Out of Control in the Afterglow

Also known as My Online Crush Is My Former Crush

Pure, innocent, beautiful rich heiress VS dark, sharp-tongued, aloof CEO with a possessive streak

Identity reveal | Winning back his wife | Older man

Blurb One:

In high school, Wan Qianbai was passionately and openly after Chen Yu for quite a while.

But Chen Yu was widely known as the school's most untouchable, aloof heartthrob. Always cold and distant, he was completely unmoved by Wan Qianbai's pursuit and rejected her outright.

Later, the Wan family went "bankrupt." Wan Qianbai put away the arrogance and confidence of her youth, cleanly cut ties with the world of fame and fortune, and quietly buried her innocent, passionate love before disappearing from Chen Yu's life.

For years, Wan Qianbai struggled alone to keep her family's business afloat. Her youthful longing for someone she couldn't have had long since faded amid the storms.

No one knew that during the five lowest years of her life, when everyone else left her, the only one by her side was an online friend she'd added on a whim.

As it happened, this friend was an AI engineer she'd added on a whim back when she was making a birthday present for Chen Yu.

Their relationship began as a financial transaction, grew into a few words of concern, and eventually turned into deep, late-night conversations. This online friend understood all her struggles and stubbornness, caught her when her emotions got the better of her time and time again, patiently and gently guided her, helped her solve problems, and stayed with her through the hardest days of her life.

At last, Wan Qianbai fell in love again.

Five years later, Wan Qianbai had become a force in her own right and was leading Wan Hua Group into a new era.

Unexpectedly, Chen Yu, who had been out of touch for years, suddenly joined the company as her direct superior and new business partner.

He'd lost his youthful innocence and was now cool, distinguished, and commanding, with a handsome face that captivated countless people.

Facing her former crush, Wan Qianbai felt nothing but formal politeness and distance.

The moment she turned away, she sent her online boyfriend a WeChat message: [Here's something funny. My new boss turns out to be my former crush.]

[But don't worry, hubby. I stopped liking him ages ago!!! I only love my gentlest, most thoughtful, and most handsome hubby!!!]

[Hubby, I want to see your abs again tonight!]

Chen Yu, reading the message: ...

Blurb Two:

The year Wan Qianbai fell for Chen Yu, the last rays of summer sunlight swept across his cool, aloof features, then shot into her heart like a streak of fire. With a thunderous boom, it exploded in the blazing summer of her seventeenth year.

Back then, Wan Qianbai was the famously spoiled young heiress of the Wan family. Whatever she wanted, she had to have, and she pursued him with a grand display.

Someone asked Chen Yu what he thought about the Wan heiress's high-profile declaration of love.

Chen Yu raised his eyes slightly, his cool expression full of annoyance. "We're from different worlds. I could never like her!"

Later, the Wan family went bankrupt, and its heiress fell from the clouds back to earth. Then she disappeared without a trace.

Five years later, the Wan Hua Group acquisition deal came to a dramatic close.

The newly appointed Mr. Chen was handsome, wealthy, highly intelligent, and well educated, a rising star in the business world.

There were rumors that a rich young woman used to chase him every day, sending him sports cars and mansions and delivering fresh flowers with breakfast each morning, but none of it had managed to melt Mr. Chen's cold, hard heart.

Half the women in the company were captivated by his cool, elegant face; the other half couldn't stand his aloof, sharp-tongued manner.

Someone quietly tried to match them up: Mr. Chen is so aromantic, and he'd be perfect with Ms. Wan, Wan Qianbai! Did you see that photo of them waiting for the elevator together today?

Someone went to ask Wan Qianbai what she thought of Chen Yu.

Her beautiful, delicate features remained perfectly composed. Her red lips parted, and she replied coolly, "We're from different worlds. I don't like him."

Chen Yu paused as he walked past the break room.

Once, he had told Wan Qianbai again and again, "Stay away from me! I don't like you!"

Later, he pleaded with her again and again, "Could you love me one more time? Stop avoiding me."

Theme: Never give up hope, even when life is at its worst