The Fifth Year of My Secret Crush

My other novel, Late Summer's Lingering Warmth, a scheming CEO x a supposedly demure teacher, is now underway! Come take a look; its blurb is at the end.

/Childhood sweethearts / Reunited after a long separation

[Contrary cat x steadfast loyalist]

At Chongde High School, Sang Xuan and Gu Xun were famous rivals.

One was competitive and quick to flare up; the other couldn't stand being outdone and had a sharp tongue. Without their elders' insistence, they probably wouldn't even have become friends, let alone lovers.

Their classmates all said Gu Xun belonged with Jian Sijie, a mild-mannered physics contest champion like him. Sang Xuan heard that on the school field for two years.

After graduating in her senior year, Sang Xuan gathered her courage and left a confession letter on Gu Xun's desk.

The next time she saw it, it was in the trash can in Class Three, the science track.

Reunited after a long separation, Gu Xun returned as an exchange student after two years studying abroad. Given their connection, Sang Xuan couldn't avoid him. Since Gu Xun had someone he loved, she kept an appropriate distance as a friend.

But he still took care of everything for her as he always had, as if he were still following the casual instructions their elders had once let slip.

Only when he cornered her at her front door after she'd seen off a friend did she finally snap back: "What gives you the right to meddle in my affairs?"

Gu Xun held her in his arms and pressed his forehead to hers, lowering his voice as much as he could and gently coaxing her: "The fact that I stood in for you three times."

"Sang Xuan, do you still want to kiss me, one last time?"

Reading notes:

- A slow-burn slice-of-life story!

- High school memories are woven into the present-day timeline.

- All characters are fictional. Some details are invented, and career-related information is mostly based on research. Please point out any issues kindly. Hugs!

Blurb for Late Summer's Lingering Warmth

Rekindled romance / An unconventional marriage-first, love-later story / Rivals-to-lovers couple / Sweet and sour, with lots of sweetness

1,

I first saw Jin He at the opening ceremony of our first year of high school. He was giving a speech onstage as an outstanding student representative, describing the bright future that lay ahead for the younger students.

The senior had broad shoulders, a slim waist, and striking looks.

After that, Chen You would hear people's opinions about him from time to time.

Pretentious, aloof, and arrogant.

His family wasn't particularly well-off, but he worked hard, which made him stand out among all the rich kids.

The young ladies had offered him countless olive branches, but Jin He never so much as glanced their way.

After hearing this, Chen You looked at the boy beside her, who was focused on grading her papers, and tapped his hand with the tip of her pen.

"So the senior's that hard to pursue?"

"Not really."

The next week, when it was his turn to give the flag-raising speech, Chen You received a letter that looked like an apology for dating too young but was actually a veiled confession.

Unfortunately, she tore it to pieces with her own hands.

On a muggy, rainy day at summer's end, she broke up with him.

2,

They met again nine years later.

When Chen You was harassed by a blind date, she hurriedly tried to get away and collided without warning with a man coming out of the elevator.

The former poor top student had transformed into the sole heir of the Jin family, still surrounded by admirers.

Chen You, however, no longer had the courage to blaspheme the man she'd once idolized.

Even after Jin He rescued her, she simply thanked him and turned to leave.

After all, their breakup had been anything but amicable. Without this accident, Jin He probably wouldn't have wanted to see her again for the rest of his life.

An ex should know their place. The farther apart they stayed, the better.

Then came a blind date late one night.

Chen You arrived late, only to be stunned when she saw who was waiting for her.

The man rolled his sleeves up to his forearms and invited her to marry him as casually as if he were asking her to dinner.

He picked the bones out of a fish with unhurried ease and set the plate in front of her. "Don't worry, Teacher Chen. We'll both benefit. No feelings involved."

3,

Because Chen You had broken up with him without explanation, she was sure Jin He hated her.

But later, after they moved, Chen You was helping sort through a pile of documents in the safe when an old-model smartphone fell out.

It was fully charged and had no password.

There was only one contact in its list, along with countless messages that had failed to send. The first dated back nine years, and the latest was from the day they got married.

[If we got married, would you fall in love with me again?]

A genuinely calculating CEO who volunteered to marry her as soon as he learned she was getting married x a supposedly demure teacher who unknowingly falls into her ex's layers of schemes

Theme: The seed of a secret crush can grow into a towering tree