A Midsummer Marriage Pact

Marriage first, love later | Complete strangers | Slow-burn romance | He falls first

Gentle, clear-headed meteorologist × aloof, refined surgeon

1-

At twenty-four, Gu Nianyi married a stranger, and her peaceful life was turned upside down.

At the time, all she knew about Lu Jin'an was that he was the eldest son of the prestigious Lu family, one of the most prominent families in Nancheng, and a surgeon with a brilliant future ahead of him.

Gu Nianyi first met Lu Jin'an at the civil affairs bureau. He was two hours late, and his refined, striking features radiated an aloof chill.

After the wedding, the two kept out of each other's way. Lu Jin'an casually tossed their marriage certificate into a drawer.

One day, Gu Nianyi went to the hospital and happened to see the refined yet carefree man chatting with a friend in his office. When asked about their sudden marriage, Lu Jin'an replied coolly, “I was just fulfilling an old person's request.”

A man who wouldn't inherit the family business and wasn't swayed by love would hardly care about marriage.

2-

One day after their wedding, Gu Nianyi was crying alone in the spare bedroom. After hesitating, Lu Jin'an pulled her into his arms and let her tears soak his shirt.

The next day, Lu Jin'an awkwardly searched for ways to comfort a woman, then rushed all over the city to find every collaboration edition of Gu Nianyi's favorite plush toy.

His friend reproached him. “What's with all the effort to cheer up your wife? Did you catch feelings?”

Lu Jin'an stopped in his tracks, his gaze deep. “I don't want her to cry.”

Later, an unprecedented once-in-a-century deluge hit Nancheng.

Gu Nianyi was caught in the storm while out gathering data, and lost contact with the outside world.

It was Lu Jin'an who pushed aside the barrier in front of her.

For the first time, Gu Nianyi saw Lu Jin'an in such a disheveled state. His thin shirt was soaked through, and mottled streaks of blood marked his knuckles.

He walked toward her step by step and said gently, “Wifey, give me a hug.”

Bonus scene

After sharing a bed for months without anything happening, Gu Nianyi began to wonder if Lu Jin'an might be impotent.

She posted an online medical question: “I suspect my husband has a private medical issue. How can I tactfully get him to see a doctor?”

The sunset fell through a gap in the curtains and spilled across the floor. Gu Nianyi looked at the two empty boxes illuminated by the afterglow and remembered the man who had been making love to her all night.

Beside her, Lu Jin'an smiled and asked, “Wifey, do I still need to see a doctor?”

“Cicadas sing in the height of summer, the tides ebb and flow, and nothing in life is certain.

Now that we've met, there's no time to waste.”

Theme: You will eventually meet the person who will stay by your side for life.