A real heiress who's aloof on the outside but delicate underneath vs. a refined, powerful man who's abstinent on the outside but clingy with his wife underneath
Marriage first, love later | Brothers competing for her | A husband who goes mad whenever she mentions divorce
On the first day Shen Qingci was brought back to the Shen family, she fell for Zhai Zeming.
She thought he liked her too, until the Shen and Zhai families discussed an arranged marriage. His peach-blossom eyes curved slightly as he said, "Qingci, marriage is just a title. Even if you marry my younger brother, it won't affect our relationship."
Shen Qingci bit him with tears in her eyes, then turned around and married Zhai Zeming's younger brother, Zhai Jiayuan.
Zhai Jiayuan was three years older than Shen Qingci and was widely regarded in their circle as an untouchable, distinguished, and self-possessed man.
After they married, he continued to be the perfect husband. He would shield her from drinks at banquets and take off his jacket to cover her when she got caught in a sudden downpour.
But Shen Qingci knew that Zhai Jiayuan was only fulfilling his duties as a husband. He had not the slightest bit of genuine affection for her.
Until one late night, she got drunk and wept softly. Zhai Jiayuan paused for a moment, then finally took her into his arms and gently comforted her for a long time.
Her eyes were hazy with drink. "Are you Zhai Jiayuan... or Zhai Zeming?"
Zhai Jiayuan lowered his lashes and gently brushed his thumb over the tear tracks on her face. "Which one do you want me to be?"
"...Zhai Zeming?"
He hesitated for a few seconds, then finally leaned down and kissed her forehead, his Adam's apple bobbing.
"Mm, I'm him. It's all right. I'm here."
He wrapped his coat around her shoulders and held her all night without letting go.
*
At first, Zhai Jiayuan agreed to marry into the Shen family just to humor Old Master Zhai.
It was simply a matter of each getting what they wanted.
But later, what he wanted turned into an insatiable craving, and he could never get enough.
When Shen Qingci asked him for a divorce again and again, Zhai Jiayuan slowly pulled off his tie, revealing his Adam's apple and the broad expanse of red marks on his collarbone. He gazed at his wife with a calm expression.
"Qingci, you should have a basic conscience. Last night, I wore the shameless outfit you wanted me to wear. I let you do whatever you wanted and play all your games. Now that you've had your fill of me, you're putting on a skirt and asking for a divorce?"
"Over my dead body."
Before she could answer, Zhai Jiayuan stood up and pinned the shameless, delicate little thing against the desk.
As their souls and bodies pressed together, she heard his restrained, feverish panting, again and again.
"Qingci, say you love me."
"Only me."
--- I can give you everything, Qingci, except the freedom to leave me.
*Reading Notes:
- Both leads are virgins.
- Neither the heroine nor the hero is morally perfect.
- At first, the heroine is more in love with the hero's older brother. The story includes melodramatic plot twists, but overall it's a light, sweet, satisfying read.
- You don't have to tell me if you drop the story. If you like it, please support the official release. Thank you for your support!
Theme: Sometimes true love comes too quickly
