My Stepbrother Is the Second Male Lead Who Gets Rejected

[Pampered little ray of sunshine x Gentle, gloomy, sickly beauty]

Yue Fu transmigrates into a book, becoming the stepsister of the devoted second male lead in a tragic romance.

The ninth son of the Xie family, Xie Zhen, is plagued by illness, blessed with peerless looks, and gentle as jade. In the original story, while gravely ill, he falls in love with the heroine at first sight. From then on, he sinks deeper and deeper, following the familiar path of the gentle second male lead.

Yue Fu liked Xie Zhen when she read the book, so after she transmigrates into it, she makes a point of getting close to him and doing everything she can to help him avoid the tragedy of falling for the heroine and dying young.

She makes sure he takes his medicine at home, studies all kinds of candied fruits and preserves with him, and drags him out on spring outings.

When she runs out of excuses, she simply pretends to be sick and acts spoiled, clinging to Xie Zhen until he can barely get away from her all day.

Whenever she does, Xie Zhen looks at her with gentle helplessness.

“Af, listen to your brother and stay away from us.”

Yue Fu retorts boldly, “We’re siblings! What’s wrong with a big brother indulging his little sister? If I’m doing something wrong, why don’t you teach me?”

But later, her brother is still going to marry the heroine. Yue Fu thinks perhaps he really does love her.

If so, she’ll help him get what he wants.

On the day of Xie Zhen’s wedding, Yue Fu stands alone in the path of the male lead, who has come seeking revenge, and dies beneath the hooves of his raging horse.

Her final sight is someone stumbling toward her.

Her brother must be very happy. And she should be able to go home now.

Yue Fu closes her eyes with a smile.

When she wakes again, Yue Fu discovers she has returned to the book’s world. But the story has changed beyond recognition.

The second male lead, who should have died young, has become Dayi’s youngest chief minister, wielding the power of life and death.

Dragging his barely living body, he pulls the lofty Prince Regent from power. He throws the prince, along with everyone else involved, into the dungeon, ready to slaughter them all.

Yue Fu is forced to transmigrate into the book for a second time, tasked with changing Xie Zhen for the better and restoring the original plot.

Trembling with fear, Yue Fu appears before Xie Zhen. She tugs gently on his sleeve and murmurs, “Brother.”

His face turns deathly pale in an instant. Then he raises a finger to his lips.

“You’re wrong, Af,” he corrects her.

“I taught you that when you’re asking someone for something, you shouldn’t call him your brother.”

*Both leads are inexperienced, happy ending

*The male lead has only ever loved the heroine, and has no romantic feelings for the second female lead. They never have any intimate contact, and neither do they in the original story.

*The wedding is staged as part of a scheme. Please don’t read if that bothers you.

New story coming soon: Back to the Day I Married My Stuffy Husband

Still not quite in love, but let’s kiss first

Synopsis:

I don’t love my husband.

He’s young, but backward, stiff, and like some old antique rotted underground.

Even though he’s been in love with me since childhood, everyone praises him as a prodigy, our families arranged our marriage when we were still infants, and he followed every wedding custom before carrying me home in a grand bridal sedan chair,

I still don’t love him.

He knows I don’t love him. So, for three years of marriage, we treat each other with respect and courtesy, like guests in each other’s home.

Three years later, I accompany him to the capital to sit for the imperial examinations. He places first, and is chosen as a husband for a princess.

I know he turned down the marriage, but I don’t intend to let this opportunity pass. So I fly into a rage, accuse him of abandoning the wife who stood by him in poverty, and refuse to listen to his explanations. I force him to sign a divorce agreement, then walk away.

Then I die.

The imperial family must have whatever it wants. I am nothing but a stumbling block in the eyes of the powerful.

After my death, my spirit remains in the world, watching my husband turn gray overnight and waste away. He leaves the capital to mourn me for three years. When he returns, he becomes a court politician of his generation and destroys the century-old foundation of the previous dynasty.

Then, on the day rebels besiege the city, he drinks a cup of poison and dies in front of my grave.

I stand before his corpse, gazing at the words on the tombstone: “Tomb of His Beloved Wife, Jianwei.” My nose stings, and suddenly, I don’t hate those words so much.

After a dreamlike lifetime, I find myself back on my wedding day, my head covered by a red veil.

Unlike in my previous life, after a flurry of hurried footsteps, he rushes toward me.

He stops abruptly just before reaching me.

I hear him say, “Although our marriage was arranged by our parents and matchmakers, it is ultimately a matter between us. I was wrong to disregard your wishes. The ceremony isn’t complete yet, so if you don’t want to...”

Why is he going on and on? This isn’t how it happened in my last life.

I get impatient listening to him, yank off my veil, stand up, wrap my arms around him, and give him a loud kiss.

Theme: Be bold in pursuing love.