The Caged Sparrow Biting a Jade Ring

Wen Yan was a little beggar who had grown up eating handouts on the street. Then, one day when he was twenty, he was knocked into by Second Young Master Bai, the capital's most notorious playboy. He was surprised to discover that Bai was the boy who had once saved his life with a candied hawthorn skewer.

Before he could find a chance to repay the kindness from all those years ago, he received an order to assassinate someone and ended up making a complete mess of Second Young Master Bai's coming-of-age banquet.

So much for repaying a favor. He'd only managed to incur a new debt...

After that, Wen Yan figured the two of them were even, but the other man acted as if nothing had happened. He even got more brazen, shamelessly approaching Wen Yan and strutting around like a peacock...

First time.

Bai Qinghe: He was willing to sneak into the manor to give me a jade pendant. Could he be interested in me?

Second time.

Bai Qinghe: I haven't had lunch yet. How about having lunch with me, gorgeous Wen? It's on me.

Third time.

Bai Qinghe: It's true. After meeting you, Young Master Wen, everyone in the capital seems a little less impressive by comparison...

Wen Yan: ...?

He really didn't understand what this man thought about all day.

A shameless, smooth-talking, straightforward general who loves to flirt x a peerless fighter who has killed countless people and is secretly in love with him, always expecting to die at any moment

Neither of them is exactly a good person. One-on-one romance throughout, happy ending.

[I'm terrible at writing blurbs, but I'm trying...]

[Updates reliably every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday, with possible surprise updates on other days. This story won't be behind a paywall (probably couldn't be anyway). The details aren't rigorously researched, so just enjoy the ride. Please add it to your library and leave a comment. Thank you.]

Theme: Growth