A Radiant Beauty in the 1990s

[The story went off track, and the more I wrote, the less inspired I felt. I'll set it aside for now. Bows.]

My next novel, The Male Lead of a Period Novel Is My Brother-in-Law, is looking for favorites ^ ^ Blurb at the end!

Xie Guan first sees the man in a stairwell during a break at her company's annual party.

He stands facing the window, smoking. A still, lonely, languid, and cold aura surrounds him. A deep crease sits between his brows. Though he's over forty and his temples are flecked with gray, his face is still handsome and striking. It's a pity that he walks with a limp.

He injured that leg many years ago in a deliberate setup.

Xie Guan knows all this because the man is Yang Zhaoyuan, chairman of Yuanhua Group, and the person who has supported her financially for ten years.

She thought that running into him by chance was already an unlikely twist of fate. She never imagined that after falling asleep, she'd wake up more than twenty years in the past, as Yang Zhaoyuan's ungrateful ex-wife, the woman who climbed the social ladder over his back.

Xie Guan: "..."

That's a little suffocating.

*

The 1990s are a time of rapid growth. Countless industries are emerging, and countless others are entering their golden age. Opportunity is everywhere, and money is there for the taking.

Xie Guan is eager to try her hand at it. When the big shot is preparing to start a business but short on funds, she confidently slaps down her savings in front of him. "I'll put up the money, you put in the work, and we'll split the profits fifty-fifty."

As expected, the big shot is a big shot. His eye is sharp, his moves are swift and decisive, and he seizes the opportunity to rise to the top. His fortune and fame surpass those of his previous life, and Xie Guan's fortunes rise along with his until she becomes the richest woman in the country. But she can only cry...

Wasn't the big shot supposed to be above worldly desires, devoting himself to making money?

Then who is this man lowering his eyes and hoarsely coaxing her that this really will be the last time?

They're all liars!

Yang Zhaoyuan is tall and handsome, always acting like a cool, cocky bad boy, and the young women adore him. He never gives them the time of day, so everyone is surprised when he suddenly registers his marriage.

Sister Hongjuan, who lives next door, is puzzled. But the more time she spends with his new wife, the more she thinks Yang Zhaoyuan has excellent taste.

His wife is beautiful and slender. When she smiles, her eyes sparkle with brightness and liveliness. She's even prettier than the stars on TV. What's more, she's cheerful, generous, polite, quick-witted, and good at making money.

Sister Hongjuan worries that Yang Zhaoyuan might take his good fortune for granted and let his temper get the better of him, so she often listens in on what's happening next door.

But day after day, she never hears the new wife crying for help or being beaten. Yang Zhaoyuan doesn't even raise his voice at her. Instead, she hears the wife directing him in a crisp, sweet voice, telling him to do this and that. That unruly brat who wouldn't listen to anyone seems to do everything she says. Later, he even takes the initiative to do the housework, despite having built a successful business of his own.

Sister Hongjuan: "..." So jealous she wants to go beat her own husband!

Also: The heroine has her own career arc!

My next period novel: The Male Lead of a Period Novel Is My Brother-in-Law

Xie Kui, a burnt-out 996 office worker, passes out at her desk.

When she opens her eyes again, she's somehow transmigrated to 1978. She has no parents, and on top of that, a bunch of awful relatives. To get away from her situation, she heads to another province to stay with her aunt.

Her aunt is overjoyed to see her. It turns out that her cousin, who looks remarkably like her, ran away from her wedding while pregnant and is now in Hong Kong.

Her aunt asks her to take her cousin's place and go through with the marriage. Once her uncle gets promoted and his position is secure, they can discuss a divorce.

Xie Kui agrees.

She agrees partly because she can't bring herself to refuse the 800 yuan her aunt gives her for the job, but more importantly, she realizes she's transmigrated into a male-oriented period novel, and the male lead is the man who was supposed to marry her cousin, the one about to be cuckolded.

In the book, the male lead agrees to go through with the arranged marriage only after receiving a promise that he can divorce her himself after a year. He also plans not to touch her, and to claim his freedom after a year. But the day before the wedding, he's told his fiancée has run away. From then on, he closes his heart to love and devotes all his passion to his career, becoming the richest man in the country before turning forty.

With the powerful Qi family backing her, she'll have a comfortable life and won't have to fulfill any marital duties. After a year, she'll get a divorce and might even receive a big settlement. There's no way Xie Kui can turn down a job with such a great deal!

And the male lead is tall, handsome, and striking. That's a pure bonus.

So Xie Kui diligently plays the role of the male lead's wife in name only, while throwing herself into her studies and career.

Before she knows it, the year is up, and Xie Kui is just waiting for the male lead to ask for a divorce.

But...

A month goes by, and the male lead not only doesn't mention the word "divorce," he even takes her out to relax and invites her to parties with his friends.

Two months go by, and the way the male lead looks at her grows increasingly strange. While away on a business trip, he rushes back in the middle of the night to bring her water and medicine after hearing the slightest rasp in her voice...

At last, Xie Kui decides to tell him the truth and ask for a divorce. But then her cousin suddenly shows up in tears, demanding that Xie Kui give her identity back.

Before Xie Kui can respond, the male lead strides in to take her home. He coolly gives the cousin's address in Hong Kong, and her face turns deathly pale as she stumbles away.

Only then does Xie Kui realize that he knew all along she'd taken her cousin's place.

Once she's sure he has no intention of holding it against her, Xie Kui lets out a sigh of relief, only to hear him say, "Can I move into your room tonight?"

Xie Guan: "..."

Good heavens, what kind of niche language are you speaking?!

Theme: Love life and always stay positive.