Older Cousin

When his family falls into decline, the young cousin Xu Fengchi goes to seek refuge at the Marquis's residence. He has two options: curry favor with the Marquis's eldest son, Ji Weizhi, a man of immense influence, or climb onto the Marquis's eldest daughter, Ji Junci's, high branch.

The eldest son is the current Minister of Justice, a powerful and high-ranking official. Following him could lead to great things, but he keeps everyone at arm's length and is difficult to get along with.

The eldest daughter manages the Marquis's household, a noble lady of incomparable status. Though frail and sickly, she is renowned and deeply respected.

After weighing his options, Xu Fengchi decisively turns his attention to his cousin Ji Junci. He creates chance meetings whenever he can, brings her tea when she's thirsty, and gives her warm clothes when it's cold. For the sake of Ji Junci's praise, he even lies in wait in the snow for three days and nights in the dead of winter to hunt down a white fox. When bandits ambush them, he risks his life to take a sword for her.

But this fearless young cousin is afraid of only one person: the Marquis's eldest son, Ji Weizhi. He avoids him whenever possible. If he can't escape an encounter, he becomes as nervous and cautious as if treading on thin ice, timidly calling him "Cousin" and refusing to say anything more.

Everyone at the Marquis's residence knows that this young cousin does everything in his power to please Ji Junci while keeping his distance from Ji Weizhi.

At a spring banquet, Xu Fengchi accidentally drinks a medicinal porridge meant to entrap Ji Junci. The medicine takes effect. His clothes are disheveled, his cheeks flushed, and between soft, broken sounds, the words "cousin" and "older sister" are barely intelligible.

"The self-sacrifice routine didn't work, so now you're trying the beauty routine?" Ji Junci pinches his chin, her gaze cold. She is nothing like the frail young lady of the Marquis's residence.

In that instant, Xu Fengchi suddenly understands. "Cousin... No, you're... Cousin."

Who could have guessed that in the capital, within the Marquis's residence, the seemingly helpless young lady and the skilled, decisive eldest son were the same person?

Ji Junci points her long sword at him. "Should I call you Xu Fengchi, the young cousin of the Xu family? Or Fu Jianqing, the Blue-Faced Gentleman who escaped from the Ministry of Justice's prison?"

[Reading Guide]

1. One-on-one romance, both leads' first relationship, happy ending.

2. Both have secret identities, and between them they have eight hundred schemes.

3. Set in an imaginary world, with countless original details. Everything serves the plot.

◆ The cover background is by the artist Xiao Niba.

Theme: Though making a move is difficult, may you never regret it once made