After the Brooding Young Master Discovers Her True Colors

■ A calculating flirt who knows how to reel a man in and train him

■ The male lead is utterly devoted × The female lead's fake affection has a little real feeling mixed in

On a damp, sweltering, rainy day, Shu Jia meets Wu Ze for the first time.

He's the exalted young master of the Wu family, and in other people's eyes a monster: strange in his manner, with a mercurial temperament.

She's the daughter of a deceased servant, and only the master's pity has given her a temporary place to stay in a remote guest room.

At their first meeting, the young master wears a gloomy expression on his handsome face. His cold gaze sweeps over her, undisguised hatred in his eyes.

He tells her to get out in a fit of temper and never show her face again.

In front of others, Shu Jia quietly cleans up the mess, her damp eyes brimming with tears.

Alone, she casually shakes the puff covered in blush. The timidity vanishes as she says into her phone, "I just need to get him to notice me. It's easy."

To carry out her plan, Shu Jia weaves a web of feigned affection, making it seem like her heart is full of sincerity.

To outsiders, she's the only person who can put up with Wu Ze.

His eccentric temper, sensitive nature, and mercurial moods: she accepts them all without complaint.

At last, one day, Wu Ze does something out of character and asks Shu Jia to stay.

He plucks up the courage to reveal his true feelings, quietly telling her no one has ever truly liked him.

Shu Jia raises a hand to touch his face, her eyes full of sympathy. "Don't be afraid. You have me now."

Her web closes around the young master without him noticing, trapping him until he can no longer bear to be without her.

Then, while holding him tight, she'll stab him in the back.

-

One day, Wu Ze wakes up to find his girlfriend's phone lighting up beside him.

He glances at it casually, then freezes, his eyes fixed on the screen until it goes dark.

The message reads: [According to the plan, you should have won over that difficult young master by today, right?]

[Reading guide※]

1. The male lead is mercurial. Early on, he humiliates and teases the heroine. Later, he willingly becomes her dog.

2. Includes, but isn't limited to, the male lead going crazy, romantic rivalry, her running while he chases, and forced love. The heroine is always in control of the relationship.

3. The heroine is calculating and seductive. She uses the male lead, deceives him about her feelings, and sweet-talks him with feigned affection. Please only read if you can accept this, and don't insult the heroine over it. This is not a strong, independent heroine story, not a strong, independent heroine story, not a strong, independent heroine story!

4. A mix of cheesy, melodramatic, old-school, and Mary Sue elements. It's a web novel for entertainment, so enjoy it without overthinking, hehe.

5. Neither lead is perfect.

[A story where the author lets loose and indulges their personal preferences. If this isn't for you, or you like to imagine yourself as the protagonist, please read with caution.]

My next story will be Neon Jellyfish. Blurb:

■ When a despicable, gloomy school bully falls for a cute, oblivious girl...

■ A beloved, sunny girl × a cold-blooded, possessive bad seed

When Sang Muning realizes Chi Yousheng has finally stopped resisting her attempts to get close, she's delighted.

She's a girl without much guile. When she considers someone a friend, she gives them her whole heart and treats them well.

So even though everyone says the boy is a freak, even though her friends are all afraid of Chi Yousheng and don't dare breathe too loudly around him,

Sang Muning still bravely steps in front of him and corrects her friends sternly: "Chi Yousheng is a good person. He's actually very kind."

What Sang Muning doesn't know is that, as she sits beside Chi Yousheng and carefully bandages his wounds,

the cold-faced boy beside her, head lowered and silent, is considering how he can tie her to his side forever.

Her friends aren't wrong. He really does repay kindness with malice, forget favors, and was born a bad seed.

For example, right now, the girl feels so sorry for his wound that her eyes are red and she looks ready to cry, while he wickedly wonders what her tears taste like.

And her lips.

Chi Yousheng's gaze drops. He thinks they must be wonderful to kiss.

-

"Did you know jellyfish have no hearts, so they can't feel sadness or pain?"

"By saving me, you're dragging me down to hell."

Message: Live life positively