[Sweet Romance / Satisfying Payback / Identity Reveal and Pursuit]
A chatty, gossipy merchant's daughter x a taciturn civil official who pretends to be deaf and mute
The Song family is a salt merchant house appointed by the imperial court, wealthy beyond measure.
They have a young daughter named Song Yuying.
*
Song Yuying inherited her father's business acumen. Though still young, she is already fabulously wealthy. She has one little hobby: gossiping.
From the prime minister's third son's mistress finding herself a male lover, to the owner of a goldsmith's shop in the west of the city falling for the proprietor of the jade shop next door...
But Song Yuying wouldn't dare gossip about that frail-looking civil official at court.
One day, Song Yuying travels south of the Yangtze in search of business opportunities. She takes a government boat, with only one other passenger aboard: a young deaf-mute gentleman.
She holds back for two days, but at last can't resist trying to gossip with him. He can't hear her anyway, so what could she possibly say that would be off-limits?
And so Song Yuying grows bolder, telling the deaf-mute gentleman all the things she couldn't normally say, right into his ear.
For example:
"I hear Lord Zhai is terribly frail. If I were His Majesty, I wouldn't give him an official post."
"Lord Zhai is twenty-five this year. He's too old. Who would ever want him?"
Little does she know that the man in front of her isn't deaf or mute at all.
*
As an investigating censor, Zhai Xingzhou is responsible for keeping the officials in check.
Though still young, he already wields real power, and no one in the court dares offend him.
One day, His Majesty assigns him to inspect the south. Zhai Xingzhou has already heard that the notoriously talkative daughter of the Song family is also aboard the boat, so he pretends to be deaf and mute, hoping to escape her.
Who could have guessed that the Song girl would gossip about him to his face? She keeps it up all the way to the south, and her stories grow more outrageous by the day. Still, Zhai Xingzhou manages to put up with it.
Until...
"I hear Lord Zhai refuses to marry because he has a secret affliction."
"I don't."
Looking at the girl's wide-eyed expression, Zhai Xingzhou feels a little mischievous.
Was it mischief, or was he falling for her? Who can say?
*
Later, Zhai Xingzhou puts on an impeccable performance as a deaf-mute.
He deliberately leans close to her ear and murmurs hoarsely,
"Speak up. I can't hear you."
Reading Guide:
1. Both leads are virgins, one-on-one romance, happy ending.
2. The heroine is of marriageable age.
3. The hero isn't actually frail. He's a civil official with impressive martial prowess.
4. The hero falls first and pursues her. The heroine takes longer to fall in love.
5. Set in a fictional world, with a specific dynasty as its inspiration.
6. A sweet little romance, full of affectionate interactions.
Theme: Live the life you want
Isn't it wrong to be stuck here?
[Purple sugar]kswl[Purple sugar]kswl