When I First Saw Qing He

[Statement on removing the paywall] I've tried revising the earlier chapters and rebuilding the outline so I could continue the story, but I haven't been satisfied with the results. On top of that, my real-world job has kept me busy, and I've been running short on energy. It would be irresponsible to keep making everyone wait, so after careful consideration, I've decided to remove the paywall. The process is now underway. [Also] Removing the paywall doesn't mean I'm abandoning the story. When I have time, I'll finish it as a free story. [Reward tickets] I'll return them in the form of red packets. I'm truly, truly sorry for keeping everyone waiting all this time. Finally, thank you for understanding. I hope everything goes well for you and that you have a happy life. (bows) Blurb: Ning He is an assassin, though she prefers to call herself a swordswoman. A swordswoman short on money. She has no parents and makes her living at the edge of the law, taking people's money to solve their problems. Her earnings are paid in lives. But maintaining a sword is expensive, food is expensive, and medicine for injuries is expensive, while jobs are few and far between. It was raining hard that day. Ning He was starving and dizzy with hunger. She walked through a narrow alley with her sword on her back and found a bloodied young man lying across her path. Without looking at him, she stepped over him. The young man reached out a bloody hand, raised his pale, elegant face, and grabbed the hem of Ning He's trousers. She kicked him away. Her master had said never to pick up men from the roadside. Then the young man took out a bag of silver pieces. Ning He: It's not like I can't save him. * Later, after Ning He's sword was broken and all her sharp edges had been worn away, she finally understood that the young man she'd saved had a madman hidden beneath that elegant, reserved face. Her master had been right. Never pick up men from the roadside. Not even if they're rich. * After a sudden fall from grace, Duan Chenyu went from crown prince to prisoner. He barely escaped, only to be hunted down and left on the brink of death. The one who saved him was a young woman from the martial world. She carried a sword everywhere and spoke with impatience. The only time she showed him any kindness was when he gave her money. In the past, Duan Chenyu would never have spared a glance for a woman so greedy and shameless. But to survive and get revenge, he had no choice but to coax her and use her. As Ning He's feelings for him grew, Duan Chenyu kept her at arm's length, giving her hope and then withdrawing it. On the day he avenged himself, rain fell in torrents. Ning He brought over a jar of wine. Mixing with the rainwater, the liquor burned its way down. For the first time in his life, he drank himself senseless. Looking at Ning He's bright, clear eyes, Duan Chenyu thought drunkenly: Once I ascend the throne, if she's willing to learn a little etiquette and give up that battered sword, I might even make her empress. * Later, Duan Chenyu ascended the throne as he had hoped, but Ning He left with her sword on her back, never looking back. [Black-lotus, deranged crown prince x straightforward, innocent swordswoman] Reader's Guide: 1. Both leads are each other's first and only / happy ending / historical fantasy, so please don't nitpick the details. 2. A groveling chase to win her back, with some forced-marriage and possession elements (emphasis added). 3. The blurb contains a misunderstanding due to the story being told solely from the heroine's perspective. 4. A melodramatic story. The male lead isn't a good person in the conventional sense (a dark, deranged mad dog), but he is physically and emotionally pure. 5. Please don't mention other stories in my comments, and don't mention my story in other people's comments. Don't be a troll. Thank you. 6. No need to tell me if you drop the story. Blurb archived, 2025.7.7 Theme: You matter more than anything else