Cold-Water Fish [A Fake Bad Boy's Redemption]

“No one's more handsome than me and worse than me.”

◆ Good Girl VS Bad Boy

■ Marriage First, Love Later / The Bad Boy Turns Over a New Leaf / Rekindled Romance

Yun Xinle is sweet, pretty, and an excellent student, a model pupil in the eyes of her teachers and classmates.

When she smiles, two sweet dimples appear.

The only rebellious thing about her is probably the three piercings in her right ear.

During the summer break before her second year of high school, she had the bad luck to run into an incompetent piercing-shop owner.

But something good happened that day, too.

The boy had sharp, handsome features and a youthful air. His slender fingers held the refund he'd gotten back for her, and his cool, flirtatious eyes gazed at her.

“Come on, stop crying. It's not a big deal,” Wenren Hao said, the corners of his mouth turning down as if he were impatient. “Leave it alone. It'll heal in a few days.”

-

Those three piercings caused Yun Xinle plenty of trouble.

But she kept them.

Just like the many moments when loving him hurt.

She'd rather suffer than give him up.

On the day they broke up, Yun Xinle stared at Wenren Hao's handsome, wicked face and carefully enunciated, “Wenren Hao, I'll never fall for the same person twice.”

He said, “Me neither.”

She lowered her head and held back her tears. “...Don't regret it.”

Wenren Hao let out a faint, mocking laugh. “Fine.”

-

Yun Xinle never imagined their paths would cross again years later.

She had become a fairly well-known director in the industry, while he was now a superstar at the peak of his fame in the world of sports.

After offending a senior figure in the industry, Yun Xinle was targeted by rumors claiming she'd gotten all her achievements by being someone's mistress.

Her career hit rock bottom, and rumors and abuse surrounded her. That was when Wenren Hao appeared in front of her.

“Stop crying. It's not a big deal.” His cool, fox-like eyes glanced at her as he slid over a contract. “Suppose you had a handsome, outstanding husband you'd known since high school. He'd be enough to get you clear of all the rumors and even let you slap the faces of everyone who's been slandering you.”

“And as it happens, I also need a wife to deal with the rumors in the industry and my elders pressuring me to get married.”

Yun Xinle knew exactly which rumors he meant.

She searched for news about him and could hardly believe that the man the media called “free of romantic scandals,” “not interested in women,” and “the most chaste man in sports” was Wenren Hao.

He'd always insisted publicly that he was single, to the point that many people suspected he was gay.

He added, “Don't worry. We'll be a respectful married couple and stay out of each other's way.”

-

“I'll never fall for the same person twice” means:

“I've always loved you.”

“The beloved is a fish kept in cold water.”

🐠 Pretty, soft, and adorable heroine × flirtatious on the outside, crazy on the inside, wicked dog of a hero

🐟 “The best hunters always appear as prey.” The heroine is doted on by everyone and has only suffered the pain of unrequited love. The male lead is a student athlete and a professional recurve-bow archer.

🐳 Both are inexperienced / Happy ending / School and city life. The male lead is pure-hearted. He has a reason for breaking up. Please don't give me writing advice.

(Archived on Weibo, @Baby Li- on June 13, 2026)

Theme: Love helps people grow