Springtime Hearts in Disarray

"An old flame rekindled / Age gap / Size difference / Brotherly love turns into something more"

[A refined, gentle gentleman with an air of elegance vs. a bright, clever, lively young woman]

[Blurb:

For the first fifteen years of her life, Wen Yu had a miserable time.

Her father, an official, had no love for her. Her mother, a concubine, died young, leaving her all alone to be bullied by her father's new wife and the elder half-sister she bore.

Her sister could have been content with stealing her food and clothes, but she even ended up in bed with Wen Yu's fiance!

Enough was enough!

So Wen Yu came up with an idea. Using the name of the Minister of the Dali Court, who had come to town to investigate a case a few days earlier, she exposed the Wen family's last shred of decency in front of everyone and got out of the troublesome engagement, just as she'd hoped.

She'd expected that after offending the Minister's discerning eye, he would avoid her at all costs. But on the day before he left, he extended an offer:

"Miss Wen is clever and quick-witted, a rare talent in this world. Why not accompany me, solve strange cases together, and face the road ahead side by side?"

Wen Yu had only meant to give her scumbag father and wicked sister a warning. She never expected to find herself a job in the process.

Well, when luck comes your way, there's no stopping it!

/

He Fu had been a paragon of refinement since childhood, a model of the noble clans. Before he had even turned thirty, he had risen to the position of Minister of the Dali Court.

He prided himself on being restrained and disciplined, and had never crossed a line, until he met Wen Yu.

At times, the young girl was sweet and obedient, inspiring affection. At others, she bared her claws, leaving him amused.

Still as a maiden, swift as a hare.

He had thought he could fulfill the role of her "teacher," guiding her onto the right path. He never expected that she would be the one to lead him astray.

Time and again, they faced life and death together. Each harrowing adventure made him realize his love for Wen Yu had long since grown wild, like a creeping vine.

Impossible to suppress, impossible to escape.

/

At first, He Fu wanted to be Wen Yu's teacher, teaching her poetry, the classics, propriety, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

Then He Fu wanted to be her older brother, protecting her for life and keeping her innocence intact.

Later, He Fu wanted to be her husband, staying by her side for all their lives, never to part.

"A Few Things to Know"

1. Both leads are each other's only partners; one-on-one romance; happy ending.

2. A little ensemble cast, with mystery-solving.

3. The leads have no romantic feelings for each other at first. The romance begins later, when the heroine is a little older. He Fu is not a pedophile!

Theme: Even when trapped in a cage, keep reaching upward