A Sudden Awakening [Childhood Friends]

Putting a few upcoming books here (listed below this blurb) [This book will be discounted starting July 4, with the discounted chapters beginning at Chapter 16. If you've already read them, please be careful not to buy them twice~] -- This Book -- [Emotionally oblivious childhood sweetheart x devoted childhood friend who's been plotting for years] [Childhood Sweethearts | Mutual Pining | HE | SC] Lin Xiao thought she'd suddenly developed a serious case of lovesickness. She'd only accidentally seen Ji Heng come out of the bathroom after a shower, bare-chested, but she'd stared at his abs and ended up with a nosebleed, completely betraying herself. Her heart suddenly felt strangely empty. The friendship she'd shared with Ji Heng for over twenty years, ever since they were children, seemed to have changed into something else in that moment. She wanted to date her childhood friend, but she had the nerve to want it and none to act on it. She only dared to probe and circle around the subject in secret, never to confess outright. She only dared to gush about him to her best friend, never to take any real action. At long last, emboldened by alcohol, she trembled as she kissed those thin lips while Ji Heng stared at her in shock. But the next day, she used the lame excuse of having "amnesia" to avoid dealing with everything. She thought her unrequited love would come to nothing in the end. Then one day, a WeChat message meant for her best friend accidentally went to the person it was about. [Ji Heng's abs are still the best, but what excuse do I have to touch them?] [No appetite.jpg] She noticed right away and unsent it, but it was already too late... Ji Heng: [???] Ji Heng: [I saw it.] Ji Heng: [Want me to come up with a reason you can touch them?] - Later on, She thought Ji Heng was a fish she'd finally managed to reel in after all her hard work, only to discover that she was the silly frog Ji Heng had been slowly cooking all along. * A childhood-sweetheart rom-com about one who's been plotting for years and the other who suddenly figures out her feelings. Short and sweet, around a hundred thousand words or so. -- Blurb for "Heartbeats Again and Again" -- [Gentle vlog blogger x red-hot young Best Actor] [Mutual Pining | Second Chance Romance | HE | SC] Before graduating from college, An Qiao joined a dating reality show for ordinary people. Among the male contestants was an actor hired by the production team to play a romantic partner. The female contestants had to figure out who he was as quickly as possible during their dates and avoid falling for him. She knew who he was, but in the final episode, she still chose to follow her heart. "I'm sorry. I'm the actor playing your romantic partner." The result was the expected BE ending, and her innocent first love came to an end. Five years later, An Qiao, now a moderately popular vlog blogger, returned to China to join a slow-paced travel variety show. There, she met him again: he had become a red-hot young Best Actor. The feelings she thought she'd long since gotten over gradually stirred again. But she'd lost the courage to pursue love, so she chose to hide like an ostrich. * Gu Rang made his debut as an actor on a dating reality show. His cold, chaste image as an untouchable heartthrob quickly made him a new star in the entertainment industry within five years. For four years running, he had ranked number one among male celebrities fans most wanted to date, yet he had never been involved in a single romance rumor. He always maintained a polite but safely distant relationship with every female celebrity. But on this slow-paced travel show, everyone got to see the heartthrob's gentle side. Someone dug up the dating show the two of them had appeared on five years earlier. Internet sleuths with microscope-level attention to detail found signs that their unfinished BE romance back then might have been mutual. And the devoted fan who had stayed by An Qiao's side ever since she started vlogging, helping her move on from her heartbreak, seemed to be using an account that belonged to Gu Rang. On the show, during a bottle-spinning truth game by the sea at night, Gu Rang was asked which line of dialogue had left the deepest impression on him. His dark eyes met An Qiao's. "I helped you get over your heartbreak, while I only fell deeper." The viewers seemed to understand what the line meant. It had never appeared in the original novel, but had become wildly popular when it featured in the first TV drama Gu Rang starred in, adapted from an IP. -- I'm sorry. I'm the actor playing your romantic partner. -- But I really do like you. -- Blurb for "Summer Night, Tidal Sleep" [Fake Incest] -- When Zhi Xia brought her arranged-marriage partner home, the one who opened the door was Yu Jingze, who had left without a word three years earlier. He wore a white shirt, sleeves neatly rolled up, his posture tall and straight. The summer rainstorm came without warning. It stirred up the heart Zhi Xia had thought was long since quiet. "Brother, it's been a long time." She