Old Flame, New Love

[A Mad Dog from the Capital's Inner Circle vs. a Noble Young Master and a Small-Town Girl]

Through the hazy, suggestive lights and rows of colorful glass liquor bottles, Jian Yu spotted Li Ji, surrounded by admirers.

His eyes were narrow and sharp at the corners, his gaze carelessly lowered. Someone immediately held out both hands to curry favor, catching the cigarette butt he ground out in their palms.

Her colleague pointed at him and said softly, "There, worried about finding clients? If you can get close to him, earning over ten million a year will be easy."

After saying that, she quickly laughed. "Listen to me, dreaming of becoming a swan. The capital's famous young heir has played around with every model and celebrity out there. He'd never look twice at ordinary women like us."

Jian Yu didn't answer. She lowered her eyes and tried to shrink into the shadows, avoiding that intensely predatory gaze.

*

A few days later, Jian Yu received a silver chain that had clearly been around for years. It was nearly two meters long, with a silver fish clasp, just the right size to encircle a girl's ankle.

Her face turned deathly pale. With trembling hands, she pulled a number she had blocked years ago out of her blacklist and called it.

"What do you want? I have a boyfriend."

Li Ji stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the river as the city lights came on. Hearing the soft, timid voice on the other end, as delicate as a plush rabbit, he smiled carelessly.

"And you think he's enough?"

A little preview of my upcoming novel, Old Lover!!

Everyone knew that top-tier star and award-winning actor Cen Xie had avoided scandals throughout his six years in the industry, devoted himself to his work, and won award after award.

Until one day, a video released by the paparazzi brought a certain social media platform to its knees.

Outside an apartment complex, the usually refined Cen Xie was wearing loose loungewear and slippers. He seemed to have rushed out in a panic, just to catch the hand of a woman in a white cashmere coat.

He lowered his head and said softly, "I don't mind being the other man. Just don't leave."

The woman pulled her hand away. A wedding ring was plainly visible on it.

Before long, every detail of the woman's identity had been dug up.

Chi Yan, daughter of a real estate tycoon and the new CEO of Shengshi Group.

She had also been married to a husband from a family of equal standing for five years.

*

Six years ago, Cen Xie had just graduated from university and started a nine-to-five office job. Chi Yan had just rejected inheriting the family business to pursue her dream of making movies, and been kicked out of her home for it.

One night by the river, Cen Xie sat with Chi Yan at a street stall, eating skewers and drinking. The streetlights made her tipsy eyes look radiant. She cupped his face and said, "You're so handsome. Be my leading man. I'll make you a star."

The handsome young man murmured, "Okay."

Later, she still couldn't withstand the pressure from her family. She abandoned the half-finished film, which would never see the light of day, and returned home to marry for business and inherit the family empire.

Later, he quit his stable job and entered the entertainment industry. With no connections, he went from one set to another, handing out his resume, and finally went from complete obscurity to making his mark in film history.

A reporter once asked him what had first motivated him to enter the entertainment industry.

Without hesitation, he said he wanted to finish a movie and help someone fulfill her dream.

He had never even dared to hope he would see her again.

What can I give you to keep you? / I give you desolate streets, despairing sunsets, the moon over deserted fields. / I give you the sorrow of someone gazing for a long time at the lonely moon., Jorge Luis Borges

P.S. Two men compete for one woman. A CEO vs. an award-winning actor. When the heroine and hero reunite, she is already divorced.

Theme: Love.