Secret Crush

Alias烟雨街

AuthorQiao Bei Nannan / 乔北南南南

Jiang Ruoqi decided to marry Meng Shang after meeting him exactly four times. The first time was at a friend's wedding in Hong Kong. He was the groom's best friend and best man; she was the bride's colleague and close friend. At the after-party, the bride, emboldened by her own turf, insisted on playing matchmaker, so Jiang Ruoqi called out Meng Shang by name. The second time, Jiang Ruoqi accepted a transfer—a demotion in disguise—to a subsidiary in Xinhai as marketing director. Meng Shang, entrusted by a friend, accompanied her to look at apartments. In turbulent times, everyone urged her to quit. She wavered but gave up—she was too lazy to adapt to a new job system and new colleagues. Besides, she wasn't from the Liangguang region and didn't want to settle in the Greater Bay Area; she always planned to return inland. The third time, Jiang Ruoqi treated Meng Shang to dinner as thanks for helping her move. After dinner, they strolled and talked about love and marriage. He asked, "How long should we date before getting married?" She was brutally honest: "If you ask me, tomorrow would work." The fourth time, Jiang Ruoqi invited Meng Shang to the premarital checkup center. Dr. Meng, a renowned cardiac surgeon, hesitated briefly at the entrance, but Miss Jiang calmly explained: "The checkup is free. Since after marriage we'll be legal long-term sexual partners, it's necessary to rule out any issues. Do you have a problem? Or another regular bedmate? If you have someone else... we may need to reconsider this marriage. I can't accept a threesome..." Her bluntness drew obvious stares. The usually cool and elegant Dr. Meng gritted his teeth, wanting nothing more than to cover her mouth on the spot: "No bedmate, and I'm not unwilling to take the checkup! Let's go in now." ... After marriage, Meng Shang thought life would be mutual support. But in reality, Jiang Ruoqi was so independent that she made his role as a partner feel meaningless. There was nothing she absolutely needed him for—except in bed. Until one day, Dr. Meng discovered that his seemingly emotionally stable wife, when not wearing nail art, would tear at the hangnails and calluses around her cuticles when anxious, leaving her long, fair fingers red and raw, only a thin layer of tender flesh covering bone and blood. Meng Shang's heart ached. He knelt before her, caught her struggling hands, and wrapped protective finger bandages around each one. Jiang Ruoqi stared at the silly cartoon patterns on her fingertips, then lifted them to Meng Shang in protest: "Chief Meng, how is President Jiang supposed to go to work tomorrow?" He stood, pulled her from the sofa arm into his arms, and his large, well-knuckled hand enveloped hers. "This is punishment. Once you learn to come to Dr. Meng when you're anxious, you won't have to wear them to work." Heartbeats fluttered for Meng Shang after marriage. For Jiang Ruoqi, they began on a rainy day after she transferred schools. ———————— Mature man and woman, marriage after love. Dual main characters are both virgins. An adult fairy tale of dual wage slaves. Tagline: 2024.8.15

Alias四月清和

AuthorMeng Xiao'er / 梦筱二

The main story has concluded; side stories are being updated. --- That day, Xu Qinghe got off the operating table very late. To her surprise, the department director was waiting outside the OR. The director spoke first: "Your father insists that your single status is because I've been monopolizing all your time, leaving you no chance to date. I'm setting up a blind date for you tonight!" Xu Qinghe: "..." She had someone she liked, so she always used work as an excuse to fend off her parents. Before she could make an excuse to decline, the director added, "I'm introducing you to Shi Wenli from Neurosurgery." At the sound of that name, Xu Qinghe's heart suddenly skipped a beat. Shi Wenli had always been extremely picky. Even the matchmaker recommended by the hospital director was directly rejected by him. The number of admirers he had turned down was countless. Over the years, just to get a little closer to him, she had hidden all her feelings. "Director, Dr. Shi and I see each other every day. If you push this and he rejects me, things will be so awkward afterward." "Don't worry," the director said. "Shi Wenli has already agreed to this blind date." --- Shi Wenli never imagined he would one day go on a blind date with a colleague. * A story about older brother figure Shi Wenli, slow-burn romance leading to marriage.

Alias青梅果

AuthorJin Xu / 今叙

A group portrait of high school life, a two-way secret crush. A bright and sweet girl vs. a cold and arrogant boy. After transferring schools, Yun Mi moves into the home of her parents' friends. In the summer of the mountain city, Chen Yiyang descends the stairs behind the arched door. Born into a prestigious family, he is handsome and wild, and it's said he once spurned a friend's sincere girlish heart. Yun Mi, dragging her slippers and hugging her schoolbag, ignores the bitter feeling in her heart and mutters, "Jerk." The boy leans against the handrail, acting carefree. His eyelids droop as he reaches out and grabs her. He leans in fiercely, "Then—" "Give back the jerk's tutoring notes, wrong question book, competition books, keychains, plushies, game console, computer, VCD, and the 8888 I transferred last night." "..." - Yun Mi has a crush on a somewhat annoying guy—her foster brother. She tries to write a melancholic poem: "Secret crush is so bitter." The next day, because of Chen Yiyang's spoiled temper, she harshly crosses it out and changes it to: "Jerk, drop dead!!!" But the day before they part, he is covered in blood, standing in the dark sky, shielding her from the falling rubble of an earthquake. He holds her face, and she cries, "Chen Yiyang, don't die." - Everyone knows Yun Mi hates Chen Yiyang, but only Chen Yiyang knows she likes him. After he leaves the mountain city, she receives a report card signed in his name. On the back is a taunting confession letter: "Coward, do you dare to get into the same university as me?" After the college entrance exam, Chen Yiyang receives a reply. It's the same acceptance letter as his, plus a bold, beautiful message with a little rabbit face drawn of XoX, and a note: "I'll reluctantly agree, you big idiot." A pure love story of two blatant secret crushes—two hidden cowards who both know. The male lead gave up his recommendation and entered the International Relations program; the female lead, after an injury from fencing, became a regular academic student and later a researcher of Northwestern geology. Diplomat vs. National Defense Science. Probably a motivational study story, haha. One-line summary: How could I possibly have a crush—on him!!! Theme: Dare to compete with Heaven.

Alias寄她篱下

AuthorQing Cao Gao / 青草糕

That year, when the bloody battle raged beyond the pass, Lu Shuo's father laid down his life to protect his general, buying him a slim chance to survive. The army returned in triumph. Twelve-year-old Lu Shuo, clad in white mourning garments, was brought into the dazzling and unfamiliar Duke's Mansion. That day, many voices surged toward him. The Duke said, "Your father saved my life. I will treat you as my own son." The Duchess said, "Good child, if you ever lack anything, just tell me." The young masters of the mansion said, "From now on, we are brothers! We will attend classes together every day!" Only the sole pearl of the mansion remained silent. In the drizzling rain, misty like smoke, she stood under the eaves, dressed in a tender willow-green spring gown, and gave him a gentle smile.