Saline Solution

After his big brother Qin Zhou died, the whole family moved abroad, leaving Qin Qing behind.

A week later, he showed up at the door of Qin Zhou's crush, dragging a suitcase. With an innocent look in his eyes, he said, "My brother's gone. You can be my big brother now."

Feng Cun thought taking Qin Qing in would be no more than adding another place setting. It wouldn't be difficult, let alone complicated.

That is, until one morning after a drunken night, he woke up in a trashed living room with his memories in a haze.

Qin Qing came in from the balcony with a cigarette in his mouth, leaning lazily against the doorframe as he blew a smoke ring.

"Morning, bro."

Feng Cun: ?? Weren't we just supposed to eat? How did I end up wanting to eat you? (Not literally.)

In short:

A stray dog pretends to be a well-behaved house pet, putting on a show as he tries to make a life under someone else's roof.

1. Foster-care romance, with the runaway showing up at the door; mutual salvation.

2. Dramatic, unrequited love, younger top, eight-year age gap.

3. Qin Qing and Qin Zhou are not biological brothers, and Qin Zhou and Feng Cun were never more than friends.

Please add my new novel, The Greedy Algorithm, to your reading list:

[Controlling, mercurial rich heir x gorgeous, money-loving, and lecherous C-list actor]

*The younger sugar daddy gets mercilessly played by a peacock

Lu Qingyu is a third-rate actor: gorgeous, hardworking, and well-liked. He's an extreme pragmatist, though not exactly short on money. Still, he's nearing thirty, stuck in the middle, and always seems to be just one step short of a breakout role.

People say Shao, the head of Huanda, is handsome, charming, gentle, and generous, a respectable man who never gets clingy. He's like a god of wealth come down to earth, doing charity work.

So Lu Qingyu pulls out every trick in his book and gets into bed with the god of wealth... only to discover that perhaps the words "handsome and charming" are the only ones that ring true.

Lu Qingyu, who cares about nothing but profit: "We never signed a contract. We're both civilized people, so let's part on good terms."

At the word "contract," a barely perceptible shadow passes through Shao Jiayi's usually indifferent eyes.

-

Ever since Lu Qingyu brought up "parting on good terms," Shao Jiayi has changed completely and started generously doing charity work in earnest.

Someone takes care of the scandals, someone controls the public opinion, and so many resources are thrown at Lu Qingyu that his head spins.

Since starting out as a child star, he's never had it this good.

Waking in a soft bed in a hillside villa early one morning, Lu Qingyu listens to birds singing outside and has a sudden attack of conscience. "We should sign a contract, President Shao. It'll protect your rights."

Shao Jiayi: "...You weren't tired enough last night, were you?"

-

A peaceful, happy life never lasts long.

Lu Qingyu doesn't meet some wealthy mother who offers him a billion to leave her son. Instead, he faces the intimidating head of the Huanda Group, a man who commands respect without raising his voice.

The man tells him to choose between his son and his career.

Lu Qingyu decisively chooses the latter.

After all, Shao Jiayi only keeps him around like a plaything. He won't be heartbroken if he's gone.

-

Three months later.

Shao Jiayi forcibly drags him home and slams the door shut.

He tries every trick, alternating between threats and sweet talk.

He grips Lu Qingyu's chin, leaving him unable to move.

He seems to be... trembling.

"You're going to throw me away once you've used me up?"

"Big star, you think this kind of business is that easy?"

*It's easy to invite trouble, but hard to get rid of it.

*Over-the-top melodrama with a pure-love romance.

-Lu thinks it's a transaction, Shao thinks they're in love.

-A whole lot of rich-family drama.

-A busted pot and a cracked lid, neither of them any good.

-Restrained apricot vs. peacock, fake prude vs. real playboy.

Message: Tomorrow will be better.