Hidden Jade

[Frailty and mischief-loving little monster, 0.9 x aloof, sensitive, pain-loving teacher, 0.1]

[Student oversteps her place with her teacher; teacher has an extreme contrast between public and private; after the breakup, teacher goes mad with love]

Ji Qingran is frail and sickly, deaf since childhood, reclusive and rebellious, and always getting into trouble with her unruly behavior.

Li Yuan is Ji Qingran's piano teacher. Born into an illustrious family, she rose to fame at a young age and became the youngest concert pianist of the highest caliber.

She is rigid and serious, known as the most precise machine in the art world.

When performing, she wears a tailcoat that covers her from neck to ankles, leaving not an inch of skin exposed. She shows neither joy nor anger and never steps out of line.

Li Yuan has exceptionally high standards. She is strict and meticulous in her teaching, often wielding a ruler without mercy.

She has taken on only three apprentices. Two achieved fame and became world-class performers.

Ji Qingran is the only one who achieved nothing, even rebelling and leaving her tutelage early.

Everyone thinks Ji Qingran is unworthy and that Li Yuan's judgment was flawed.

But no one knows that they once lingered together in the practice room and kissed in the greenroom before performances.

They were lovers with a secret intimacy all their own.

*

Only Ji Qingran knows that Li Yuan is proud and aloof in public, never smiling, but sensitive and soft in private, ticklish and afraid of pain.

By day, Li Yuan is a pianist adored by all, keeping people at a distance, cold as frost-covered jade.

At night, she sheds her icy reserve, winding around Ji Qingran like a snake and begging her for a single caress.

Li Yuan takes her apprentice's nimble fingers and turns herself into a piano keyboard.

The strict lessons she gives Ji Qingran, whether with a ruler or a riding crop, are all administered to herself instead.

Ji Qingran is in poor health, so Li Yuan always takes the initiative, then has to hold and soothe her afterward.

Ji Qingran always takes the opportunity to remove her hearing aids and pull her teacher, soft as melting wax, into her arms.

She bites her teacher's reddened earlobe, ignoring her restrained moans when she can no longer contain herself.

"Gently, little rascal... it hurts."

*

On the day they signed the agreement, Li Yuan was utterly helpless. Her eyes were cool and her voice distant as she said, "I don't want you telling anyone about our arrangement as contractual lovers."

On the day their agreement ended, Ji Qingran knew she wasn't good enough and shouldn't hold Li Yuan back, so she left early.

But at her arranged marriage, Li Yuan canceled a meeting and traveled thousands of miles to steal the bride in front of everyone.

"I'm your teacher. I've raised you all these years."

Li Yuan's eyes reddened as she walked toward her slowly, like a ghost, her voice hoarse.

"I'm the only one who can be your wife."

*

Bonus scene:

The piano music drifted through the concert hall. In the greenroom, Li Yuan sat on Ji Qingran's lap.

Ji Qingran sat in her wheelchair, wearing her hearing aids and awkwardly pretending not to know what was going on.

Li Yuan took her hand and taught her herself.

When their passion was running high, Ji Qingran pretended her hearing aids had broken, hoping to try the same trick again and see how Li Yuan would beg.

But what fell against her ear was Li Yuan's alluring, gentle voice:

"You couldn't hear me when I said it hurt. You couldn't hear me when I told you to come back, either."

"Well, then, I'm the only one who can be your wife..."

The hand beneath her trembled.

"What is it? Can you hear me again now?"

Half an hour later, Li Yuan took the stage, Ji Qingran's bite marks still visible on her collarbone.

She was still dressed properly in a tailcoat, covered from head to toe.

Only those bite marks were left completely uncovered.

*

Reader's guide:

Apologies for reworking the premise. The old premise didn't do well and got cut short, sorry about that. Feel free to beat me up (lies down). Comments on the first 14 chapters may not line up with the story.

Mostly sweet with a little angst at first, then a really intense groveling arc later. Older partner dotes on the younger one.

Fourteen-year age gap, 18 and 32. Younger partner is primarily the pursuer, with some role reversal. One-on-one, happy ending.

The teacher is old-fashioned, abstinent, and aloof, with extremely sensitive senses. She both fears and enjoys pain.

They are not a teacher and student at school; she's more like a private tutor. The career plot is based on research, but the setting is entirely fictional. If you spot any inconsistencies, give me a nudge.

Theme: Never give up on life, even when facing hardship. Work hard to take your fate into your own hands.