The Darling on His Lap

From the heroine's perspective: Awkward everyday life after an uncle and niece become husband and wife.

From the hero's perspective: A lofty beauty uses underhanded means to claim what he wants.

Twelve-year age gap. A false iceberg x genuinely sweet and gentle.

The marriage between Jiang Xuezhi and Pei Xun began with coercion and compromise.

The man she truly loved, and was originally supposed to marry, was Pei Xun's nephew, Pei Cen, her childhood sweetheart. But on their wedding day, the groom who was supposed to come for her failed to show. After the elders of both families discussed the matter, Jiang Xuezhi's bridal sedan was carried into Pei Xun's residence instead.

Jiang Xuezhi admired bright, warm-hearted young men like Pei Cen. Pei Xun, by contrast, held a high position and was aloof and imposing. He was also twelve years older than her.

Jiang Xuezhi was afraid of him.

On their wedding night, she cried until her eyes were red, unsure what the future held.

Then the man who had always kept his distance from women studied her quietly for a long time. Afterward, he tentatively kissed her red lips, so gently it was as if he feared he might break something.

*

When Pei Xun was seven, he found a baby rabbit. It was snowy white, soft, gentle, and adorable, but his mother, a princess, killed it right in front of him. For years afterward, Pei Xun never liked anything again.

Until, at twenty-nine, he came across another "rabbit."

At the time, she was crying because a cat had been injured. When she saw him, her almond-shaped eyes brimmed with tears, the corners red and damp. She was clearly afraid of him, yet still called him timidly and with proper respect, "Th-Th... Third Uncle."

Pei Xun suddenly found himself wanting to pick up this rabbit and bring her back, keeping her in the palm of his hand so no one else could ever touch her.

Reader's Guide: The heroine calls the male supporting character Third Uncle. The male supporting character has serious flaws in how he treats people; the male lead is mildly possessive and manipulative. Includes an uncle-nephew rivalry, but this is a sweet one-on-one romance.

Theme: Sincere hearts deserve sincerity in return.