[Reserved, Proper Radio Expert x Sensitive, Affection-Starved Fallen Young Lady]
Mei Lanyu had known since childhood that she had to fight for her father's love.
Her timid mother always said, "Try harder, and your father might spare you another glance."
So she studied relentlessly, coming first in every subject.
All for the sake of earning a faint "Well done" from her father when she saw him once a week.
As a little girl, she could never understand why.
Why could her half-sister win the favor she had begged for simply by acting cute?
Still, she would rather believe that her father loved her...
Until she turned eighteen, when her father personally altered her university acceptance letter and gave her place to her younger sister.
Only then did she finally understand that all those years of praise had never been meant for her.
They were only meant to pave the way for her sister.
Her obedience and hard work meant nothing to her father.
If being obedient was useless, then she would stop obeying.
Fang Haizhou, who had returned from studying in the Soviet Union, was the youngest department head in the radio engineering department.
With his stern features and meticulous manner, he was said to command even his superiors' respect.
The first time Fang Haizhou met Mei Lanyu, he saw through her deliberate attempts to get close to him.
"There can never be anything between us."
He turned her down without hesitation.
But when her eyes reddened and she trembled as she said, "I just... want to study," Fang Haizhou's heart softened.
He helped her find evidence that her younger sister had stolen her student registration and helped her get justice.
The day the report was sent, heavy rain poured down.
Her sister went berserk on campus, grabbing at her hair and clothes, while her father threatened to disown her.
Fang Haizhou came with a black umbrella and, in full view of everyone, sheltered her inside his coat.
"Don't be afraid. I'm here."
Mei Lanyu knew Fang Haizhou was a stepping-stone for her.
She used his influence to report her father's bigamy, sending him and his new family behind bars.
Now that she had achieved her goal, she should walk away.
But she couldn't bring herself to say goodbye.
In her feverish haze, she watched the man stay up all night by the stove, brewing medicine, and suddenly felt her eyes grow hot.
"Fang Haizhou..."
She raised a hand and knocked over the medicine bowl.
"Someone like me... doesn't deserve you treating me this way."
The man paused, but only silently crouched down and used a handkerchief to wipe the brown medicine from her fingertips, bit by bit.
"Then what do you want me to do?"
He looked up, his eyes holding a determination she had never seen before. "Teach me..."
"How can I stop liking you?"
[Reading Guide]
1. The male lead falls first but holds back. The female lead goes from using him to falling for him. Both are each other's first and only.
2. A period novel set in a native world, with no golden finger. The female lead has her own career storyline.
3. This story is entirely fictional. The characters have outdated and imperfect traits, so please don't compare them to real life. Feel free to criticize the characters, but don't criticize the kitties. The kitties will cry!
4. The relevant professional knowledge comes from Baidu and various books. Please forgive any inaccuracies.
Synopsis photographed and archived on May 22, 2025
Theme: Love yourself well
