Rainy Night in Hong Kong

[My new novel, Hard to Resist the Mist, is now available]

[Marriage first, love later | Age gap | Hong Kong nobleman x heiress]

1.

Young Master Xie of Hong Kong was a man of privilege, cool and aloof. He took control of the Xie Group at a young age and was renowned for being ruthless and decisive, with no regard for human feelings.

When Yu Qingyu learned she was to marry him, she went to see her down-and-out childhood sweetheart, Song Zhirui, one last time, only to be turned away.

Years of secret love earned her just one sentence: "Qingyu, we're not on the same path anymore."

A cold rain fell at night. A low-key black car stopped outside the residential complex, its window reflecting her dazed, broken figure.

The driver asked, "Should I go pick up the madam?"

The man lowered his eyes, a cold glint gathering in them. "She's not the madam yet."

2.

Their wedding of the century was an extravagant spectacle, and everyone wished them well. Then the Hong Kong media suddenly reported: "A Marriage of Convenience!? Newlyweds Separate Immediately, Young Master Xie Returns to Hong Kong Alone in the Middle of the Night." The news caused an uproar.

People online mocked Yu Qingyu for being left alone in an empty home on her wedding night, unaware that she was delighted to have the place to herself.

After all, the mansion she'd fallen for the day before had been transferred into her name the next day.

Not to mention the jewels and designer couture that arrived at her door in a steady stream.

Yu Qingyu didn't understand it, but there was no reason not to accept money when it came, especially when she didn't even have to keep her husband company.

That is, until a photo of them kissing in the middle of the night was leaked. The bright, proud woman was held firmly by the jaw, her neck tilted back in a breathtakingly intimate scene.

Light and shadow played across the man's striking profile, and the corner of his mouth seemed to lift in the faintest smile.

Their wedding of the century was trending again.

What kind of marriage of convenience was this? It was harder than a diamond.

3.

After Song Zhirui made a comeback, the first thing he did was buy Yu Qingyu's favorite lilies and go see her.

Yu Qingyu looked uncomfortable. "Sorry, my husband and I have a pretty harmonious life together."

A large hand wrapped around her waist, and her slender back leaned against the man's chest.

Xie Boyan spoke lazily. "Honey, we shouldn't discuss this with outsiders."

Yu Qingyu's cheeks turned bright red as she buried herself in his arms.

She didn't notice Song Zhirui clenching his fist behind her, or Xie Boyan smiling as he looked back at him.

[Bonus Scene]

Alone in their empty home, Xie Boyan called his wife late at night. "Little Fish, it's raining on Hong Kong Island tonight."

Yu Qingyu was visiting her family when the hoarse voice on the other end made her heart race. "What's wrong?"

"Even the rain knows I'm thinking of you."

The rain fell tenderly. Every drop was me telling you I love you.

[Reader's Guide]

1. Bright, proud heiress x dignified nobleman, four-year age gap. Sweet romance.

2. One-on-one romance, both leads are each other's one and only, happy ending. Everyday life in a wealthy family, sweet romance. The hero falls in love after marriage; the second male lead faces a painful attempt to win her back. There is male rivalry.

3. Important: The heroine will never go bankrupt.

Upcoming novel, Hard to Resist the Mist

[Two wealthy families | Romance abroad | Marriage first, love later | Fake lady x pseudo-gentleman]

1.

Cheng Yanshen, head of the Cheng family in Beijing, was a refined, dignified young tycoon. His deep, soulful eyes were full of feeling, yet he acted with ruthless decisiveness.

The Miss Shen who married into his family was gentle and generous, the perfect socialite.

At the celebratory banquet, Shen Luoyi appeared in style with Cheng Yanshen, smiling warmly and caring for him attentively, the picture of a loving couple.

But as soon as the socializing ended, they tacitly moved apart, their eyes never meeting.

Onlookers saw it all and sighed over how distant the newlyweds seemed. They figured the marriage wouldn't last.

2.

Three months after the wedding, word got around that Shen Luoyi didn't like the decor of their marital home. So the Cheng family tore down the multimillion-yuan mansion and renovated it from scratch. Designer jewelry and couture were an everyday occurrence, and Mrs. Cheng had become even more pampered than before the wedding.

Everyone was stunned. Did a couple only pretending to be married really need to go this far?!

Later, Cheng Yanshen showed up alone at a gathering with friends, not touching tobacco or alcohol.

When they brought up his marriage, which seemed close in name only, he smiled faintly and dodged the question.

But before nine o'clock, Cheng Yanshen was already picking up his coat and getting to his feet. He merely said, "I have to go pick up my wife."

His cold demeanor was nowhere to be seen. He looked more devoted than anyone.

3.

Shen Luoyi slipped away from the reception and saw the man leaning against his car from a distance. Tall and poised, with an air of distinction, he looked every bit the perfect gentleman.

Remembering how he'd torn her nightgown the night before, she cursed under her breath: "Refined scoundrel."

In the cramped car, his suit jacket draped over her delicate evening dress. Cheng Yanshen pinned her on his lap, smiling as he murmured, "Cursing me again?"

"Didn't you know what I was like back in London?"

He leaned closer, his voice seductive. "I'll replace your nightgown. Fair's fair, so you owe me a tie, Mrs. Cheng."

--

Amid their passionate kiss, Shen Luoyi found herself thinking of the past.

A rainy night in London. A daringly dressed girl ran into a man's arms.

She looked up at him through a cloud of hazy blue smoke, her gaze unfocused. "Help me."

Cheng Yanshen glanced at the man chasing her and placed his palm against her slender waist.

He smiled. "And what will you give me in return?"

--One kiss on a London street, in exchange for all the romance of your life.

[Bonus Scene]

On his third day on a business trip to London, Cheng Yanshen called her. "You haven't replied for three hours, Mrs. Cheng. Have the bright lights of London gotten to you again?"

"They might have," Shen Luoyi said with a playful smile.

"Baby, open the door."

Theme: Love has no first or last. The one who gets there wins.