A Drowning Kiss for the Rose

[New novel, Love After Marriage: Hong Kong Nights in the Rain, now available]

1.

On the eve of her return to China, renowned designer Liang Mengyin received a trending topic from a friend.

The topic was about the most memorable thing from one's first love.

Her memory flashed back to that noisy summer day.

The young man beside the desk had his eyes closed. His features were handsome, his profile sharp. When Liang Mengyin leaned closer, he abruptly opened his eyes.

Chen Shixu furrowed his brow slightly. "Get off."

"No." The girl sitting on his lap smiled, her eyes curving.

It was her second year living under the Chen family's roof.

That little incident beneath the same roof was forgotten by them both.

Liang Mengyin thought: It barely counted as a first love.

They'd only slept together.

2.

At a party after her return, Liang Mengyin suddenly met a pair of cold, dark eyes in the crowd.

The man wore a meticulously tailored suit and crisp shirt, buttoned right up to the top. He was distant and haughty, both familiar and strange.

Her mother wanted to ease the tension between them and brought up their childhood memories.

Liang Mengyin's lips curved. "I have a bad memory. Please excuse me, Mr. Chen."

Chen Shixu's expression did not change. He merely nodded to Liang's mother, then walked away.

As they passed, their hands brushed briefly before separating.

Neither mentioned the reckless affair from four years ago.

That night, the man cornered Liang Mengyin in her room, his breath brushing her neck, his breathing heavy with desire.

Just like that night four years ago.

Only after he had kissed her until she was dazed did the man's low voice fall beside her ear. "Is this the only way to make you remember?"

"Or do you need me to remind you of our relationship?"

3.

Later, Liang Mengyin discovered a little secret.

A tiny rose was tattooed on the chest her fingers had brushed so many times.

Right over his heart.

Later still, she got a rose tattoo of her own.

On her ring finger.

Anti-piracy threshold: 70%, 72-hour delay. Please don't contact me about pirated copies.

[Reading Guide]

1. Living-under-one-roof trope, second chance romance. No intimate scenes before adulthood. Includes some pursuit by the heroine.

2. 1v1, happy ending, both leads' first and only love. Bright, flirtatious heroine x cool, self-controlled hero.

3. Intense push and pull, with interwoven flashbacks. Bittersweet and sweet.

4. Please don't pirate this novel. Piracy will be pursued!

5. Respect personal preferences. Please don't make up misleading warnings!

--Pre-release: Hong Kong Nights in the Rain

#LoveAfterMarriage#

1.

The young Master Xie of Hong Kong was noble and aloof. He took charge of the Xie Group at a young age and was renowned for his coldness and decisiveness.

After learning she was to marry him, Yu Qingyu went to see her down-on-his-luck childhood friend Song Zhirui one last time, only to be turned away.

Years of secret love earned her just one sentence: "Qingyu, we're not right for each other anymore."

On a cold, rainy night, a discreet black car stopped outside her residential complex, its window reflecting her heartbroken figure.

The driver asked, "Should we go pick up Madam?"

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

2.

The grand wedding of the century was a lavish affair. Amidst the flood of well-wishes, Hong Kong media suddenly reported: "A Marriage of Convenience!? Newlyweds Separate Immediately, Young Master Xie Returns to Hong Kong Alone in the Dead of Night." The news caused an uproar.

Online commenters mocked Yu Qingyu for spending her wedding night alone in an empty home, unaware that she was enjoying the peace and quiet.

After all, the luxury home she'd admired the day before had been transferred into her name the next day.

And that was nothing compared to the jewels and couture outfits arriving at her door one after another.

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

Until a photo of them kissing late at night was leaked. The bright and proud woman had her chin held firmly as she tilted her neck back, the scene intimate and dazzling.

Light lingered on the man's striking profile, the corner of his lips lifting in the faintest smile.

The wedding of the century trended again.

This was no marriage of convenience. It was harder than diamond.

3.

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

Yu Qingyu looked troubled. "Sorry, my husband and I are doing just fine."

A large hand wrapped around her waist, drawing her slender figure into the man's arms.

Xie Baiyan spoke lazily. "Honey, let's not discuss this with outsiders."

Yu Qingyu's cheeks turned scarlet as she buried her face in his chest.

She missed the sight of Song Zhirui clenching his fist behind her, and Xie Baiyan looking back with a smile.

[Short Scene]

After spending a long time alone in their empty home, Xie Baiyan called his wife late at night. "Little Fish, it's raining on Hong Kong Island tonight."

Back in her hometown to visit family, Yu Qingyu heard his hoarse voice through the phone, and her heart suddenly raced. "What is it?"

"Even the rain knows how much I miss you."

The rain falls in a romantic rhythm. Every drop says, I love you.

Theme: Be true to yourself, and be true to the one who makes your heart flutter.