Love Begins with Marriage [Period]

My next story, "In the Palm of Your Hand [Rekindled Romance]," is coming soon. The blurb is below this one.

[Story Blurb]

A slow-paced, everyday story about ordinary people in the late 1970s.

[Sunny, Straightforward Girl vs. Cunning, Clingy Man]

He loves pretending to be vulnerable, and she falls for it every time. He is a cunning man who has her figured out, and she falls for it hook, line, and sinker.

Xiang Qing is a true-blue hutong girl, cheerful and straightforward, and fond of standing up for others.

Qi Jinnan is a young intellectual with a touch of scholarly pride. From the first moment he saw Xiang Qing, he knew he was done for.

To outsiders, Xiang Qing has Qi Jinnan wrapped around her little finger. Only he knows that she has him completely at her mercy.

After Qi Jinnan returns to the city from the countryside, the newlywed couple, who have been married on paper for four years, finally begin their married life in earnest.

Faced with their changed social status, an unfriendly mother-in-law, and a rival who appears out of nowhere, Xiang Qing nearly asks for a divorce several times. Each time, Qi Jinnan defeats her with a show of weakness, followed by a little "scolding and guidance."

Later, they go through career changes, a friend's betrayal, and the loss of loved ones together. The small, everyday moments bind them into one. After every major decision, their bond grows stronger. They hold on to who they are time and again amid the sweeping changes of the era, and ultimately find a beautiful love story that begins with marriage.

Xiang Qing, who used to threaten divorce all the time, finally learns through their shared experiences how precious marriage is and stops bringing up the word "divorce" so lightly. Of course, Qi Jinnan deserves some credit for that, too.

A Little Scolding and Guidance:

Xiang Qing covers her mouth, looking shocked. "Why did you kiss me?!"

Qi Jinnan braces a hand against the wardrobe and leans close, his voice low and slightly hoarse. "From now on, every time you say 'divorce,' I'll kiss you once."

Reading Guide:

1. Told from the heroine's perspective: married first, fall in love later. From the hero's perspective: his secret crush comes true.

2. Meals, everyday life, and working together to build a better future.

3. Everyone is a local, and there are no golden fingers.

In the Palm of Your Hand [Rekindled Romance]

This book is scheduled to open in early November. Please add it to your reading list!

Lin Jingyu never expected to wake up in a hospital, let alone find her very first student, Tan Siran, waiting by her bedside.

He still spoke without pulling any punches. "You ran off with my money and ended up malnourished? Lin Jingyu, you've really outdone yourself."

Lin Jingyu smiled bitterly. "I guess this is karma."

*

When they met again, he was already a grown man. The boy from back then, with his choppy short hair, school uniform, sneakers, and bag slung over one shoulder, existed only in that memory, a memory neither of them could easily let go of.

In Lin Jingyu's heart, that memory held only the innocence of youth. But in Tan Siran's heart, it must have been full of lies and betrayal.

It was the same memory, yet the two of them painted completely different pictures of it.

*

In the car taking her home, Lin Jingyu said she would pay him back.

Tan Siran turned the wheel and gave a cold laugh. "Do you think the problem between us can be solved by paying me back?"

Lin Jingyu lowered her eyes. "What else do you want? If I can give it to you, you can have it."

As long as she could make amends, she would do her best to give him whatever he wanted.

The man stared ahead, gripping the steering wheel tightly. After a long silence, he said, "I want you."

*

Reading Guide:

1. The first half is about the past; the second half is about the present.

2. Both leads have only ever loved each other. They are each other's first love.

3. Both leads have flaws. No one is perfect.

Theme: Happiness in the ordinary