Has My Childhood Friend Gone to the Crematorium Yet?

Jiang Qingying grew up adored and pampered. Wealth and favor were ordinary to her, and since she had been frail from childhood, everyone around her indulged her and gave way to her. Little by little, she became spoiled and willful.

There was only one person in the world who could keep Jiang Qingying in line: her childhood friend, Xie Huaisheng, the eldest son of the Xie family, a distinguished family with a century-long reputation for integrity. Whenever no one else could handle Jiang Qingying, they would call Xie Huaisheng to clean up the mess.

Jiang Qingying liked Xie Huaisheng best of all. The two families agreed to arrange their engagement on the day Jiang Qingying came of age, but no one expected Xie Huaisheng to be absent.

That day, Jiang Qingying became the laughingstock of all Chang'an. Amid all the gossip, Xie Huaisheng hurried back, only to be pressured by the elders of both families into agreeing to the engagement.

Jiang Qingying knew nothing about this. Her elders told her to stay home and recuperate, claiming she should avoid contact with him for three months before the wedding. After putting up with it for a month, Jiang Qingying slipped out and went to a teahouse.

Through a door, she happened to hear someone ask, "Xie Huaisheng, don't you get tired of Jiang Qingying's behavior?" Jiang Qingying gave a smug little snort, ready to hear Xie Huaisheng confess his feelings. Instead, she heard his cool voice say, "Anyone would get tired of cleaning up messes all the time."

The other person asked teasingly, "Then why marry her?"

The young man's voice was utterly cold. "It's not as if I can let her die."

Laughter erupted in the private room.

The door opened, and Xie Huaisheng saw Jiang Qingying's deathly pale face.

He hurried toward her, but she slapped his hand away. For the first time, he saw just how unfamiliar Jiang Qingying's gaze could be.

Later, the gentleman, always cool and dignified, knelt remorsefully before the young woman and begged to marry her. The cold words from her delicate lips became his nightmare for the rest of his life:

Xie Huaisheng, I'd rather die than marry you.

1. One-on-one romance, happy ending, alternate universe. Please don't nitpick historical details; everything serves the plot.

2. The writing is like a light romance novel. I don't accept writing advice. Everyone has their own tastes. You don't need to tell me if you're dropping the story. Let's respect each other. Thank you.

3. Weibo: Yi Zhi Xiao Tian Yuan. Come say hi!

Theme: Learn to cherish what you have.