Master’s Smile - Chapter 11: The Tea Party, Part I

On the night of Xiao Ke’s thirtieth birthday, he shared a table while drinking. The person he shared the table with was a cool man who fit all of his aesthetic desires. It was practically love at first sight.

He was thirty; he had reached that age where he was no longer the awkward twenty-something youth. He would pursue the one he liked without hesitation, no questions asked.

“I want you to give me a tattoo. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

- Description from Novelupdates

*NonRape-General langauge*Liora’s life takes an unexpected and cruel turn when she’s sent to the royal court as a concubine for the disgraced Prince Lucien, a man whose past is shadowed by betrayal and loss. Stripped of his royal title, Lucien has long distanced himself from love and loyalty, existing in a cold, indifferent world.Thrown into this world of palace internal battles, power struggles, and betrayal, Liora must face not only Lucien’s frosty demeanor but also the dangerous secrets that lurk within the court. Every move she makes is watched, every word is questioned. Yet, despite his distant nature, she can’t shake the feeling that beneath the hardened prince lies a man struggling with the ghosts of his past.As Liora tries to find her place in this hostile environment, she faces a constant dilemma: Can she warm the prince’s cold heart and heal his wounds, or will she fall victim to the very same forces that tore him apart?'Can she thaw lucien’s frozen heart, or will his haunted past consume them both?'Arranged marriage,Disgraced prince,Court intrigue,Royal concubine,Forbidden love, Political drama, Palace secrets, Unwanted bride, Betrayal. Haunted memories, redemption,Royal court drama, second chances

“Release faster! Why aren’t today’s chapters out yet?”“… Senior Sister, it’s only six in the morning.”“Then what about yesterday? There was only one chapter!”“… Romance slice-of-life stories rely heavily on the details. Inspiration is needed when writing.”“Then, where does your inspiration come from? You’re clearly single.”“… My imagination.”“In that case, why don’t you date someone? You can get some material too.”“… I need to write. I don’t have time.”“How about I help you?”“… Help me write?”“Of course not! I mean dating!”“… Senior Sister, stop joking around.”***This is a slice-of-life university love story between a struggling web novel author and a beautiful illustrator, in which they mutually suffer social death.Single female lead, no melodrama, no angst.

“I curse you to never die in peace!”

Thus, Shang Ke started a never-ending (forced) cycle of constantly throwing away his miserable life.

He would always show himself as a martyr while letting others cry over his death.

It was because of a woman’s curse that Shang Ke was hit by a car and turned into a human vegetable. This led to him becoming bound by an unlucky system in which he was cursed to die. The most unfortunate part was that he never cheated on anyone’s feelings. The reason for why he was cursed by a woman was because of a guy named Qi Chen. Qi Chen was a ladies man, and he would always use Shang Ke as an excuse to break up with any woman that he was with. As a result, Shang Ke was always blamed for the breakups. Since then, the main character could only be forced to cross into different worlds. He would thus experience for himself, the hero’s “thrill”.

- Description from Novelupdates