It's Catnip

[Sunny, energetic girl x refined, gentle, scheming senior]

[Next book: Butterflies in Winter] Please add it to your collection~

A secret crush is one person's world turned upside down. Being friends with the person you secretly love is an unresolved vigil.

First love is unforgettable, especially when Shang Chu Qing fell at first sight.

That night, the lights were dazzling, and the buzz from the alcohol left Shang Chu Qing a little dazed. A low, magnetic singing voice seemed to surround her.

She fell for him so easily. Only later did Shang Chu Qing learn that he was famous at Nanli for being impossible to pursue.

But Shang Chu Qing threw herself at him like a butterfly into a flame. "Hi. Can I date you?"

In the end, though, her love finally came to an end.

Shang Chu Qing went to their date full of anticipation, but as she approached, she heard words that seared her heart.

Inside the private room, someone asked the man half-hidden in the shadows, clearly enjoying the spectacle, "Young Master Fu, do you really like that girl?"

Fu Xu Jun lounged lazily on the sofa, his shirt buttons dangling loose. His long, narrow eyes were sharp, and a half-extinguished cigarette rested loosely between his fingers. A smile played at the corner of his mouth.

He said casually, "She's pretty cute. I'll have some fun with her."

Outside the door, Shang Chu Qing's eyes were red, and clear tears fell like raindrops. Not far away, a tall figure stared straight at her.

Wen Lian Shan had fallen for someone a long time ago. He loved the way she smiled, and he loved her tear-streaked, kittenish face. Whatever she did, he loved her.

The restraint of being her friend and the tangled bonds of brotherhood kept him from voicing a single honest thought.

The first time he held her was when she was crying over another man. Shang Chu Qing's sobs, tinged with alcohol, pierced Wen Lian Shan's heart.

"I really, really like you. Why don't you like me?"

Wen Lian Shan held her tightly, as if he wanted to press her into his very bones. His eyes were as black as ink as he murmured, "I like you, too."

"From now on, will you only like me?"

In the end, he crossed the line. His every concern scattered like dust, and he cast them all aside.

Fu Xu Jun realized he had fallen, fallen for Shang Chu Qing, but it seemed he had realized it too late.

He called her, only to hear a familiar voice say, "Hello, Chu Chu is asleep now."

With a crash, the glass in his hand shattered on the floor.

Fu Xu Jun glared at the person before him, his eyes bloodshot, and gritted out, "I treated you like a brother, and you went behind my back and stole my girl."

Wen Lian Shan's expression remained gentle, but his voice didn't yield an inch. "I didn't do it behind your back. I did it openly."

Notes:

1. The second male lead wins the girl. The heroine really did love the first male lead.

2. Angsty melodrama. The male lead really does steal the girl from his friend.

3. The groveling-to-win-her-back plot turns into a full-on breakup, with both men competing for her.

4. A slow burn, with plenty of plot in the early chapters.

Blurb for Butterflies in Winter:

Tao Zhi Qing had an unequal relationship.

She was clever, kind, and exceptional, yet in Chen Han Yu's eyes, she was clumsy, troublesome, and a burden.

A famous aloof beauty at Nan University, he had won countless honors, so of course he attracted attention.

But no one knew Chen Han Yu had a girlfriend in the School of Media. No one knew that even when the two were accidentally seen embracing, people assumed they were filming an assignment.

One day, their relationship was exposed on campus, causing an uproar and heated discussion. Most people were asking, "How did Chen Han Yu end up dating Tao Zhi Qing?"

Doubt, mockery, and every other unkind gaze battered the walls around Tao Zhi Qing's heart.

A teasing voice rang out in the room. "Han Yu, how did you end up dating Tao Zhi Qing?"

Tao Zhi Qing stopped with her hand on the door, waiting outside for the verdict.

His voice was cool and detached. "She's clingy. That's how it is."

-

Tao Zhi Qing never expected to be the one to ask for a breakup. After all, she had been the one to pursue Chen Han Yu.

"Let's break up."

Chen Han Yu's expression was calm, as if Tao Zhi Qing were just throwing a tantrum. "Don't be like that. I have an experiment to finish. I'll come keep you company tomorrow."

He turned and left without hesitation, as if certain Tao Zhi Qing would never leave him. But one day, when he saw the sweet smile that used to be his turned toward someone else, Chen Han Yu finally understood that she had meant it.

Rain poured down. Chen Han Yu stood stubbornly outside her building. The once-proud, aloof genius pleaded humbly, "Zhi Zhi, I was wrong. Don't leave me."

A low voice spoke before Tao Zhi Qing could answer. "Chen, is there something you need from my girlfriend?"

Theme: Of course you do whatever it takes to pursue the one you love.