Out of Place [The Long Road to Winning Her Back]

Reconciliation after a breakup / The substitute is the one he truly loves / Dramatic angst / Fake and real heiresses / Both leads have only ever been with each other

Cold-hearted, possessive heir vs. beautiful, talented painter

1

Lin Qiaohe, who grew up in an orphanage, has secretly loved someone for four years. At last, on a humid, rainy summer night, she takes the first step, and one kiss leaves her heart in disarray.

That summer, the secret love in her heart blooms into a brilliant rose. Lin Qiaohe has eyes only for him.

But as she drifts through her sweet midsummer dream, someone stops her and sneers, "You're just my substitute. White dresses are my favorite."

Lin Qiaohe reluctantly accepts He Shizhou's explanation and chooses to believe him.

Later, at a party, Lin Qiaohe is barely conscious. She watches He Shizhou walk away from her and choose someone else, and the flower of love in her heart dies for good.

"This is the man you love? He left you drugged and at the mercy of a rich playboy who has his eye on you."

2

When they meet again, her ex has become her mentor's son.

On the hottest days at the end of July, Lin Qiaohe goes on a blind date at her mentor's arrangement.

He Shizhou still hasn't recovered from the injuries he got when he was beaten for pestering Lin Qiaohe. Standing under the sun, he says, "Qiao Qiao, I'm begging you to look at me. Don't go on a blind date with someone else."

Lin Qiaohe says, "I made a promise to someone. If I'm still single by the time I graduate, I'll marry him. The timing's perfect."

He Shizhou presses his lit cigarette into his own palm until it goes out. "No way. You said that if you gave me your safety charm, I'd be yours forever."

3

When disaster strikes, only one of them can survive.

He Shizhou kisses Lin Qiaohe on the forehead. "You said you'd only forgive me if either you or I died. So I'll trade my life for yours. You have to remember me for the rest of your life."

Coming soon in my author page: Xia Yi Buzhi, a doting older boyfriend's road to reconciliation. Please add it to your favorites.

Both leads have only ever been with each other / She runs away while pregnant / Entertainment industry / Reconciliation after a breakup

Ruthless older man vs. gentle, gorgeous superstar and talented woman

1

Tan Yizheng is the son left behind by the Tan family's eldest son and his first wife. He's now the least favored member of the Tan family. With his sinister nature and snake-like eyes, few people dare provoke him, and no one dares approach him.

Xu Ruanxia is the most dazzling young lady in Jinghai. She's gentle with everyone, and one of the few people in her circle to earn a place at Jing University through her own efforts. She has countless admirers, and even stray cats and dogs can't help wanting to get close to her.

The two have nothing to do with each other, yet someone claims to have seen Tan Yizheng with his arms around Xu Ruanxia's waist, kissing her at a villa halfway up the mountain.

2

Five years later.

Whenever Tan Yizheng's name comes up, everyone finds a way to flatter him. At twenty-five, he succeeded in sending his entire family to prison. Now he commands half the business world in Jinghai, and his mother's villa is packed with people eager to marry into his family.

And Xu Ruanxia? So what if she's just a student at Jing University? Word is her boyfriend used her and then dumped her. Poor thing. Who remembers the girl raised by her mother's murderer? She disappeared one day and was never seen again.

Meanwhile, an unremarkable stand-in actress named Li Ruan turns up on the set of a major IP adaptation.

3

While visiting his top-tier star girlfriend on set, Tan Yizheng sees someone he once used and approached to gain power: Xu Ruanxia.

Watching Xu Ruanxia in another man's coat, Tan Yizheng burns his hand on the ash from his cigarette. "All the clothes she's wearing aren't worth as much as a single bag of dog food she once bought for a stray."

4

The all-powerful head of the Tan family knows exactly how to humiliate people, using what Xu Ruanxia cares about most to threaten her.

"Whether this project gets made isn't up to you alone, is it? Your parents owe me, so you'll pay me back."

Xu Ruanxia's husband comes to pick her up. Tan Yizheng pins her against the wall just inside the door and kisses her. "Do you dare tell your husband what we did when you were twenty? Who was it that stole a kiss from me?"

The sound of a child outside calling for his mother makes Tan Yizheng grit his teeth in fury. "That five-year-old bastard outside. If you don't come see me tonight, you'll never see him again."

Xu Ruanxia summons all her strength and slaps Tan Yizheng across the face. "He's someone else's child. You don't get to say a word about him."

5

Everyone in Jinghai knows the Tan family's leader is ruthless and never backs down. Later, though, someone sees him kneeling all night outside a small house on the outskirts of the city, on a day of heavy snowfall.

The people inside don't come out even when he faints. As he collapses, he is still calling, "Ruan Ruan, forgive me."

A little boy comes out of the house with an umbrella. "My mom says some people in this world don't deserve forgiveness, not in this lifetime. Please leave my home."

Theme: A hardworking, resilient heroine who keeps growing into a better version of herself