in the spacious room. Staring at the scene before her, Sheng Yingran gaped. "T-two beds?" Lu Weiqing said, "You only said we couldn't sleep in the same bed. You didn't say we couldn't share a room." Still, she'd never heard of a bridal suite being turned into a twin room. _ The case of the female international student from years ago has resurfaced. Everyone had some connection to the deceased, however slight. Kidnapping, fire, threats, an auction... Who was the mastermind behind it all? After narrowly escaping death several times, Sheng Yingran fought to find clues and followed the threads until she uncovered something suspicious. "Lu Weiqing, if we can't get out of here alive... is there anything you'd regret?" Lu Weiqing turned to look at her, a trace of relief flashing in his eyes. "I wish I'd given you that refracted rose myself that day." _ This boundless universe is but a dream to me. You are my rose, my entire fortune. - Shakespeare _ 1. First love, mutual pining comes true. The hero pursues the heroine at first, then she turns the tables. 2. The heroine isn't blinded by love, and makes a clean break with her ex. 3. No real-life basis. The setting is fictional. 4. Happy ending, with both of them choosing each other. (Blurb for Wild Breeze, Slow Warmth) [To begin on the summer solstice of 2023] At first: Gentle, ambitious, well-behaved girl x laid-back top student who loves working part-time Later: Righteous, confident, rebellious girl x man with severe emotional dependency In the summer of her senior year, Wen Yue fell for Qi Ke, the boy who had knocked her off the top spot in class. Each portrait of him in her sketchbook was a confession of love she didn't dare voice. Qi Ke was rebellious and unruly, with a tiny mole on the bridge of his nose. Every smile and frown tugged at the young girl's heartstrings. * Later, someone happened to glimpse Qi Ke's chat screen. The contact name read: Little Red Riding Hood Winnie. "Is Little Red Riding Hood's name Winnie?" The young man lowered his head to reply, a smile slowly spreading across his lips. Without thinking, he said, "My Little Red Riding Hood's name is Winnie." Soon, rumors began spreading around school that Qi Ke had fallen for someone. * Then came graduation day, when the whole class went to the beach to set off fireworks. Wen Yue watched the sparkler in her hand shower bright sparks and looked up to ask, "Qi Ke, if you could make a wish on a sparkler, what would you wish for?" Qi Ke lit a few more, his eyes shining. "Wishes don't come true if you say them out loud." The moon was round that night. If he could, he'd go to Kanas with Wen Yue. * Six years later, on New Year's Day, Wen Yue ran into Qi Ke at a convenience store. Dressed in black, he stood in the checkout line with a forbidding air. As she paid, Wen Yue happened to notice his clear phone case. Tucked behind it was a folded note, with the words "A bright future awaits" written in delicate floral script showing. "Thanks for paying for me. I'll transfer you the money later." A friend beside them looked at the two of them in confusion. "Do you know each other?" Qi Ke stood ramrod straight in front of Wen Yue. He was no longer as rebellious as he had been in his youth, but in his eyes she could still see that wild wind sweeping across the moon. "I was lucky enough to pursue her, but I didn't win her over." Wen Yue, please let me be your summer. - Qi Ke * He was like a wild wind, full of youthful freedom and abandon, blowing through all of Wen Yue's youth. # ○ Mostly campus life, with a little city life later ○ Mutual pining / one-on-one romance / happy ending / devoted to each other / ensemble cast ○ Healing and personal growth ○ No dating while underage ○ Hardworking students ○ Because of her family, the heroine shows people-pleasing tendencies early on, while the hero has some avoidant tendencies Theme: Independence and a love of life