Don't Be So Proud

The next novel will be [A Little Sweet Menace in Manbeng Village]. See the blurb at the end. Please add it to your reading list.

A pure yet seductive white rose and a suave designer. A secret crush that comes true, followed by a groveling pursuit of his wife. Happy ending. She pursues him, but the female lead is clear-headed and self-possessed, and never indulges the male lead. Complete.

When Cheng Nuo ran into the aloof heartthrob she had secretly loved in high school at a bar, she decided she was going to win him over.

The second time they met, a married rich heir was harassing her. His wife followed them and mistook Cheng Nuo for his mistress, beating her up. Cheng Nuo couldn't explain herself, and Ji Ran showed up to help her out.

When mature men and women fall in love, it's always about desire, never romance.

When Ji Ran's first love returned, Cheng Nuo didn't hesitate for a moment before walking away.

When they met again after separating, he asked, "Can we still be friends?"

To keep herself from getting tangled up with him again, she lied: "No. My boyfriend wouldn't be happy about it."

The third time they met after their breakup was in a karaoke lounge corridor.

Her drunk friend pushed her in front of Ji Ran. Dragged into the mess by her irresponsible friend, he assumed she was there to have fun too.

He looked at her, a trace of mockery flashing in his dark eyes.

"You get around so much. Does your boyfriend know?"

Cheng Nuo's easygoing attitude impressed Ji Ran.

The first time, Cheng Nuo approached him to shake off a loser, then disappeared without a word.

The second time, Cheng Nuo caught him standing with his first love. By the time he got home, there wasn't a single thing of hers left. She'd left so decisively that she hadn't even said goodbye.

The third time, at a business dinner, a rich young man gave her a hard time, and she used Ji Ran to get out of it. This time, he didn't let her leave so freely. He locked her in the car and demanded to know why she had disappeared without a word.

She looked perfectly calm. "Didn't we agree from the start that having a good time was enough? A serious goodbye doesn't suit our relationship."

He pressed her. "What kind of relationship do we have?"

"Men and women seeking pleasure, each getting what they want."

Among the upper classes, the idea of a rich young heir deciding to get married of his own accord was nothing short of absurd.

But one day, they heard that Ji Ran had proposed to a girl, only to be rejected.

[The next novel will be A Little Sweet Menace in Manbeng Village. Please add it to your reading list.]

The first time Mu Yao saw Han Lie, she thought he was handsome and rebellious, and wanted to keep him as her own canary, train him well, and make him completely obedient.

But this bird wouldn't behave.

Han Lie clearly had never heard the saying, "You can kill a man, but you can't humiliate him." He knew when to bend and could make use of every advantage, so she never managed to get the better of him.

He often smiled at her, with a smile that could take your breath away.

But Mu Yao could always sense the rebellion and loathing hidden beneath that smiling mask.

The more rebellious he was,

the more she wanted to see him behave.

Mu Yao considered using special means to control him.

She tucked a bright red heartbreak flower behind her ear and asked if it looked good.

He didn't look at her, only at the poisonous flower that had ruined countless lives.

He raised his hand, plucked it off, and snapped its stem.

At last, he looked at her.

Smiling, he said, "It's ugly."

Mu Yao wasn't angry. She picked another heartbreak flower and pinned it to his lapel.

"The heartbreak flower can't bewitch you yet. The flower itself has no power to enchant anyone. But once it's made into Forget-Worry Powder, you'll be intoxicated by it, living in a dream. And because of it, you'll wish you were dead."

Han Lie looked at her with a faint, unreadable smile.

"You wouldn't dare!"

*

In Manbeng Village, everyone knew the chieftain doted on his niece more than his own daughter.

The first time they met, Mu Yao told him plainly.

She wanted to sleep with him.

Han Lie couldn't openly offend her or show his displeasure, so he could only humor her, unwillingly.

Mu Yao loved to smile. Her smile felt as sweet as maltose candy.

But she was also much like the heartbreak flower: beautiful on the outside, but poisonous through and through.

The chieftain doted on her more than his own daughter, and every man in the village wanted to become her devoted admirer.

Except him.

He hated this sweet little menace more than anyone.

*

Han Lie: "There's an old saying in my hometown: A forcibly twisted melon isn't sweet. Why insist on forcing it, Miss?"

Mu Yao wore an innocent, harmless smile and replied with complete sincerity.

"I never force men. One day, you'll willingly climb into my bed."

*

Reader's guide:

1. Little Sweet Menace is short for Sweet Little Menace.

2. The female lead is no kind soul. She kills from the start. She may treat human life as worthless, but that's just a front. She only kills those who deserve it.

3. There are no pathetic pining characters in this story, only men and women playing push-and-pull games, each with their own agenda. None of them are good people.

4. The setting is the Three No-Man's-Lands, a lawless place where all kinds of filth gather. It's a fictional setting, so please don't overanalyze it.

I'm working on the draft, so please add it to your reading list for now. It will start in a month.

Theme: Love knows no rank. Girls will always be precious