The Beauty's Lock

Sharp-tongued, straight-laced, proud young heir X cheerful, carefree beauty

As the heir to his family, Xu Jing has spent years in the capital as a hostage.

In everyone's eyes, he's a wastrel who does nothing but walk dogs and ride horses.

He seems carefree, turning a blind eye even when beautiful women throw themselves at him. Clearly, he's missing a few screws.

But no one knows he has someone in his heart: a lowborn fisherman's daughter.

The empress tries to win over the Xu family's descendants with jewels and beautiful women.

She arranges for Xu Jing to marry Chu Yan, a daughter the clan recently found and brought back.

Xu Jing believes the woman's unknown origins make this an insult to him.

But when he gets a good look at Chu Yan, he is stunned: Isn't she the fisherman's daughter I've been pining for? She's the daughter of my sworn enemy!

They can't disobey the imperial decree. In front of others, they play the loving couple.

The moment they're alone, they grit their teeth and draw a clear line between them.

Exhausted by it all, Xu Jing sometimes has to remind himself: She's using her beauty to manipulate me. Don't take it seriously.

He watches her win people's favor, curry favor with the powerful, and gather a useless crowd around her.

Xu Jing waits to mock her, frowning as he wonders: Why hasn't she tried to manipulate me yet?

[Blurb captured on 2024-8-7]

Theme: Treat others with sincerity, and they will return it in kind.