Quickly Draw It

Polished Poor Beauty X Wealthy Fake Tough Guy

She wants his money X He wants her body

1,

Tan Zhimo runs a concept store. In two words, it is refined; in three, refined but broke.

Jian Yan survived an avalanche on Mount Rainier in the United States. After spending more than ten hours on a plane, he walked into Tan Zhimo's store, unshaven and disheveled, and bought a birthday card and a lace nightgown for women.

The birthday card was for someone else.

The lace nightgown was something Tan Zhimo had managed to fleece him into buying.

2,

On an amateur dating reality show, Tan Zhimo and Jian Yan kept running into each other. After it aired, their fewest interactions generated the most buzz. The top comment read:

"I refuse to believe they weren't making out off camera!"

By then, four months had passed since filming. The all-knowing netizens compared their whereabouts and came to a conclusion: They got married in a flash! They eloped!

In fact, they hadn't.

In fact, they hadn't been in touch for four months.

3,

Where there's buzz, there's money to be made.

Tan Zhimo found Jian Yan on Spain's King's Little Path and proposed to him. The King's Little Path is built along sheer cliffs and is known as a death-defying trail. Jian Yan could only say that the reputation was well deserved.

After they got married, Tan Zhimo's income soared.

One evening, while Jian Yan was changing a light bulb, Tan Zhimo held the ladder for him and belatedly asked, "I married you for your money. What about you? Why did you marry me?"

The only light in the room came from a flashlight, its beam wavering dimly. Jian Yan looked down at Tan Zhimo. "Your hand."

"I'm holding it..."

"What are you holding?"

"The ladder!"

From above, Jian Yan pointed the flashlight at Tan Zhimo's hand, which was practically gripping his upper thigh.

"Oh," Tan Zhimo said, putting on a look of alarm as she pulled her hand away. "How inappropriate of me."

This could barely count as their third instance of physical contact since getting married.

The first two times, he had been much more inappropriate.

As for why Jian Yan married Tan Zhimo: she wanted his money, and he wanted her body. They were a perfect match.

Reader's Guide: SC HE

The novel's secondary couple: Song Xiaoshu x Shen Ruide, from Excellent, Good, Average, Poor

Blurb:

Emotionally steady reality-show staffer, occasionally breaks down, charm level up, up

X

A rich second-generation heir who dances on landmines but is no fool, and looks stunning when it matters

1,

Song Xiaoshu has been with four men. One man for each category, just enough to sum them up as "Excellent, Good, Average, Poor."

Shen Ruide never imagined that, despite being handsome, funny, and rich, he would only earn an "Average" from Song Xiaoshu's rating system.

2,

Two years ago.

Song Xiaoshu accepted her boyfriend's breakup without batting an eye. At the same time, Shen Ruide was being dumped by his girlfriend in public. The scene wasn't merely awkward or unpleasant. It was truly awful...

Two fellow sufferers, they huddled together for warmth.

Subjectively, it felt pretty good.

Objectively, Shen Ruide said Song Xiaoshu had a tiny chest and barely spoke, while Song Xiaoshu said Shen Ruide had a flat butt and made too much noise when he cried.

They didn't say goodbye at dawn. They went their separate ways.

3,

Two years later.

Song Xiaoshu and Shen Ruide ran into an old friend-with-benefits in a foreign land, and rekindled their relationship.

Song Xiaoshu still didn't say much, and Shen Ruide was just as noisy when he laughed as when he cried.

What started as rekindling an old flame turned into a bad sequel.

Song Xiaoshu was already being generous by giving Shen Ruide an "Average."

Shen Ruide was, of course, unhappy with that rating.

But what could he do? He could only swallow his dissatisfaction.

During the day, Song Xiaoshu remained unruffled while he fretted himself sick.

At night, Song Xiaoshu rewarded him with a slap and praised him as a good dog, leaving him unable to stop.

Theme: Live bravely, love bravely