put a heavy emphasis on those two words, as if deliberately getting back at him. "Let me introduce you. This is my boyfriend." She thought she'd finally gotten even, but when she saw Yu Jingze's gaze, her heart clenched again. What did the grief in the eyes of someone who'd left so decisively mean? She went inside as if she didn't care and headed to the kitchen for a glass of ice water to cool the restlessness inside her. She had only just turned to leave when Yu Jingze, who had somehow come in without her noticing, grabbed her. Yu Jingze: "Break up with him." His voice was hoarse, and his hand tightened around her wrist despite himself. "What right do you have to control me? Because you're my brother?" "Mianmian, don't do this..." Zhi Xia sneered. "But you stopped being my brother a long time ago." - The forced engagement was called off, and in everyone's eyes, Zhi Xia was finally single again. She worked nine to five and turned down every invitation, making it seem as if she had no interest in starting a new relationship. "If you keep this up, people will think you still can't get over your former arranged-marriage partner." Her best friend knew exactly how to hit a nerve, so that very night, Zhi Xia went with her to a party. There were plenty of people at the party, and Yu Jingze was among them. After several rounds of drinking games, Zhi Xia finally drew the short straw. [Kiss any man here.] She looked around. Her eyes lingered briefly on Yu Jingze before she turned to the man beside her. Before she could say a single word, Yu Jingze tapped his glass against the table. "I'll drink for her." Yu Jingze didn't say a word for the rest of the party. Only after they got home did he stop Zhi Xia as she was about to get out of the car, cup the back of her head, and kiss her. "Did you really want to kiss another man just now?" His kiss was forceful, edged with uncontrollable anger. Zhi Xia pushed against his shoulder. "Yu Jingze, are you crazy? You're my brother!" Yu Jingze bit her lip in reproach. "Didn't you say I stopped being your brother a long time ago?" - Zhi Xia thought that ever since they got together, Yu Jingze seemed to enjoy comparing the woman she was now to the girl she'd been as a child. After their passionate embrace, she leaned against the doorframe in his white shirt. "When will my clothes be done in the dryer? I don't want to wear yours." Yu Jingze shut the dryer door and walked toward her. "You used to sneak into my clothes all the time when you were little, pretending to be a grown-up." Zhi Xia tipped her head back and protested. "That's different. Back then, all you'd do was roll up my sleeves for me. Now you..." She stopped halfway through, leaving only a blush and a racing heart. Yu Jingze chuckled, lowered his head to kiss her, and slowly slid a hand to her waist. Almost inaudibly, he said, "Why'd you stop? Because now I roll them up for you here?" -- Blurb for "Dodging a Hot Romance" -- Seven years ago. "Excuse me, could I get your contact information?" Young Chu Nianxiang stood on the sports field, smiling brightly. The sunlight fell on her, sparkling and dazzling the boy's heart. "Sure." The aloof, untouchable Qi Yan made an exception and let a girl scan his QR code. Seven years later. "Hello, could I get your contact information?" After losing a game, Chu Nianxiang stood beneath the dim lights of a bar, her cheeks faintly flushed. It was hard to tell whether she was drunk or shy. The cigarette smoke drifted away, gradually revealing Qi Yan's face. His dark eyes were languid, and his indifferent gaze sized up Chu Nianxiang. She quietly turned to the man beside Qi Yan. "I meant your contact information." Later on, Chu Nianxiang ran into Qi Yan, who lived across the hall from her best friend, in the corridor of her friend's apartment building. She softly called his name. "Could I add you on WeChat? It's for work..." Qi Yan nodded. "Sure." Chu Nianxiang lowered her head and opened the work group chat, finding Qi Yan's profile picture. Just as she was about to add him, Qi Yan held out his phone and interrupted her, stubbornly making her scan his QR code, just like seven years ago. Once, Chu Nianxiang had avoided what should have been a passionate first love like a deserter. Now, after their fateful reunion, she was willing to summon the courage to seek her sun again. - Chu Nianxiang leaned against the cabinet, holding the honey water Qi Yan had made for her, and looked at him with tipsy eyes. "Heehee, at the annual party tonight, I got my coworker the contact information of the person she likes. Now all my other coworkers are asking me for tips." She laughed without a care, but Qi Yan was displeased, crushing the mint candy in his mouth with a bite. In a low, husky voice, he said, "You really are eager to get other people's contact information. Were you practicing your technique on me?" Chu Nianxiang blinked, seemingly understanding but not quite. She set down her cup, wrapped both arms around Qi Yan, and murmured: "With you, I don't need any technique. It's all feelings." Theme: Love is right by your side