You Should've Said So, I Would've Started Sooner

When Xie Xiaoye was twenty-four, she pulled a boy who was trying to jump into the river back from the bridge.

He was as thin as a bean sprout, covered in wounds. Only his eyes were dark and bright, and when he looked at people, he seemed like a wary young beast.

She took him home and raised him, thinking that once he graduated from college, she could finally let go and stop worrying about him.

Only later did she realize that from the day she pulled him back, his eyes had held room for no one else.

Fei Nan's eighteenth birthday fell on New Year's Eve.

Xie Xiaoye deliberately pretended she'd forgotten, decorating the whole house so she could surprise him.

She sent the boy out on an errand. He didn't return until night had fully fallen, his clothes and hair chilled through.

Outside the window, lights glimmered in countless homes, and fireworks burst across the sky in a riot of color.

He stood in the darkness a few steps away, his expression hidden. His voice was low and heavy. "Xie Xiaoye, maybe I should go back after all... I'm too much trouble for you here."

Just as he finished speaking, the front door opened.

A shower of confetti burst all over him.

Xie Xiaoye hadn't even had time to react before she turned around and saw the boy looking at her with red-rimmed eyes, his expression wounded. He asked in disbelief, "This... is for me?"

Xie Xiaoye had always thought she was raising a son. Somewhere along the way, raising him had turned into one enormous headache.

She'd only gone to sit at a bar with a male friend, but the young man rushed over, looking as if he'd come straight from a long journey, and dragged her back to their cozy home.

Expressionless, he tugged open his collar and asked, each word crisp and clear, "Why do you have to find someone else? Can't it be me? I'm younger than him, better-looking, cleaner... And if you want, we can do whatever you like. When you get tired of me, you can toss me aside. I won't say a word."

As if afraid she wouldn't believe him, he buried his face against her shoulder. His voice was muffled and choked with tears. "If you get together with me, then later, if you want to find someone else, I can pretend I didn't see it."

At last, Xie Xiaoye realized he was serious.

But...

Seven years.

A full seven-year age gap. She'd watched him grow up, watched him go from a bean sprout to a young man well over six feet tall, watched him build a career and become a success in other people's eyes.

How could she?

Later, when everything had finally settled, she sighed. "I really am awful. Honestly... how could I bring myself to do that?"

Someone behind her let out a soft sigh.

A familiar presence enveloped her. Someone pulled her into his arms and rested his forehead against the crown of her head. His voice rumbled from his chest.

"Xie Xiaoye."

"I've been waiting for you for seven years."

One-line summary: If you'd just said something sooner, it wouldn't have taken seven years for me to make a move.

A thickheaded, emotionally oblivious heroine x a two-faced hero who's very good at acting sweet and obedient around her

Updates every other day.

[Content warnings: Includes esports.

The heroine is a true all-around heartthrob, beloved by people of every age and gender.

Includes supernatural elements.

One-on-one romance, both leads are virgins, happy ending.

Open to writing advice. This is my second book, and I'm slowly (maybe) improving.]

Theme: Love can make people vulnerable, but it can also make them strong.