My Grim Older Brother Turned into the Cat I Raised

Next up: The Phoenix in Chains

[Sharp-Tongued but Soft-Hearted, Teasing Dowager Consort × Respectful in Appearance, Sinister and Ruthless New Emperor]

Here is the blurb:

The new emperor ascends the throne, and An Yue, the unwanted stepchild brought into the palace by a favored consort, finds herself in an awkward position.

After her father dies, her newly installed imperial brother is moody and unpredictable. She walks on eggshells every day, praying she can marry and leave the palace soon.

At least there is a cat in her courtyard who will listen to her vent.

Holding the cat in her arms, she grits her teeth and says, "The Seventh Prince is an idiot, and my imperial brother is an even bigger idiot. Our whole family is a bunch of idiots."

The cat, which had been lying obediently on her lap, suddenly arches its back and scratches the back of her hand.

An Yue swats the cat on the rump, then hugs it a little tighter. "Be good."

Seeing how powerless she is, her half-sister, who has never gotten along with her, brazenly pushes her into the water. The dowager consort plans to betroth her to the dim-witted son of a Minister of Personnel. No matter how wretchedly she is treated, her imperial brother only watches with cold indifference.

The palace servants see how powerless she is and even skimp on her charcoal.

In the freezing cold, she and the cat huddle together and shiver. She prays, "I wish I had a whole basket of charcoal."

But at some point, everything begins to change...

First, baskets of charcoal are delivered to her palace. Later, the imperial brother takes care of everyone who has bullied her.

*

Qu Wenzhao thinks everyone in the palace is hypocritical and deceitful, and she is no different.

Still, this convenient little sister has an amusing personality. It will do no harm to keep her around for a bit of entertainment.

Until he starts getting transported into the body of an ugly cat every few days, only to be held in a young woman's arms as she cuddles and teases him. She forces him to eat her leftover pastries, taunts him with a cat toy, and makes him let out that humiliating meow...

Unable to fight back, he glares darkly. Once he returns to normal tomorrow, he will tear her limb from limb.

Later, he injures his leg in an animal trap. A hand pats him lightly on the rump. "How could you be so careless?"

His whole body stiffens, and a hint of mortification creeps into his cool eyes.

An Yue gently bandages him. From the corner of his eye, he sees the redness in her eyes as she frets over him, and calmly inches closer into her arms.

Later still, seeing her take no action when others bully her begins to irritate him.

If that's the case, what's wrong with helping her one more time?

*

Then one day, the young woman kneels before him anxiously, claiming she wants to win over the court officials. "An Yue wants to marry the second son of the Prime Minister. I hope my imperial brother will grant my wish."

Qu Wenzhao agrees, but then has the prospective husband thrown in prison.

An Yue goes to find her imperial brother, only to discover in his room a mandarin-duck sachet she embroidered herself.

Pointing at it, An Yue asks tentatively, "Wasn't this supposed to be delivered to my future husband for me?"

Qu Wenzhao's lips twitch. "I forgot."

An Yue: "(oA o|||) ??"

*

Later, he traps her in his arms and, just as she used to do to him, gives her a light swat on the rump. His voice is hoarse. "Be good."

An Yue: ???

Why does this scene feel so familiar?

[Reading Guide]

1. Six-year age gap. [Forceful Possession]

2. They have different fathers and mothers, and are not blood-related.

3. The emperor dies of old age, not at the male lead's hands.

4. An alternate history setting, very, very alternate!

5. Happy ending, both leads are each other's only partners.

6. All is well, all is well. More details may be added at any time.

---Coming next---

[Stepmother Romance | Forceful Possession | Fleeing While Pregnant]

Bai Zhiyi had been sent off to marry for an alliance for only three days when the emperor died.

The new emperor appears gentle and courteous. He treats her with polite reserve, and they get along well enough.

But trapped in the palace, she finds life dull and uneventful. One day, several new musicians arrive at the palace. Among them is one with exquisite skill on the zither, and, most importantly, a very handsome face.

For once, she chats with him at some length.

Who knew that night she would dream of the new emperor, who had completely changed into someone else in her dream, pinning her beneath him as he kissed and claimed her.

At dawn, she wakes with a start, then quickly forgets the dream.

Until one day, she suddenly feels unwell.

After taking her pulse, the imperial physician turns pale with fright. "Your Highness... you're pregnant."

Bai Zhiyi feels as if she has been struck by lightning.

She had been married off here and lost her husband in less than three days. How could she possibly be pregnant?!

[Sharp-Tongued but Soft-Hearted, Teasing Dowager Consort × Respectful in Appearance, Sinister and Ruthless New Emperor]

1. Both leads are virgins. Forceful Possession.

Theme: Love life and pursue freedom