I Pretended Not to Know the Black Lotus, and It Backfired

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Character Guide:

Clearheaded, career-minded transmigrated female litigator × cold, corrupted, lovesick official of the Court of Judicial Review

Shen Changning / Shen Li × Lu Jingxing

A shocking case in which a commoner sues an official brings two people who were once separated back together.

Lu Jingxing sits high above the courtroom as the presiding judge, while Shen Changning kneels below as the litigator representing the plaintiff.

Their eyes meet. Both are expressionless, though they once slept in each other's arms in a broken country shrine, spending a whole month together.

One has no idea that the other is the person who once saved him at the risk of her own life when he was being hunted and on the brink of death.

The other holds her breath, having never intended to reveal the untimely feelings she developed for him back then.

Later...

In a cramped, narrow room, the man clutches the sachet that fell from Shen Changning's waist and advances on her, eyes red.

Shen Changning is flustered and afraid to look at him. She keeps backing away until her back gently hits the white wall behind her, leaving her nowhere else to go. At last, she hears his hoarse question from above.

"Shen Changning, you don't recognize me."

"We shared a bed for a whole month, and now you pretend you don't know me. If I hadn't found this sachet, would you really have told me nothing?"

"Shen Changning, you have no heart."

Shen Changning has no answer. She struggles to get away.

But the next instant, his hand clamps around her chin. As he yanks open the sachet, the fragrant herbs are crushed to dust between Lu Jingxing's fingers.

Then, amid the familiar, heady scent, Shen Changning is held by the nape, unable to move. Forced to tilt her head back, she tastes the bitter medicinal flavor in Lu Jingxing's mouth.

When they first met, Shen Changning made up an identity as a disciple of the Divine Healer Valley on the spot to avoid trouble when Lu Jingxing, who was blind, questioned her.

After they parted, they met again as strangers, neither recognizing the other.

Shen Changning stands atop a tall building, looking from afar at two people facing each other in a pavilion across the way.

"Is that Lu Jingxing, the official of the Court of Judicial Review? And who's the woman beside him?"

She hears people beside her whispering and discussing that familiar name.

"I heard she saved his life when he got into trouble during his trip to Jiangnan. I think she's even the eldest daughter of the Divine Healer Valley."

At the words Divine Healer Valley, a faint ripple stirs Shen Changning's expression.

She presses her lips together and turns to leave, only to hear another person speak in a conspiratorial whisper.

"That's not all. I also heard the two of them have feelings for each other and are about to get married."

The instant the words reach her ears, Shen Changning whirls around, stunned. Her gaze pierces the distance and lands on the familiar figure far away.

Reason for entering the competition: [Born to Make a Difference]

The heroine transmigrates to ancient times and is bound to a legal education System. After passing the examination to become a litigator, she sets out to fight for fairness and justice for ordinary people.

As she overcomes one challenge after another, she speaks up for the people and for the vulnerable, gradually growing into a capable, professional ancient-era litigator despite the incredibly difficult circumstances.

Reader's Guide:

Updates daily at noon. Announcements will be posted if there are any changes.

One-on-one romance, both leads are each other's first and only, both strong and committed to justice and legal education.

The leads are devoted to each other and work side by side, with no tasteless, melodramatic plot twists.

[Blurb written 2024.11.20]

Theme: Speak up for the vulnerable and grow through adversity