The Twin Pearls' Calamity

Zhu Qing is a twin-pearl herb. She becomes the disciple of Yizhen, the eldest disciple of Mount Taiwei, and accompanies him to the mortal realm to undergo a trial.

Before she descends, the Gold Star of Venus repeatedly warns her that immortals must not fall in love with mortals, and tells her not to let Yizhen's good looks beguile her.

Looking at Yizhen's lifeless, ice-cold face, Zhu Qing thinks the Gold Star of Venus is worrying over nothing.

She mustn't disrespect her master, and there are plenty of handsome young men in the mortal realm.

One day, after drinking too much with a handsome young man, Yizhen carries her back to her room with an impassive face. She wraps her arms around Yizhen's neck and actually calls him by the young man's name.

The usually cool and composed Yizhen instantly loses control. He grips her face and makes her look at him.

"Look carefully. I'm your master, not some wild man you met outside."

Zhu Qing doesn't take in a single word. Shaking, she tugs his collar open and presses her palm to his chest. "Don't move. Let me cool my hands."

*

The next morning, when Zhu Qing wakes up sober, she vaguely remembers being burning hot all over and feeling wonderfully cool pressed against a cold body. The owner of that body held her tightly and kept calling her "Qingqing."

She also remembers that the man wasn't the handsome jade-faced young man she liked in the mortal realm. He was her unreliable master.

Remembering how she'd taken liberties with him the night before, Zhu Qing immediately goes to apologize.

Yizhen, who hasn't slept all night, turns his back to her and remains silent for a long time. Only the tips of his ears are faintly red.

Just as she loses patience and is about to leave, Yizhen suddenly says, "You took liberties with your master last night, and now you want to run away?"

Zhu Qing freezes in place, her face crimson.

Then Yizhen slowly comes closer and whispers in her ear, "If a mortal man is allowed, why not your master?"

Zhu Qing: Master, have some dignity for your age!

Reader's guide:

· Both leads are each other's first and only; the male lead is a virgin.

· Old-school setting: immortals serving in the Celestial Realm are forbidden from dating. Sweet at first, then angsty; happy ending.

· The romance and plot develop together, with a mini-story in each arc.

· Includes a little groveling. The couple has a child in the second lifetime, so please skip if that's not for you.

Coming soon: arranged marriage to love | rekindled romance | groveling | first love

Jiang Zhongxi is the beautiful and charming daughter of the Minister of Revenue. During the selection of consorts, the emperor points to her and chooses her to be Prince Jing's wife.

On their wedding night, Prince Jing lifts her veil, his voice utterly cold.

"Since you covet the position of princess consort, don't dream of love as well."

Those few words send Jiang Zhongxi's heart plummeting.

After the wedding, she dutifully plays the role of Prince Jing's wife, and they become a couple in name only.

As time passes, she realizes that Prince Jing has someone in his heart, though she doesn't know who.

When his secret feelings are exposed, Prince Jing flies into a rage.

Just then, unrest breaks out at the border. He volunteers to lead the army, not to earn glory, but to escape her.

Jiang Zhongxi looks at the empty prince's residence, then goes to the palace and asks the emperor for an edict.

If you don't love me, I'll set you free.

Recently, Prince Jing keeps dreaming. The woman in his dreams is no longer the young girl he fell in love with at first sight, but his wife, Jiang Zhongxi.

For every day he spends at the border, he dreams of his wife.

When the army returns in triumph, only the servants from his residence are there to welcome him. Only then does Prince Jing learn that his wife petitioned the emperor to let her become a nun at a Daoist temple outside the capital, supposedly to pray for peace at the border and prosperity for the realm.

At Yuzhen Temple outside the capital, the rain pours without pause for days.

Jiang Zhongxi opens her door and sees a tall figure. Prince Jing stubbornly stands in the rain for an entire day and night, refusing to leave.

She turns to close the door, but hears Prince Jing speak plaintively behind her.

"After all we've been through as husband and wife, are you truly going to abandon me?"

Reader's guide:

· The heroine has a crush at first, on the hero's older brother.

· Prince Jing has secretly loved the heroine since they were young.

· At first, neither lead loves the other. Their feelings grow slowly over time.

· Sweet day-to-day moments with a touch of bittersweetness.

Theme: Be brave enough to pursue love