Imaginary Lover

|| Gentle, nurturing male lead x naturally ditzy, straightforward sweetheart

|| High school principal x unconventional dream girl

|| Male lead is hopelessly lovesick, old flame rekindled | Fate comes full circle across two lifetimes

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There was a topic online that said falling in love with someone who has long since passed away is more agonizing than having an unrequited crush.

Yu Anna replied in the comments:

[Even more agonizing than falling in love with someone who has passed away is falling in love with someone who may never have existed in this world at all. I hope the person I love has passed away, because then at least I know he really existed.]

His name was Lin Lucun.

He and she were both born in the humid, rainy Lingnan region, yet never experienced the same downpour in their lifetimes.

There was no story between them, no entanglement, no response,

only love.

That love helped Yu Anna endure a stifling life. On the day she finally rose up and fought back, she miraculously met a man.

His name was also Lin Lucun.

He was a real, tangible person. Yu Anna fell in love with him and confessed that she was still in love with another Lin Lucun.

Lin Lucun turned down her confession, his cold demeanor uncharacteristic:

"I'm not him."

Her comment on the topic received countless replies,

all of them wishing her happiness and urging her to focus on her life.

Late one night, a new reply appeared beneath her comment:

[He gave me a gift: a chance to meet him.]

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Reader's note:

The male lead is ten years older.

Contemporary setting, with past-life and present-life elements.

The heroine has a rich inner world and a character-growth arc.

Both leads are each other's first love, both are virgins, and this has a big happy ending.

My next book will be Love Doesn't Cause Allergies. Please add it to your collection!

Blurb:

[Flirtatious on the surface, secretly a ghostly menace, rich heir x unaware flirt, aloof beauty, strong college girl]

[Fake playboy reforms x true aloof beauty descends to the mortal world]

[He has a secret crush / Reunited after a long separation / White moonlight romance]

01.

In her nineteenth year living at a temple, Shi Xiangyi was certain she had seen through the mortal world and devoted herself wholeheartedly to Buddha.

That day, Shen Youjin walked toward her through the fine rain, holding up his phone and resting it lightly against his ear.

"You're so young. You'll meet plenty of important people in the future." His expression was indifferent, but his voice was gentle. "...Me? I'm not one of them."

After a long silence, he chuckled softly to the person on the other end of the phone. "Little girl, you don't need to cry over me."

He soon hung up.

Not long afterward, Shi Xiangyi decided to start dating.

To ensure the relationship was enjoyable and the breakup easy, she chose Shen Youjin as her boyfriend.

He could try something different, and she could see what it was like. Everyone would be happy. Neither of them would expect it to last forever.

Shi Xiangyi relaxed. Then she would indulge herself for one summer.

02.

After summer passed, Shi Xiangyi realized things weren't so simple.

Shen Youjin found her paintings and used them as evidence to accuse her of being

all talk, playing with people's feelings, and making a mess of things only to abandon them.

"So this is how you've seen through the mortal world?"

He gave the painting of himself an amused glance. Ink lines traced his graceful profile and broad shoulders, with tiny beads of water clinging to his bare back.

"When did you sneak a look at me?"

"You even remember that tiny scar on my lower back?"

"Why have this painting framed? To hang it beside your bed and admire it every day?"

"How dare you show other people something this revealing?"

Shi Xiangyi stood there without a word, her face flushed red.

Shen Youjin poked her cheek. "Little liar, and you said you didn't miss me?"

03.

For a long time, Shi Xiangyi thought Shen Youjin was frivolous and uninhibited, and that he was only interested in her on a whim.

Only later did she learn that Shen Youjin had loved her for years, even before she knew he existed.

Shen Youjin never gave it much thought. His only wish was to stay by Shi Xiangyi's side forever and ever.

Whether he was her boyfriend or her little dog didn't seem to matter.

Reader's note:

- Both leads are each other's first love and are virgins. They remain devoted to each other in body and soul throughout. The male lead has never flirted with or dated anyone besides the heroine.

- The male lead is eight years older.

- For more detailed content warnings, please see the author's note in Chapter 1.

Theme: Keep living. Everything will get better.