Limited Sincerity

[A youthful, immature work. Not exactly a dark secret, but probably best not to read it.]

* Marriage first, love later / sweet romance / two hopeless amateurs fumbling through love

Passionate, dazzling, vase-like movie star | Abstinent, secretly sultry, domineering CEO

'Jia Jia, you've always been the one I wanted. That has never changed.'

My sincerity isn't something I reveal only for a limited time. I've loved you for years.

*

Lin Qingjia had been in the industry for eight years. Her acting was superb, but her dazzling beauty had earned her the label of a pretty face with no substance.

After she turned down an investor's advances, her manager, who had worked with her for eight years and been as close as a sister, betrayed her overnight. Lin Qingjia nearly lost everything.

She fled in a panic, only to fall into a beautiful dream.

When she woke up, the perfectly single young woman had somehow become Chu Chengjian's fiancee?

'Why me?'

'I need a suitable Mrs. Chu.'

Before the wedding, Lin Qingjia and Chu Chengjian agreed on a deal:

Chu Chengjian would help Lin Qingjia resolve her troubles, and Lin Qingjia would play the role of Mrs. Chu Group for two years.

After they went public, Lin Qingjia memorized the scenes she'd been assigned and smiled gracefully for the media.

Chu Chengjian put an arm around Lin Qingjia's waist, constantly drawing closer to her, and occasionally exchanged glances with her that brimmed with affection.

From behind, they really did look like a loving couple.

Given enough time, a fake relationship can become real.

Lin Qingjia watched herself, usually so composed, lose her footing in front of Chu Chengjian: the corners of her mouth turning up, her heartbeat spiraling out of control... She watched herself fall, fully aware of what was happening.

The cold agreement in her hand reminded her that falling for this 'love' with an expiration date would make her a fool.

*

'Jia Jia, what are you afraid of?'

Before the contract expired, Lin Qingjia took the initiative to ask to end it early, eager to escape Chu Chengjian's side. This limited-time sincerity would eventually come to an end.

She quietly packed her bags and left the divorce papers in a conspicuous spot on the coffee table, making sure Chu Chengjian would see them as soon as he came back.

Suddenly, the lights in the room went dark.

She turned and crashed into Chu Chengjian's deep gaze. He seized her wrist; behind her was the cold door, and before her, a raging inferno.

The suitcase wheels scraped across the floor with a hiss. Lin Qingjia turned her head, and the butterfly at the side of her neck seemed to have tears in its eyes, on the verge of falling.

'Chu Chengjian, let's get divorced...'

'Why are you leaving...' Chu Chengjian's voice was hoarse, no longer as steady as before.

Lin Qingjia lowered her eyes and answered in a tearful voice, 'I don't want this kind of sincerity that only lasts for a limited time...'

His lips cut off the rest of her words, and Chu Chengjian's reply was ground to pieces between their lips and teeth.

He said it had never been that way.

* The female lead's perspective is marriage first, love later; the male lead's perspective is a longtime crush coming true.

* One-on-one romance, both leads' first time, no real-life inspiration, no real-life inspiration, no real-life inspiration.

* The entertainment industry plays a minor role. This is an idealized version of the industry.

* There may be scenes of childish young love.

* The title was inspired by the line 'Even if we only reveal our sincerity to each other for a limited time' from the song 'Not Lovers' by Bucai.

Blurb for the upcoming Handwritten Fairy Tale:

* Marriage first, love later / sweet romance / both leads' first time / first love for both / mutual flirting / a touch of groveling

* Flirtatious rose × rebellious big bad wolf | First Daughter of a prominent family × newly risen power player

1.

Ying Lanzhao knew her fiance had a first love and had even tried to kill himself for her.

But she didn't care. Their engagement was just a matter of weighing benefits.

However, her fiance caused a huge scene at their wedding, chasing after his first love and leaving, giving Ying Lanzhao a public humiliation.

Ying Lanzhao laughed in anger.

She pulled off her veil in front of everyone and gave the Qin family two choices.

Either call off the engagement, or find another person for the marriage alliance.

And who would the replacement be? Ying Lanzhao's red lips curved as she pointed at Qin Chengfeng, who had come back to attend his nephew's engagement party.

Huh? Me?

Qin Chengfeng swirled his wineglass, a faint smile playing on his lips. His nephew's bride had quite the eye for men, so he might as well play along.

He rose gracefully, dashing and carefree, his tall frame set off by a hint of unconcealable rebelliousness at the corners of his eyes. Little rose, playing with fire means you'll have to pay a price~

2.

As the youngest son of the Qin family's matriarch, Qin Chengfeng had been spoiled without restraint.

At thirty, he was still wandering the world with no direction, a cautionary tale in their social circle.

But when he shed his disguise, it turned out he'd made a name for himself on Wall Street, a dealmaker who could move markets. When he finally showed his true mettle, he became the talk of the town.

At first, everyone thought Ying Lanzhao had made a terrible choice. Instead of choosing the Qin family's heir apparent, she'd picked Qin Chengfeng, the youngest Qin, who spent all his time traveling and living off dividends.

But once the truth came out, people's opinions changed in a flash, and everyone began envying Ying Lanzhao's good fortune.

At a banquet, a beautiful woman tried to lean on Qin Chengfeng, batting her eyelashes and trying to poison Ying Lanzhao against him.

'Young Master Qin, I heard Ying Lanzhao and your nephew are rekindling their old romance~'

Qin Chengfeng subtly moved away and said nothing until Ying Lanzhao returned. Then he said, 'Wife, save me.'

Ying Lanzhao: ???

In an instant, everyone started looking at Qin Chengfeng differently.

The next day, the nickname 'henpecked Young Master Qin' had spread throughout their social circle.

3.

Ying Lanzhao's life had been a perfect example, like a deluxe fairy tale in a shop window, until the day she chose Qin Chengfeng at her wedding.

At the hastily concluded wedding, during the exchange of rings, Qin Chengfeng slipped a ring onto her finger.

She heard his deep voice, tinged with laughter, say, 'You're mine now.'

She cast aside the deluxe fairy tale and followed Qin Chengfeng across mountains and rivers, witnessing the boundlessness of the starry sky.

Looking at Qin Chengfeng, who remained by her side, Ying Lanzhao thought that perhaps fairy tales could have another ending.

If the price of playing with fire was spending her whole life with him, why not?

Theme: Love can't be stopped. Cover your mouth, and it'll escape through your eyes.