Escalating

★Complete. My next novel is "Tidal Attraction." Please add it to your follows~

[Reserved, flirtatious young master from Beijing × two-faced acting ace from Shanghai | Marriage first, love later]

Jiang Shixian, heir to the Jiang family in Beijing, is refined, self-possessed, and highly regarded in elite circles. Unfortunately, he is bound by a childhood betrothal to the Qiao family's heiress from Shanghai, much to the regret of the many socialites who admire him.

On the eve of their arranged marriage, the two families meet for the first time. Jiang Shixian unexpectedly spots his fiancée's "younger sister," Qiao Li, the Qiao family's fake heiress, huddled in the corner of a corridor, pale-faced and sobbing quietly.

"I've loved him for eight years..."

"He just looked at me, and I feel like my heart is about to break."

"I love Jiang Shixian. I really do."

Before long, the young master is stolen away by the Qiao family's fake heiress.

The affair sparks heated discussion among high society, with everyone accusing the fake heiress of being scheming, despicable, greedy, and ungrateful.

On their wedding day, the newly minted Mrs. Jiang, Qiao Li, gazes at Jiang Shixian with eyes full of affection, clinging to his arm with passionate love.

After the last guest leaves, Jiang Shixian grabs Qiao Li's wrist, preparing to pull her arm away.

"Wait," Qiao Li reminds him quietly. "There's a paparazzo around the corner."

The man's eyes flicker. He pulls his hand back from the air, lowers his head, and kisses the back of her hand, his voice gentle. "Are you cold?"

Qiao Li: "..."

Damn, he's even better at acting than I am!

-

Later, at a charity gala, Qiao Li's calf is cut by shards from a wineglass that someone knocked over. Jiang Shixian hurriedly scoops her into his arms, his eyes filled with a tension he'd never shown anyone before.

In no time, hashtags like #Beijing'sYoungMasterJiangIsThePerfectHusband and #EvenTheRichHaveTrueLove shoot to the top of the trending list.

"The Oscars owe you a trophy!"

After her wound is treated in the lounge, Qiao Li scrolls through the trending topics and praises him with a laugh. "Jiang Group's stock will definitely go up when the market opens tomorrow."

At that, the man's face darkens, his gaze cold. "You think I'm acting?"

Before she can answer, he pins her shoulders. His pale fingers tighten as Jiang Shixian bends down and kisses her fiercely, so forcefully she can't escape...

When the kiss ends, Qiao Li is held tight against him. His hot breath brushes her ear as he asks in a husky voice, "What about now?"

A cool, distant gentleman from Beijing × a scheming, innocent-looking flower from Shanghai? (No)

A reserved man who's falsely proper × a two-faced acting ace (Yes)

#I love you, and I'm acting :)

#You said this was just acting, so why did you catch feelings?

Reader's Guide:

1. Devoted one-on-one romance, happy ending.

2. The leads aren't perfect.

3. The real and fake heiresses are good friends, and the young master doesn't wear prayer beads (doge).

Upcoming Novel One: "A Timed Heartbeat"

★Two powerful CEOs from Beijing, longtime rivals turned lovers

★Mutual pining | Tension to the limit | Love and hate

Everyone in Beijing knows the Jiang and Huo families are sworn enemies, locked in open and covert rivalry for years.

At the final round of a project bidding meeting, undercurrents run deep. The Jiang family's third daughter, Jiang Yicheng, and the Huo family's second son, Huo Siyu, sit beside each other, both impassive and not sparing the other so much as a glance...

The two sides are evenly matched, but the Jiang Group wins by a narrow margin on price.

After the bidding ends, the two run into each other outside the venue.

Huo Siyu congratulates her gracefully and courteously. "Congratulations."

Jiang Yicheng smiles faintly, polite and modest. "You let me win."

A passing business representative shakes their head in admiration: Win without arrogance and lose without resentment. What impeccable manners.

-

That night, in a villa halfway up the mountain.

Jiang Yicheng has barely entered the house when a strong arm wraps around her waist and pins her to the door before she can turn on the lights.

A cool, clean scent washes over her. The man's thin lips brush the back of her ear, his breath burning hot. "You schemed against me? Hmm?"

Jiang Yicheng chuckles. "So what if I did?"

His kiss, edged with anger, lands forcefully, carrying them from the entryway to the sofa. Jiang Yicheng calmly kisses him back, undoing his tie mid-kiss and binding his hands behind his back with it.

The man lets her do as she pleases and gives a low scoff. "You think this can hold me?"

Their lips part briefly. Jiang Yicheng raises a hand and gently strokes the moving hollow of his throat with her fingertips.

The bright moonlight illuminates her delicate profile. She curls the corner of her eye, her voice bewitchingly soft. "Don't move, Huo Siyu."

The two of them have an agreement.

The winner gets to take the lead.

Upcoming Novel Two: "Tidal Attraction"

★A powerful man from Shanghai × a proud young princess from Beijing | Marriage first, love later

Jiang Ranyue, the youngest daughter of the Jiang family in Beijing, has been the center of attention since childhood. Beautiful and haughty, she's the very image of a wealthy young lady. Unfortunately, she isn't particularly talented. Luckily, her older siblings are capable, so she can happily coast through life as a lazy little salted fish.

At a gathering of socialites, her usual nemesis, who takes pleasure in attacking her, is conspicuously absent.

An acquaintance shares the amusing story: it turns out the nemesis's arranged marriage was rejected, and Lin Moze, a powerful man from Shanghai, personally went to her home to call off the engagement...

Jiang Ranyue's eyes light up. She takes the opportunity to twist the knife. "Lin Moze has someone else in his heart. How could he possibly marry her?"

The gossiping crowd asks who the woman in his heart is.

"Me!"

The lazy little salted fish makes it up without missing a beat. "Too bad he's not my type. I've rejected him plenty of times."

As they chat and laugh, a man walks past them.

He has striking looks and a formidable presence. His indifferent gaze sweeps over them, silencing everyone around him.

Jiang Ranyue's breath catches. She instinctively knows he's not someone to mess with.

Just then, a friend beside her whispers, "That's Lin Moze, the man you supposedly rejected."

A few days later, Jiang Ranyue sees Lin Moze in her family's living room and feels her scalp go numb. Thinking he's come to settle the score, she nervously tugs on her sister's sleeve and whispers, asking what he's here for.

The man seems to have superhuman hearing. He looks at her with a faintly amused expression and answers frankly, "I haven't given up. I've come to propose to the woman in my heart."

Jiang Ranyue: "..."

-

Businessmen put profit first, and marriage is no exception.

At first, Lin Moze chose Jiang Ranyue as his marriage alliance partner because she was empty-headed, like a pretty vase, and wouldn't require much effort from him.

But later, he fell hard for her, found himself wrapped around her little finger, and willingly sank deeper and deeper...

Theme: Success in both career and love.