Beneath Her Skirt [Childhood Sweethearts]

1. As one of the most beautiful actresses in today's entertainment industry, Zhu Xining's name has become an adjective among her looks-obsessed fans. Even when her acting is so bad that her projects score the lowest rating on Douban, people still make excuses for her.

Her biggest backer is her true sugar daddy: her own father.

The New Year brought her a nomination for the Worst Broom Award. To make matters worse, news came that the Zhu family might go bankrupt.

Just as she was at a complete loss, her mother called and said there was still a way out. "It would be great if we could reach a strategic partnership with the Chi family. A Yan has known us forever, so we can trust him."

"...?"

Thinking of the jerk who'd ruined her plans countless times over the years, Zhu Xining immediately tried to hang up. Her assistant quietly reminded her, "Ningning, if the Zhu family goes under, who's going to be willing to pour money into making your films?"

"Wait!" Zhu Xining quickly came around. "I think... the Zhu family might still be salvageable!"

2. The haughty Miss Zhu went to meet him fully disguised. She wouldn't even take off her sunglasses in the private room. With a cold expression, she tossed out the prenuptial agreement she'd written overnight. "Take this and memorize it."

Chi Yan lounged across from her, propping his chin on one hand as he flipped through it with interest. "I watched a really good drama recently. What was that line again..."

Zhu Xining frowned and couldn't help sliding her sunglasses down. She thought, See? This dog and I have never been on the same wavelength.

Chi Yan tapped his phone a few times and sent her a screenshot that read, "Ming Lou, get on your knees. Your sister has a favor to ask." Then he looked up at her with a meaningful glance. "Your acting isn't bad either. You imitate it pretty well."

3. You'd expect sworn enemies who became spouses to make each other's lives miserable, but the two were strangely in sync in one particular area.

When things got heated, she was made to say cloying, flirtatious things without thinking. Sometimes she even wondered in a daze whether Chi Yan had really fallen for her.

One day, Zhu Xining unexpectedly discovered that the usually disciplined Chi Yan smoked. Yet in all the time they'd lived together, she had never smelled smoke on him.

She confronted him with the evidence, and he didn't deny it. "I used to smoke heavily. I quit."

"Really?" Zhu Xining didn't believe him. "When?"

"When my love was unrequited, and after my wish came true." Chi Yan smiled at her without a trace of seriousness. "Princess Zhu, are you satisfied with that answer?"

Princess Zhu's face flushed red, but she was stubborn to the end.

"...It's all right."

#An unconventional childhood-friends sweet romance. His secret crush comes true from the hero's perspective, while the heroine's reaction is more like, well... she came around.

#The heroine's family will not go bankrupt. Her status as a wealthy heiress will never change.

[Next novel: Out of Control]

Three years after her parents returned to the capital from an overseas work assignment, Sheng Xuanyi inexplicably found himself with a second little sister he hadn't wanted at all. His parents named her Ji Nian.

She had neither her mother's nor her father's surname. Their explanation to Sheng Xuanyi was that they had named her to honor Uncle Ji, their comrade who had died in the line of duty.

More than a decade passed. The annoying second child had gradually become an irreplaceable part of the family, bound to him by blood.

Sheng Xuanyi couldn't even relate to his former self anymore. How could he not have wanted such an adorable, lovable little princess back then?

One day after graduation, Sheng Xuanyi spent the night at home. He accidentally overheard his parents arguing in their room. His father insisted that they tell his sister the truth about her parentage once she came of age, but his mother refused.

Shocked, he felt his way to the kitchen downstairs, hoping to grab a cold drink from the fridge and calm down.

Suddenly, he heard a click behind him as someone flicked on the light. In the glare stood Ji Nian, wrapped in nothing but a towel around her chest. When she saw him, she shrieked, "A ghost! Sheng Xuanyi? Why are you sneaking around in the dark without turning on the light?!"

Sheng Xuanyi opened a bottle and gulped down some cold water. Then he walked over, picked up the shawl she'd casually tossed aside earlier, and threw it at her face. "Show some respect. Call me big brother."

The girl snapped back in fury. "Sheng Xuanyi, are you crazy?!"

Later, on another night, in a room where it was unclear whether he was dreaming or awake, the girl sitting on top of him was just as disrespectful, calling him Sheng Xuanyi. "Are you insane?"

But this time, he tightened his grip on her waist, kissed her lips, and wouldn't let her escape. "Call me big brother."

#The heroine is Uncle Ji's daughter. Her birth mother will return later and take her away. The leads will not develop romantic feelings before then.

Theme: Never let deep love go unreturned. What does it matter if you're alone?