A Tender Marriage (Launching October 23 at Midnight)

Updated daily at midnight. My next book, Old Rain, New Marriage, is introduced below.

Married first, in love later | Complete strangers at first | A slow, steady romance | The male lead falls first

Warm, resilient employee X proud, calculating man in power

1-

The year she graduated, Meng Shuhe's life took two major turns.

First, she landed a job at one of the leading companies in her industry, just as she'd hoped.

Second, she married Gu Qingyan, the group's general manager.

Though still young, Gu Qingyan was already in charge of the group. He was ruthless and decisive, and they would never have married if their elders hadn't arranged it.

On their wedding night, Meng Shuhe didn't know how to deal with him and considered living separately.

Gu Qingyan fixed his dark eyes on her. "You're so timid. Where did you get the nerve to agree to marry me?"

One day, her supervisor asked Meng Shuhe to deliver some documents to the general manager's office.

By chance, she overheard his friend ask Gu Qingyan, "A marriage agreement came out of nowhere. Aren't you worried someone might be after something from you?"

Gu Qingyan replied casually, "What's there to worry about?"

He sounded completely unconcerned.

Meng Shuhe, meanwhile, was quite content. Gu Qingyan was busy with work, so she didn't need to build a relationship with him, and he was generous with money.

2-

Later, Meng Shuhe casually mentioned to a colleague that a new yogurt shop had opened. That very evening, every flavor from the shop appeared on their dinner table.

"I was passing by, so I bought some," Gu Qingyan said.

The man deliberately showed her the wound on the back of his hand. "Shuhe, aren't you going to treat it for me?"

Later still, work brought Gu Qingyan and Meng Shuhe together more often at the office.

A colleague asked curiously, "You're so close to Mr. Gu. Have you met his wife?"

Meng Shuhe smiled. "No. We're just boss and subordinate. We're not close."

Unfortunately, Gu Qingyan overheard her.

That night, the bathroom was filled with sultry warmth.

Gu Qingyan wrapped his arms around Meng Shuhe, bit her ear, and softly called her, "Wife."

The man murmured, "You're denying our relationship again."

The next day, Meng Shuhe slept until noon. Still half asleep, she heard Gu Qingyan ask, "Are we close enough now?"

"It began with a gentle marriage, and ended with a lifetime of everyday joys."

Theme: Believe in yourself, and hope will eventually come.