Afterglow

[My next upcoming novel, Night Rain and Wind, can be saved to your reading list from my profile.]

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1.

Having a secret crush on Gu Siyan.

That was the secret Lin Yujin had kept for three whole years.

During those dark, hopeless days, she stubbornly chased after Gu Siyan's silhouette, like a moth flying into a flame, devout and humble.

Gu Siyan was a heaven-blessed prodigy everyone could admire but never reach, the center of attention wherever he went.

A proud, carefree boy like him was pursued only by wealthy young ladies who matched him in looks and family background.

Compared with them, Lin Yujin was so ordinary she seemed like a mistake.

But she still charged forward without hesitation. Even when those sinister monsters bullied and tormented her, even when she was covered in wounds, she didn't retreat a single step.

This secret, unrequited love had a tragic, devastating ending.

The girl who had nothing fell hard and hit rock bottom. Only when she watched the boy walk into a future without her did she realize how laughable all her efforts had been.

2.

Years passed after they parted.

Lin Yujin was no longer the stubborn, foolish girl she'd once been. She had become cheerful, confident, and gentle... and had learned to love herself.

But fate played a joke on her, bringing him back to her side.

Gu Siyan seemed unchanged, still dazzling and impossibly out of reach.

He was the first to speak when they met again. His expression was calm. "Lin Yujin, long time no see."

A piece of Lin Yujin's heart suddenly felt hollow, but she smiled with easy composure. "Long time no see."

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On one of the countless late nights after they met again, Lin Yujin received a call from Gu Siyan.

The man was drunk, clutching his phone. His voice was hoarse as he mocked himself in defeat.

"Lin Yujin, what did I do wrong that made you keep avoiding me?"

Lin Yujin's eyes reddened. Remembering those despairing, gloomy days, her voice trembled.

"Gu Siyan, you did nothing wrong."

But you still broke my heart.

* Secret love comes true, reunion after years apart, both leads are sexually inexperienced

* School years first, then city life

Upcoming novel: Night Rain and Wind

Blurb:

Early spring brings plenty of rain.

The damp air brought Lin Songran back to that cold spring day:

Beneath a dripping parasol tree, she found a young man in a wretched state.

The young man was named Shen Qingchi, and he had an exceptionally handsome face.

He had caught a fever after being soaked in the rain and lay unconscious in her arms.

Shen Qingchi had just turned nineteen. He was sweet-tongued, cheerful, and flirted with everyone.

Lin Songran often thought that "innocent yet alluring" suited him perfectly.

She thought the boy was life's last chance to save her, the first time she'd ever taken a risk with her orderly life.

She fell in love with Shen Qingchi, who was six years younger than her.

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After their initial, intense passion faded, the young man's enthusiasm cooled.

As reserved as she was, she couldn't give Shen Qingchi the passion and freedom he wanted.

Taking responsibility as the older one, Lin Songran let go first.

She was left alone among the ruins.

-

They met again after years apart at a party.

At midnight, after the party ended, Shen Qingchi blocked Lin Songran's way.

Just like before, he wrapped his arms around her and leaned close to her ear, calling her "big sister."

Lin Songran had dreamed of this scene countless times.

The nights when she needed to recall Shen Qingchi's warmth to fall asleep had gradually become nights she learned to endure alone.

Lin Songran's voice was still gentle. "Shen Qingchi, we ended things a long time ago."

/

- Our regret is that we met too soon, and that you chose to leave when I loved you most.

* Getting back together

* Winning her back after losing her

* Written on December 10, 2022

Theme: About growing up, and about love.