[End-of-July update: Please add this to your collection! >ᴗoಣ]
[Gentle, beautiful older woman x fake playboy, smiley, genuinely obsessive and brooding man]
Ji Shutong is the eldest legitimate daughter of a marquis's household. Her mother died young, and she has a quiet, indifferent temperament, yet she has an arranged marriage that everyone envies. As the wedding date draws near, the match changes from the eldest son to the second son, Yan Zhao.
Yan Zhao comes from a distinguished family. His father is the Duke of Yan, a powerful figure, his mother is the emperor's own daughter, and his elder brother is the top scholar. Yet he is the most notorious and arrogant wastrel in Shengjing, a troublemaking demon hated by everyone.
Married life turns out to be unlike anything she expected. Yan Zhao is cheerful, warm, and sincere. He loves taking her boating, lantern-viewing, and flower-viewing, and doing all the things she never dared to do as a young woman.
He also keeps using friendship as an excuse to cling to Ji Shutong, grinning as he says things like, "Ji Shutong, you smell so good," and "Ji Shutong, you're so sweet."
But when she's by his side, she often hears strange voices. One day, she finally makes out the words: "Host, your target, Ji Shutong, has reached 80 affection. You're not far from the final goal: getting her to say 'I love you' out loud. You're one step closer to going home. Keep it up!"
Beneath the brilliant lanterns, Ji Shutong smiles and says the words Yan Zhao has long awaited: "I love you."
Yan Zhao dies.
After finishing his college entrance exams at eighteen, Yan Zhufeng transmigrates into the body of the ancient boy Yan Zhao. The System tells him that all he needs to do to return home is win one woman's love.
Yan Zhufeng gladly accepts. As a carefree playboy who understands people, he figures that winning a woman's affection is easy: lower himself and pursue her, and she'll fall for him.
But that woman turns out to be his brother's fiancee. He can't bear the thought of someone else possessing his target, so he steals her away.
Everything that follows is unbelievably easy. A few smiles, a few kind words, a few outings, and her affection reaches 80.
Yan Zhufeng clicks his tongue at the cheapness of love.
On the day he completes his mission and returns to the modern world, Yan Zhufeng begs the System to send him back, back to Ji Shutong.
Yan Zhufeng can't live without Ji Shutong.
In the seventh year after leaving Ji Shutong, Yan Zhufeng returns. Yan Zhao, who should have died, is still alive and remains Ji Shutong's husband. They even have a child.
Yan Zhufeng has a new identity too: Yan Zhao's uncle.
All he can do is watch the family of three from the shadows, his heart burning as he condemns the woman who changed her heart, night after night.
"Ji Shutong, in the end, you betrayed me. I don't blame you, but can that fake really satisfy you? Ji Shutong!"
"Ji Shutong, you forgot me!"
"Ji Shutong!"
Reading Guide
1. They are each other's only one, she's older than him, and the child is adopted.
2. The male lead transmigrates twice: the first time, his soul crosses over; the second time, his whole body does.
3. Includes a 'now I get it' moment, an identity reveal, and plenty of 'jealous of myself' scenes.
Blurb written on April 27, 2025. Revised on March 22, 2026.
Theme: Sincerity
