The Melting Point of Reason: 1280°C

*A cool-headed, carefree, rational only daughter from a traditional glass workshop x a sensitive, suspicious, selfish, rational rich kid studying abroad

*Working-class grind and depression touched with light

*Based on a true story, but made up as we go

[Blurb]

The moment Lin Shuyue heard Shen Zhao's father say they were "not right for each other," fine cracks had already formed along the rim of the cup between her fingers.

Watching neon lights reflected in the tea tray, she suddenly thought of firing glass bubbles: when the temperature difference between the inside and outside exceeds 23 degrees, even the most perfect sphere will burst into stardust.

"We..." She swallowed the word "break up" and instead picked up the floating Pu'er leaves in the tea strainer with her tweezers. "How about we play a game?"

"From now on, whoever messages the other first loses."

During plum-rain season, winding trails of water crept down the tempered-glass curtain walls, and their message count dwindled by the day.

The hundredth time Lin Shuyue passed the World Financial Center, she placed her palm over her heart. At 1,280 degrees, glass reached the precise point where it began to flow.

For their last meeting, at the old Customs Clock Tower site, she deliberately wore work pants stained with cobalt-blue glaze.

As the century-old pendulum was about to cut through midnight, she suddenly leaned close and touched the back of Shen Zhao's hand. "Guess what temperature my rationality melts at now?"

Reader's note:

1. One-on-one romance. The heroine is inexperienced; the hero is not.

2. Open ending, younger man, the woman is three years older. Two rational people going crazy for love.

3. The tone is faintly sad and grounded in everyday life. The heroine has a personal growth arc, but she is not a strong-woman type.

Theme: Love takes up only the smallest part of life. Love yourself before loving someone else, and enjoy the present.