Purple Mulberries [Marriage Before Love]

Copyright protection: 80% of the novel is locked for 72 hours. Thank you for supporting the official version!

-

Airheaded, sweet girl x calculating, scheming older man

Genius novelist x physics professor

Both each other's first love, both sexually inexperienced / height difference / seven-year age gap / from strangers to deeply familiar / the male lead falls first

1.

In the cool early autumn weather, Sang Fu went to Jia University to meet a childhood friend and happened to arrive during a packed lecture.

On stage, the man in a black shirt stood tall and spoke with substance, crisp and composed.

Her friend quietly introduced him. That was Zhuang Mowen, the newly appointed associate professor of physics at Jia University, a promising young talent and an untouchable beauty.

"I hear Professor Zhuang has been single all this time and still hasn't found a girlfriend. So many teachers and students at the university have tried to get close to him, but he never flirts around. That says a lot about his character."

That evening, at a cafe.

Cradling a hot chocolate, Sang Fu spoke gently to Zhuang Mowen, seated across from her. "I like you. Would you marry me?"

2.

Sang Fu and Zhuang Mowen married because each had something the other needed.

He wanted to put his seriously ill family members at ease, while Sang Fu needed a capable husband in name, someone who could put an end to the endless blind dates and let her focus on writing.

In Sang Fu's eyes, Zhuang Mowen was refined, courteous, and steady.

Even his thoughtful care for her was just a reflection of his innate good manners, not a sign of affection.

After getting married, they politely slept in separate rooms and treated each other with mutual respect.

But one day...

Sang Fu couldn't help posting a question on social media:

"What does it mean when a man comes to your door after showering, wearing nothing but a towel?"

Helpful netizens told her to call the police. It might be a perverted neighbor.

After thinking it over, Sang Fu set the record straight: "It's my husband."

"?"

One person suggested, "Look up why your cat keeps meowing."

3.

A few months later, Sang Fu published her new book, and Zhuang Mowen's family recovered.

According to their original agreement, their marriage was about to end.

A friend who knew the situation threw her a party to celebrate her return to single life.

But the guest of honor, Sang Fu, inexplicably failed to show up all night.

It wasn't until after midnight that the phone was finally answered. But the voice on the other end was Zhuang Mowen's, low and deep.

"Hello. If it's important, please call again tomorrow."

"She's exhausted. She just fell asleep."

"..."

So much for being a marriage of convenience. How did they end up in the same bed?

"Bonus Scene"

Ever since they married, Zhuang Mowen had taken care of everything. He'd never once been cold to Sang Fu. Even after their act became real, he did his best to hold back at first, unable to bear making her cry.

Until one day he saw a message about her friends preparing a singles' party for her.

Sang Fu cried all night, but it still wasn't enough to make Zhuang Mowen stop.

He kissed her cheek, no longer moving as gently as before.

"Go ahead and cry. I'm listening."

The cat keeps meowing: I like you, I like you, I like you, I like you (peacock showing off)

#A slow-burn, cozy slice-of-life romance

*Please don't compare this to real life. There are no real-life inspirations, and the school and place names are fictional! Everything serves the plot, and some professional details have been made up. Please understand.

*Height difference: 160 cm x 188 cm. Rabbit-and-fox pairing. The heroine is slow to recognize her feelings, while the untouchable beauty comes down from her pedestal of her own accord.

*Fully ripened purple mulberries are sweet, and so is this story.

Blurb first posted 25.4.19, latest revision 25.5.9

-

Next book: The Trace of a Damp Heart, a faux uncle-and-niece romance. All about the vibes. Please show it lots of support!

-

Theme: Love yourself before loving someone else