My Delicate Cousin

[Historical romance "My Husband Is Chaste and Desireless" is now underway. Love after marriage. If you're interested, visit my profile to add it to your favorites!]

Xu Sheng learns that she isn't the biological daughter of the Xu family.

She watches as the Xu family pretends to send her to the Duke's residence while they bring their real daughter home. Once her identity is exposed, they'll abandon her. She comes up with a plan: why not use her cousin as a protector and make the marriage official? They can be together for two or three months, then part ways.

Xu Sheng tearfully pleads with Chi Jingzhou, speaking in a soft, coaxing voice: "Cousin, let Shengsheng give you a kiss. You won't dodge, okay?"

Chi Jingzhou returns from riding horses and strolling through the gardens, frowning. "Xu Sheng, what piece of jewelry have you set your sights on this time? Why not just say so?"

Everyone in the capital knows that the Xu family's fake daughter has a cousin who spends lavishly on her. Xu Sheng outshines the real daughter. Even though her identity is false, she's still as unattainable as the moon in the sky.

But Chi Jingzhou has been entangled with the legitimate daughter of a vice minister for three years. Every time they meet, Xu Sheng has to cover for him with a lie. He's hardly a suitable match.

Chi Jingzhou sees Xu Sheng, whom he's cherished since childhood, blush shyly as she tugs at him and asks, "Brother Jingzhou, what do you think of that top scholar? Shengsheng wants to marry him."

At first, he doesn't take it to heart. That is, until Xu Sheng really does marry into the top scholar's household. Once a mirror is broken, it cannot be made whole again.

One day, political fortunes shift. The childless emperor intends to pass the throne to the young duke.

At the spring banquet, Xu Sheng is grabbed by the wrist and dragged, stumbling, all the way into the inner palace. Rabbit lanterns flicker overhead. She stares at the reddish-brown collar of his robe and speaks in a low voice.

"Your Majesty, Kunning Palace is where the future empress will live. This is against propriety."

The new emperor hides the bloody darkness in his eyes and patiently coaxes the scheming young lady he has known since childhood. "Shengsheng, will you marry me?"

A shark-like villainess x a cool, scheming emperor

[Historical romance "The Wealthy Wife Next Door" is complete!]

A fishmonger's daughter has the good fortune to become the young mistress of a local magnate's household, and she no longer has to work from dawn till dark. But her husband is a sickly man who can barely speak without gasping. He's so thin and frail, she doesn't even know if he can father a child and secure her position as young mistress.

That night, Chu Linglong marries with a heart full of worry. Little does she know that she has underestimated this sickly husband.

Their married life is fairly happy.

It turns out that, to ensure the family had an heir, the grandmother secretly switched the groom, and a page from the household stood in for him.

A month after consummating the marriage, Chu Linglong's wish comes true and she becomes pregnant. But fate has other plans: her sickly husband dies, leaving her a wealthy widow!

On the day she gives birth, the son of Grand Academician Jiang from the capital comes to visit. He stands outside the birthing chamber all night long.

Afterward, on New Year's Eve, when the child reaches out to grab a lucky charm, Mr. Jiang sends a gift and gives the baby a name.

Later, when the child falls ill, Mr. Jiang sends an imperial physician and takes the utmost care of them.

That would be fine, but Chu Linglong can't sleep at night, so Mr. Jiang plays the qin for her in the middle of the night. At last, she can't take it anymore.

The next day, Chu Linglong goes to her grandmother and complains bitterly: "Mr. Jiang is the son of a grand academician, of all people. Why doesn't he know to keep his distance?"

Her grandmother says nothing. That night, she gives Chu Linglong a bowl of medicine. When Chu Linglong wakes, she's somehow married to Mr. Jiang!

He takes her by force and keeps her in a gilded cage. She refuses to accept it. "One day, I'll kill you!"

"If you wanted me dead, could you really bring yourself to do it?"

That's right. This Mr. Jiang, with his cool expression and taciturn manner, and that wretched habit of refusing to let her go, is so much like her short-lived husband...

[Check out my completed older novel "Hidden Gold Branch": a straightforward county princess of Lingnan x a regent disguised as an exiled monk.]

[Check out my completed historical romance "Spoiled and Entangled" (both leads reborn): a scheming, innocent-looking little dancer x a ruthless, ambitious tyrant.]

[Contest entry statement: After learning her true background, the heroine doesn't deny who she is or try to prove anything to anyone. She faces the situation with determination, returns to her own path, and pursues and realizes her self-worth.]

Theme: Dare to say no to those who doubt you.