My Cherished, Cool and Reserved Husband

Shang Liang transmigrated into a book, landing in an old-fashioned melodramatic romance full of angst and clichés. He had become the hated, despised cannon-fodder villain.

The good news was that the original character's husband, Shi Qingyan, was the one he'd been dreaming of day and night.

The bad news was that Shi Qingyan hated the original character with a vengeance so deep that even grinding his bones to dust wouldn't be enough to settle the score.

And now Shang Liang had become that very character. The moment he opened his eyes, he had completely "ruined" the assassination plot Shi Qingyan had laid.

At that very moment, Shi Qingyan's hair was disheveled, and he was staring at Shang Liang with icy eyes. No matter how kindly Shang Liang treated him, Shi Qingyan ignored him and even tried to keep his distance.

Faced with his beloved's coldness, the bare thatched hut, the huge debts the original character had run up, and the gruesome fate of being torn apart by horses in the original story, Shang Liang shrugged. I think I can still turn things around. (wry smile.jpg)

*

Shi Qingyan had never done anything wrong, as far as he was concerned. He treated others kindly and worked hard, yet his good looks drew the attention of criminals, and after losing his parents, he was dragged into an abyss.

He thought he would spend the rest of his life consumed by hatred. He never expected someone to step in front of him, open their arms without reservation, and embrace him despite the blades covering his body...

Shi Qingyan cautiously reached out and clung tight to that warmth.

*

As an inheritor of an intangible cultural heritage carving tradition, Shang Liang had made a great success of himself in the modern world. Now, back at the dawn of carving's development, he was raring to go and confident he could make his mark in this other world!

From working as a laborer to pay off his debts to eventually founding a factory and thriving, Shang Liang never once let up.

Many people envied and resented Shang Liang's success, and often mocked him behind his back for being henpecked.

When Shi Qingyan repeated the gossip to Shang Liang, Shang Liang only laughed, taking it as a compliment. "They're just jealous that I've got such a wonderful husband, and that I get to live off him. My husband is so capable, and I like having him keep me in line. Who dares gossip about us?"

"Ahem..." Shi Qingyan covered his mouth and coughed lightly, amused.

Only his own husband could be so shameless about living off him.

After all, not everyone got to live off their husband.

[Reader's Guide]

1. [Plot-focused, not romance-focused!] This is technically my first novel. The writing is amateurish, so consider carefully before buying the paid chapters. Subscribing to 50% of the novel unlocks the bonus extras. Thank you for supporting the official release.

2. [Important] Some scenes are mildly angsty. The recipient's injured right leg will heal completely! Because of the world setting, the recipient is not strong at first, but will gradually grow stronger.

3. No childbirth in the main story. The childbirth scenario is included as an alternate-universe bonus extra.

4. This is a lightly ensemble-focused story, and every character has their own storyline, so the main characters take up a smaller share of many scenes. (If this bothers you, think carefully before buying the paid chapters.) Also, the author doesn't believe in perfect characters, including the protagonists.

5. This novel features intangible cultural heritage elements, specifically carving. Most of the carving knowledge in the story comes from online sources. I'm only an amateur, so please point out any professional errors and I'll gladly correct them. Thank you! (bows)

Theme: Carve with care, and love with all your heart.