A Delusional Fall

[The Movie Emperor Really Isn't Secretly in Love with Me] Ongoing~ Please add it to your favorites~

Xia Shen grew up surrounded by love, and being spoiled made him a little willful.

When he accidentally learned that his parents planned to divorce, he got angry and started acting out. First, he applied to universities in another province on his own and gave his doting parents the cold shoulder to show his displeasure. When that failed to change their minds, he took things up a notch.

He decided to get a boyfriend and threaten his parents into staying together.

Somehow, he ended up getting involved with his senior's older brother.

-

While Jiang Qi was taking a video call, a clingy kid latched onto him.

The kid was impossible to shake off, constantly declaring that he was going to pursue him. It was enough to give Jiang Qi a headache.

“What do you like about me?” Jiang Qi finally asked.

Xia Shen had no answer. After staring blankly for ages, all he could say was that love needed no reason.

How perfunctory. How ridiculous.

As Jiang Qi met his gaze, he mentally listed all the reasons they wouldn't work.

Not his type. Didn't like younger guys. Couldn't handle someone clingy and demanding. And... how could he date someone who lived so far away?

A platonic relationship? What would he get out of that?

-

One day.

Jiang Qi pulled the person in his arms close. Xia Shen's slender body trembled pitifully, his almond-shaped eyes glistening with tears. His features were lovely, and he spoke softly as he begged for affection.

Fine, Jiang Qi thought. Long distance it is.

He loved him too much to say no.

[Reader's Notes!!!]

1. They fall for each other. A short story of around 100,000 words, devoted entirely to romance.

2. This is the secondary couple's story from I Hooked a Cool Beauty with My Tea Art, but the plot and characterizations differ somewhat. It can also be read as a standalone story.

[The Movie Emperor Really Isn't Secretly in Love with Me]

The movie emperor Chi Shuo was Fang Bai'an's cool, distant moonlight, the kind he fell in love with at first sight.

The spoiled, willful young heir had, for the first time in his life, failed to win someone's affection. Just as everything seemed bleak, Chi Shuo appeared.

But according to the rumors, Chi Shuo was “asexual.” He had never even been linked to anyone in a single rumor. Fang Bai'an wouldn't dare dream of a chance with him.

Then one day, Fang Bai'an visited the set of an obscure actor's production, and Chi Shuo passed right in front of him. Fang Bai'an changed his mind: even a heartthrob was someone he could try his luck with!

So, using his older brother's connections, Fang Bai'an started “stalking” Chi Shuo to the set, not knowing that Chi Shuo had noticed him from the very beginning.

-

Chi Shuo allowed Fang Bai'an to hang around, but paid him little attention.

He assumed the young heir had simply become interested on a whim, and that his enthusiasm wouldn't last long.

But half a month later, he still kept seeing those bright, spirited eyes watching him, both on and off set.

The conditions on set were harsh. After a night shoot, Chi Shuo passed by a tent and heard faint sobbing from inside.

He lifted the flap and found Fang Bai'an sitting on the ground, eyes blurred with tears. He had complained about everyone on the crew, from top to bottom, and in the end, the name he called was Chi Shuo's.

Chi Shuo walked over and crouched in front of him, then stroked the young man's soft hair.

“Fang Bai'an,” he said. “If you cry this easily, how are you going to protect me?”

[This is not a second-chance romance. They met once as children.]

Theme: Love is written in the stars