Han Jinru, a middle-school Chinese teacher, confiscates a student's copy of My Consort Is a Black Lotus during class. She reads more than half before bed, then wakes up inside the book as...
the tutor to a doomed little crown prince.
In disguise as a man.
Han Jinru: How do you recite the Memorial on the Expedition?
Song Jiaqing: The late emperor's cause was not yet half complete when he started selling roasted sweet potatoes...
Han Jinru: ...Where did the sweet potatoes come from?
Song Jiaqing pulls one out of his clothes: I roasted it yesterday.
Han Jinru, near tears with frustration: Do you know that if you get another zero, His Majesty won't pay me my performance bonus? Do you want me to starve to death?
Song Jiaqing pulls out another sweet potato: That's why I roasted one for you, too.
Han Jinru takes it and bites in, only to realize it's gone bad: ...You're the worst class I've ever taught.
As his consciousness faded, Song Jiaqing thought, If I could live my life over, could I change this ending?
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself back at age thirteen.
The difference was that a young tutor now sat before him, pretending to be stern as she asked him about the title of the Memorial on the Expedition.
Theme: Your master-disciple romance and my master-disciple romance don't seem to be the same
