After Marrying the Cold-Faced Heir

[Completed novel: The Exile] [Upcoming novel: Moon Lady's Snack Shop (Food)]

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[Bright and charming daughter of the Imperial Uncle vs. the cold-faced, warm-hearted young lord]

A sweet little treat~

Xu Chutan, the Imperial Uncle's daughter, was not only strikingly beautiful, but also renowned for her refinement and good manners.

As soon as she returned to the capital, the matchmaking callers nearly wore down the threshold of the Imperial Uncle's residence.

Unfortunately, not one of the capital's eligible young men could win her favor.

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At the lotus-viewing banquet, Xu Chutan sat beside Empress Xu, attending to her.

The heir to Weining Marquisate, Wen Chao, arrived late. Tall and long-legged, broad-shouldered and slim-waisted, he had a handsome yet icy face.

Xu Chutan peeked at Wen Chao, her cheeks reddening behind her round fan.

After several rounds of drinks, Wen Chao stood alone in a secluded spot, enjoying the breeze. Suddenly, someone shoved a handkerchief into his arms like a bandit.

He looked up and met Xu Chutan's almond-shaped eyes.

Before Wen Chao could say a word, the young woman fled.

Seeing that no one else was around, Wen Chao suppressed the tumult in his heart and slipped the handkerchief into his lapel as though nothing had happened.

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Reader's Guide

1. Male-female pairing, happy ending, fictional setting

2. Everyday-life story

3. Childhood friends reunite after a long separation, then go from marriage to love

[Blurb posted 2024-06-26]

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Upcoming novel: Moon Lady's Snack Shop (Food)

[Cheerful, warmhearted beauty who knows how to run a business vs. handsome chef with a fierce face, a warm heart, and excellent skills]

On the southeastern coast, south of Minzhou, the food is neither spicy nor pungent, but fresh and delicate in every season.

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At the entrance to Fengchi Alley stood a snack shop. Though it usually had only a handful of customers, Xu Dongshan gritted his teeth and kept it running for three months.

Just as expected, the shop went out of business. But every cloud has a silver lining: Su Yueniang appeared as if sent from heaven, took over the shop, and hired Xu Dongshan, who was nearly starving to death, as her chef.

From then on, a beautiful woman stood outside the shop, loudly hawking its wares, while the man who had once sat at the entrance looking miserable hid in the kitchen, busily frying, steaming, and boiling.

The customers grew more numerous by the day, and the shop expanded year after year.

From runbing rolls for Qingming to braised pork rice dumplings for the Dragon Boat Festival, then from sweet rice cakes for Qixi to winter solstice rice balls, every season had its own dish, sure to win the hearts of passersby.

With people coming and going and the whole city alive with everyday bustle, come to Moon Lady's Snack Shop and savor the flavors of Ciyun City.

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Reader's Guide:

1. The setting is fictional, and most of the place names are made up as well.

2. The food is mostly simple southern Fujian cuisine. It's not spicy at all, and is fairly light.

3. People from southern Fujian are one big family. The dishes in the story may combine cooking styles from Xiamen, Zhangzhou, and Quanzhou, drawing mainly on what I'm familiar with.

Theme: Harmony and happiness, peace and stability