Zero Degrees Celsius

[Next book: Love Letter to the Moon. Please add it to your reading list!]

Blurb:

[Fall in love once more during the snowy season.]

He Fengnian, young master of the He family, is cool, roguish, and handsome, but his moods are unpredictable and he's utterly unruly.

For someone so dangerous, he shows nothing but indulgence and favoritism toward his childhood friend, the girl he is engaged to.

Everyone in their circle knows that Ruixue is He Fengnian's most precious person, and no one can lay a hand on her.

But one day, another girl suddenly joins the pair, who had been inseparable.

Not long after, He Fengnian goes abroad, and for two years, rumors about his romantic escapades keep surfacing.

The Rui family announces that the engagement between the two families is off, and that they'll keep out of each other's affairs.

-

When they meet again, he shields her from a splash of scalding coffee, but she looks at him without expression.

"Thank you for helping me, Mr. He."

They're as distant and polite as strangers.

Just as everyone thinks these childhood sweethearts are over for good, someone sees them leave a locked room one after the other at a mutual friend's engagement party.

One rubs his sharply defined knuckles.

The other smooths her wrinkled skirt.

And both have swollen lips.

Everyone wonders: ??? It wasn't even a hot pot dinner.

◎Reader's Guide:

1. Both leads are virgins and faithful to each other, one-on-one!!! The other girl can be understood as someone the male lead once helped, who developed ulterior motives (any more would be a spoiler). There are plenty of rumors in the story about the male lead being a playboy, but they're just meant to throw you off! Both my leads are virgins and faithful to each other!!!! It's one-on-one, so read with confidence!!!!!!

2. For specific content warnings, see the author's note in Chapter One.

Blurb written on April 12, 2024, screenshot as proof.

Enjoy reading.

Next book, Love Letter to the Moon, blurb:

-

He Chuyue prides herself on having a strong will. She'd never kneel for money or beauty, or so her social media bio says.

Until that rainy night, when she cast aside reason and composure and spent one reckless night with a man she'd just met...

Afterward, she fled in a panic and quietly changed her bio.

A month later, she stared at the two lines on the test in her hand and nearly blacked out in the restroom.

Xiao Zhiyan is the youngest associate professor in the physics department at Jing University. For twenty-eight years, he's been quiet and reserved, refined and restrained, interested only in data.

Except for that one night that gave him a headache.

He searched for He Chuyue for a month, but got nowhere. Then he ran into her in the hospital's obstetrics and gynecology department.

Looking at the test results in her hand, he lowered his eyes behind his half-rim glasses and asked coolly, "Is it mine?"

He Chuyue laughed in anger, thinking this was his opening line to deny responsibility. She played along: "Who else would it be?"

Taking the test results from her, Xiao Zhiyan looked up at her. "Do you want to keep it?"

He Chuyue gave up resisting. "Either way is fine."

"All right."

Though she hadn't expected much, her heart still sank at his simple reply. Before she could hide the disappointment in her eyes, Xiao Zhiyan calmly announced above her head:

"Tomorrow at nine. Meet me at the Civil Affairs Bureau."

Everyone at Jing University knows that Professor Xiao Zhiyan of the physics department is famously strict. He never allows questions unrelated to the subject during class, and this aloof, untouchable professor is as cold as he is unapproachable.

Countless female students and teachers have confessed to him, only to be ignored. People have begun betting that Professor Xiao doesn't like women.

One day, a sharp-eyed student notices the plain ring on Xiao Zhiyan's sharply defined ring finger. Having lost a bet to a friend, the student steels themself and stands up to ask a question.

They are fully prepared to be scolded. But the usually stern and distant Xiao Zhiyan acts completely out of character. With a gentle look in his eyes, he raises his right hand, showing everyone the ring.

"Wedding ring."

"Next question."

After class, the university forum explodes. Meanwhile, Xiao Zhiyan, who normally goes straight to the lab after teaching, makes a rare appearance before Director Chen in the academic affairs office.

"Director Chen, I'd like to take half a day off."

Director Chen pushes up his glasses and takes out a leave form. "Reason for leave..."

"My wife has a prenatal checkup."

Director Chen's pen veers off course as he writes "family matter," and surprise shows on his face.

After Xiao Zhiyan leaves with the form, Director Chen quietly opens the hottest thread on the university forum and posts an anonymous revelation...

No.

An anonymous post.

"You said the moon was beautiful tonight. The corners of my mouth lifted, but my eyes still didn't look at the moon."

Theme: Learn how to love.