Pseudo-siblings / Age gap of 9 / Physical size difference / Foster care / Beijing elite circle.
Daddy-like mature man * Honest girl-next-door / Group heir * Innocent college girl.
Chasing the wife / Male lead initially restrained and mature, later goes crazy.
01
During her deepest infatuation with Lu Tingzhou, Cheng Buxi disregarded her status and rushed into a flame.
She had been fostered in the Lu family since childhood, witnessing many partings and interest-driven conflicts, always trying to please and being cautious.
The Lu family, generations of extravagance. The eldest son, Lu Tingzhou, was cold and proud, his handsome appearance unbeatable, recognized in the circle as an industry genius, someone everyone revered.
One summer night, he gave her a restrained and subtle kiss on the forehead.
Little did he know that his sister was awake at that time.
02
On New Year's Eve, she mustered the courage to confess, drunk, knocking on his door.
Her face flushed, hair and clothes messy, she said to him: "Brother Lu, I like you."
But all she got in return was his cold "Nonsense."
She suddenly realized it was all one-sided, and that kiss might have been just a dream illusion.
From then on, she never provoked Lu Tingzhou again, fulfilling her duties as the adopted daughter of the Lu family, never overstepping.
03
When she reached marriageable age, her foster mother laid out a stack of preselected photos.
Her heart dead, fate arranged for her to meet Ning Ci.
Ning Ci was upright and handsome, gentle and considerate, enough to melt even a heart sealed in concrete.
Cheng Buxi felt like a fish in water, planning to follow the matriarch's arrangement and marry him soon, which would be a good story.
It turned out that the same tactics she had used on Lu Tingzhou, she now used unchanged on Ning Ci.
"Second Brother Ning, Xiaoxi likes you." She smiled at him, confessed, and did her best to be good to him.
But when Lu Tingzhou witnessed all this, he forbade it.
04
On the wedding night, she woke up groggily.
But she found herself not in the bridal chamber, but in a strange villa abroad, with the groom missing.
The entire room was a replica of her childhood princess room at home, and around her ankle was a solid iron chain.
"No, please no…" She trembled like a sieve, her voice tearful.
And her brother, who was usually gentle and refined in public, now had a cold smile on his lips, clapping his hands as the chain clanked.
He leaned in, his gaze falling on her pale, trembling face, his voice soft as if coaxing, yet hiding unmistakable possessiveness:
"Koukou."
"Tell me, who do you really like?"
*—You are the only verdict that hangs above my order.
【Tips】
◎ The heroine's nickname is Koukou, taken from 'button' meaning to fasten.
◎ Male lead is jealous, repressed, self-disciplined, loves without knowing it, both are inexperienced.
◎ Author does not warn, it's a turbulent love story, free for interpretation.
◎ No blood relation, not in the same household register, non-adoption, feelings developed after adulthood.
◎ About the heroine's name: characters have free will, she doesn't change it due to personal reasons, explained later. Not that the author didn't want to.
Content tags: Rich and powerful families, special love, proximity, gifted son, chasing love in a crematorium, CEO.
Main character perspective: Cheng Buxi, Lu Tingzhou
One-line summary: Pseudo-siblings / Daddy-like mature man * Honest little sister
Theme: Strive
