[The real second male lead gets the girl, with plenty of scenes for the male lead]
[Age gap / pseudo-siblings / groveling romance]
At eight, Jiang Nuan was brought to the Xi family by her mother, gaining an older brother in name. Xi Huaili didn't like this new sister, and he liked his new stepmother even less.
At fifteen, Jiang Nuan was forced to leave the Xi family. On a rainy night, she went to Xi Huaili for shelter. From then on, Jiang Nuan received a kind of tenderness and affection she'd never known before.
Everyone said the eldest son of the Xi family kept a canary in his suburban villa in the western outskirts. After every business dinner, he always went home and never stayed out overnight. But no one had ever seen what the canary looked like.
Jiang Nuan thought she was different. But on the day she confessed to Xi Huaili, all she got was, “I only think of you as my little sister.”
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Years later, Jiang Nuan had become a little-known actress. To get her to sign with his company, Xi Huaili said he would grant her any one request.
Jiang Nuan said, “Isn't Lu Siyuan's drama missing a female lead? Let me do it.”
Lu Siyuan was an award-winning actor with superb skills and a discerning eye for scripts. He also had high standards for his costars. Someone like Jiang Nuan wasn't even qualified for a supporting role.
And yet Jiang Nuan really did land the female lead role opposite Lu Siyuan.
Soon afterward, they were rumored to be dating, with gossip claiming they'd fallen for each other on set.
While the rumors were at their peak, Xi Huaili made a big show of visiting the set. Jiang Nuan introduced him to Lu Siyuan: “This is my boss.”
Xi Huaili raised an eyebrow, then slowly reached out and took Jiang Nuan by the wrist, his thumb rubbing her delicate skin a few times.
Jiang Nuan forced herself to add, “He's also my brother.”
Lu Siyuan reached out to shake Xi Huaili's hand. Their eyes met, and the veins stood out on the backs of their hands.
Xi Huaili kept his composure, but inside, a storm was raging.
He'd known things were slipping out of his control ever since Lu Siyuan had volunteered to act alongside Jiang Nuan.
Blurb written on April 27, 2025, screenshot saved.
Theme: Persistence leads to victory.
