Stranded in Broad Daylight

Popular actor Zhan Xicheng encounters two things that day. First, someone spreads rumors and smears his reputation. Second, while filming at a funeral home, he spots a memorial tablet. The ashes have been stored there for years. The owner of the black-and-white portrait in the shrine doesn't look like someone who drowned, but more like a deep, sorrowful river god trapped in the muddy prison of the human world.

In high school, Zhan Xicheng was always second in his class. Many people thought he and the top student, Li Jiao, had been bitter enemies for years.

Zhan Xicheng: "?"

In reality, they'd barely spoken.

Or rather, it seemed Li Jiao was the one who kept him at arm's length, proud and aloof.

Li Jiao, a distant beauty from a wealthy family, was handsome and refined, and the principal cellist in the school orchestra. Compared to Zhan Xicheng's swamp of a background, the difference between them seemed like night and day.

Then, as summer drew to a close, Li Jiao's body washed ashore on a coarse beach near the suburbs one dazzlingly bright morning.

Zhan Xicheng lit three incense sticks to pay his respects to his old classmate, and casually asked who had arranged to store the ashes.

In the ruddy glow of the oil lamps, the chief mourner's wails mingled with the funeral drums. White smoke curled through the air as a funeral home employee looked at Zhan Xicheng strangely and said, "You did."

*

After transmigrating back to his impoverished student days, Zhan Xicheng focuses on preventing Li Jiao's death by drowning, but things don't quite match his memories.

For example, his eyes keep following the smallest details of Li Jiao's likes and habits.

Lip-biting, honeydew melon milk, and the tear troughs under his eyes that make him look like a puppy.

For example, there was once a grand love affair that no one knew about.

Its protagonists were Zhan Xicheng and Li Jiao.

And for another, he loves Li Jiao more than anyone could ever imagine.

Even if he "dies," Zhan Xicheng will stay by Li Jiao's side forever, like a ghost.

After all, they're a perfectly matched pair of accomplices, their bond hidden from the world.

*

Zhan Xicheng x Li Jiao

A caring, domestic, workaholic top who is great at soothing people and commanding a room x a beautiful, self-aware, haughty, flirtatious rich young lady bottom

Reading Guide 🍊🥟

1. Two mutually obsessed lovers who were born for each other.

2. Mystery / unconventional narrative, with everything based on the author's own setting.

3. Chapters with parentheses in their titles are forum-style posts O~O.

Theme: A thousand times over, by your side.