[Original title: Deliberately Pretending]
◎ Proud and radiant x refined and scheming
◎ Older man | Secret male crush | Taking by force | Stealing someone's partner
Cen Ruoning, the pampered little princess of the Cen family in Beicheng, is spoiled, carefree, radiant, and passionate.
Her arranged fiancé is handsome and wealthy, and they grew up together.
When her fiancé-to-be returns to the country, Cen Ruoning rushes to see him. She pushes open the door and finds a man with his back to her, changing clothes.
"Why did you come back without telling me?" she complains haughtily, wrapping her arms around him from behind. "Were you trying to surprise me?"
The man's long fingers pause as he buttons his shirt. He turns around, his profile bearing a slight resemblance to her fiancé's.
It's her fiancé's older brother, Liang Jinyu.
Cen Ruoning is horrified. She quickly stands up and pretends to be calm. "I'm sorry, Brother Jinyu."
"It's all right." Liang Jinyu puts on his watch unhurriedly and gives her a cool glance.
"Did you mistake me for Mingran?"
Cen Ruoning forces a smile through gritted teeth. How can she be blamed for getting them mixed up?
He's wearing the very shirt she gave her fiancé!
She thought that would be the end of it.
But on the eve of her engagement, in the Liang family's second-floor study, he forcefully pulls her onto his lap.
The man's breath is scorching against the side of her fair neck, making her shiver.
"Break up with him. Right now!"
-
Liang Jinyu, the Liang family's new head, is steady and responsible, low-key and reserved. Plenty of prominent families want to arrange a marriage with him, but he has turned them all down.
His friend teases him, saying he must be a workaholic who knows nothing about love. Liang Jinyu thinks the same of himself.
Until one day, Liang Mingran brings Cen Ruoning home and announces with a smile:
"Big Brother, I'm going to get engaged to Ruoning."
The Cen and Liang families are close, and Cen Ruoning is the younger sister Liang Jinyu has looked after since childhood.
That day, she is a little shyer than usual, but as beautiful and dazzling as ever. She calls him Big Brother, just like Liang Mingran does.
Liang Jinyu narrows his eyes, his gaze falling on their tightly clasped hands.
In that moment, he suddenly realizes he doesn't want to be her big brother at all.
If he's going to be anything, he'll be her husband.
Reading Guide:
◎ One-on-one romance, both are virgins, seven-year age gap
◎ Old-school melodrama
◎ The leads' professions are based on information found online. If anything is inaccurate, please let me know and I'll fix it right away 😘
Blurb written on February 4, 2025, and saved as a screenshot.
Theme: Embrace yourself and keep moving forward with strength
