MTL - Rebirth: Noble Woman, Poisonous Concubine - v2 Chapter 20 Shao

A supreme expert in the Immortal World had died, and a strand of his soul returned to its original body on Earth. Tang Xiu discovered with amazement that ten thousand years passed in the Immortal World, yet only a single year passed on Earth.

In her seven years of marriage, she and her husband click perfectly well, sharing a loving and sweet relationship.

Noel likes his world quiet, clean, and perfectly organized. He’s the kind of guy who alphabetizes his books, avoids eye contact, and considers a wild night one where he reads past midnight. Drama? Not his thing. Parties? Pass. Sharing a dorm with a chaotic stranger? Just another obstacle to endure—hopefully, temporarily.Enter Luca: flirtatious, chaotic, and chronically shirtless. A walking disaster with too many admirers and not enough awareness, he leaves messes—and broken hearts—wherever he goes. Loud, reckless, and charming, he’s everything Noel can’t stand… and somehow, everything he can’t stop noticing.What starts as a clash of lifestyles soon turns into late-night conversations, innocent pranks, and lingering stares. Somewhere between eye rolls and shared ramen, their rivalry begins to blur—until even Noel can’t deny his quiet little world feels empty without Luca.Noel wonders why his heart skips a beat whenever Luca’s near. And Luca? He’s realizing the one person who doesn’t fall for his charm might be the only one who truly sees him.Falling in love was never part of the roommate agreement—but hearts don’t follow house rules.---Vibes & Tropes:Grumpy x SunshineForced ProximityMutual Pining & Slow BurnSass, Snark, and Secret SoftnessMovie nights, pranks, cuddles, and the accidental love story

“Block him.”“He's technically still my boss.”“Then block him with dignity.”The call ended again.And then started again.I let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a sob, then finally answered with the enthusiasm of a snail crawling through salt.“Yes, Mr. Walton?”“Have you changed your mind yet?”I collapsed onto the towel and gazed at the sky as though it might consume me entirely if I pleaded sweetly enough.“Do you ever take a break?” I asked, shielding my eyes with one hand.“You're avoiding the question.”“Because it's a dumb question.”He exhaled, the sound sharp and irritated even over phone. “It's not a dumb question. It's a business offer.”“It's a weird offer-one that I already said no to.”There was a brief pause, and I could practically hear him clenching his jaw through the speaker.“You are acting unreasonably.”“ Unreasonable?” I sat up. “I'm not the one drafting fake girlfriend contracts like it's a normal Tuesday.”“Isabella-”“Certainly not, Mr. Walton.” I mimicked his tone perfectly. “I told you I'm not doing it. You need to find someone else to play pretend with.”SYNOPSISIsabella Miller thought saying no to her boss’s fake dating offer was the end of the story.But Adrien Walton doesn’t take no—especially not when he’s convinced she’s a gold digger.Suddenly, her student loans are piling up, her father’s vet clinic is on the brink of eviction and her brother is about to be kicked out of college. Coincidence? She thinks not.Adrien Walton is calm, calculating—and he's just pulled every string to corner Isabella into the perfect position.Now she’s stuck choosing between pride and survival.So she agrees to his offer: be his fake girlfriend.No feelings attached. No drama. Just business.Or so she thought.“Conference Room B. Fifteen minutes,” he said, passing by without a glance.The folder he pushed across the table landed with a thud.I opened it. The contract. All of it.---Enemies to lovers? Check.Slow burn? Hmmnyea.Banter so sharp it might file your nails? Yes.Delicious workplace tension? Of course.Tension that could melt steel?Absolutely.Smut?? Wanna find out?Welcome to corporate romance warfare. There’s no escaping this contract.