After her breakup, Jian Ran's best friend arranged for her to stay at a secluded resort to disconnect and heal.
The resort assigned her a personal butler—a university student working part-time, in a crisp white shirt, tall and handsome, a real treat for the eyes.
He was highly professional too: he ate with her, played with her, talked with her, and eased her worries. A very competent butler. Jian Ran was quite satisfied.
But by chance, she discovered that this university student had plans to find a wealthy patroness. Unable to bear seeing him go astray, she gritted her teeth and said, "I'm half a wealthy woman myself. How about you stick with me?"
Jian Ran thought it was a simple money-for-companionship arrangement, never realizing it was a long-conceived scheme on his part.
Not until a cocktail party did she find out that the poor student wasn't poor at all—he was a hot AI prodigy from A University's tech circle, holding multiple patents.
Panicked, Jian Ran hastily proposed to end their arrangement, but he cornered her against the wall, lightly biting her earlobe and whispering, "That's not what you said last night, Jie..."
***
Chu Lulin had loved Jian Ran for six years. No one knew.
When he learned she had broken up, he seized the opportunity, disguised himself as the type she liked, and approached her step by step, plotting to win her heart.
Who knew she would only ever see him as a gigolo after a rich woman?
Ridiculous or infuriating, Chu Lulin had no choice but to grit his teeth and play along. No matter how, as long as he was the one by her side.
As for the future, he would take it slow. Patience was something he never lacked.
**Mini Theater:**
One late night, Jian Ran's ex-boyfriend drunkenly called her. The male voice that answered was a gentle whisper.
"Jie, your phone."
Ex-boyfriend: "?"
He didn't know she had a brother?
Then a cold laugh came from the other end. "Not her brother. Her boyfriend."
*Outer cold inner hot proud older sister x scheming dark green tea younger brother*
*Male lead's secret crush comes true / Taking advantage of vulnerability / Five-year age gap / Age-gap feel with an older woman*
*The innocent little puppy turns out to be a big bad wolf!*
*The smartest hunter often appears as the prey*
—Pre-order novel "Wildfire Burns Again" —
In the summer of her 17th year, Xu Zhu's life took a huge turn. Her mother passed away, and her stepfather's family sent her back to her biological father.
But her father died in a car accident, forcing her to live under the same roof with her stepmother and the stepmother's son.
From a bustling metropolis to a remote backwater county, facing a strange environment and no relatives to turn to, Xu Zhu walked on eggshells every day. Especially toward that scary-looking, unrelated 'brother' of hers—she always tried to avoid him.
But as she avoided him, somehow, without her noticing, their relationship quietly began to change.
2
Those close to Su Ye knew he hated soft, timid people. The first time he saw Xu Zhu, he disliked this meek, cheap stepsister.
In the narrow attic, they lived door to door, but outside, they acted like strangers.
When friends teased him, his mouth said, "You want this sister? Take her." But he always ended up helping Xu Zhu when she needed it.
Later, behind a closed door, his friends were searching for Su Ye everywhere, while inside, he was gently kissing her lips, coaxing, "Be good, one more kiss."
*Outer soft inner strong sweet girl x tough exterior soft heart rough guy*
*Fake siblings / Body size difference / Mutual redemption*
*The male and female leads have no blood or familial relationship*
One-line summary: The smartest hunter often appears as the prey.
Theme: For you, it's an unabashed favoritism.
