Crown of Thorns - Chapter 71

A 19-year-old young lady came to the Jiang family, a prominent family in Sea City. Rumors had it that she rescued the Jiang family’s madame many years ago in the countryside. After she enrolled at Sea City University, the madame took her to the Jiang family’s residence before school started, claiming to familiarize the lady with Sea City’s environment.

It was said that that the young lady was an orphan who grew up in the countryside. However, she carried herself in a manner that befitted a rich young lady from a prestigious family, more so than the real rich young ladies.

It was said that the young lady had not seen the world and was not presentable. However, she maintained her composure in front of the bigshots from all walks of life. She maintained a proper smile that made people look askance.

It was said that the young lady was brought home by Old Madame Jiang to be Young Master Jiang’s wife.

It was said that the young lady came from too humble a background and was not fit to marry into the Jiang family.

It was said that the young lady fell in love with the young master of the Jiang family at first sight, but the young master of the Jiang family did not care about her at all.

…

First meeting.

She sat by the lotus pond in the Jiang family mansion as she read a book.

Even though she was in a simple outfit of a white T-shirt matched with black pants, he saw the charm of a beautiful lady.

She exuded the aura of a young lady.

First meeting.

Her book fell. He called after her.

She turned around after hearing him.

At that moment, she suddenly understood what “a man as beautiful as jade” meant.

He was a bright gentleman who was as gentle and beautiful as jade; she was an elegant young lady, reserved and upright.

If someone asked her what her greatest gain in coming to Sea City was, she would answer without hesitation, “Meeting him.”

If someone asked him what his greatest gain in staying in Sea City was, he would answer without hesitation, “Meeting her.”

In high school, Ling Chen was the most taciturn student in the class, always walking alone with lowered eyebrows and eyes.

The longest sentence Zhu Wenshu ever said to him was just a polite sentence at graduation, “I wish you a bright future, and I will keep in touch in the future.”

Later, Ling Chen really did have a bright future.

He was dubbed a monster rookie when he debuted, sweeping the major music charts, winning various music awards, and was followed by flowers and applause.

It was rumored that Ling Chen’s “Classmate Xiaocan” was written to his first love who had been engraved in his heart.

Friends knew that Zhu Wenshu and Ling Chen were classmates in high school, so they came to gossip: Do you know who his first love was?

Zhu Wenshan shook her head: I don’t know. It might not be from our school.

One day, the class that had been silent for a long time suddenly became active, discussing the hacking of the famous star classmate Ling Chen.

An old classmate privately approached Zhu Wenshu to complain: Thanks to the account hacker, I just found out that my remark in Ling Chen’s Q|Q was “the sixth in the fifth row.” What about you?

Zhu Wenshu laughed out loud, and couldn’t help opening Q|Q, which hadn’t been touched for a long time, and sure enough, she also received the same message.

Ling Chen: Classmate Xiaocan, Part-time Summer Job, Easily Earns 500 RMB a day, Come quickly add my WeChat: JzB1551

- Description from Novelupdates

A conversation with a handsome stranger leaves Ariane chained in a cellar with a strange affliction. She soon discovers that the darkness of the nineteenth century’s Deep South hides many dangers. Mages, wolf shifters and the humans who hunt them play a risky game where to stumble is to die, all under the amused gaze of the apex predators of the supernatural world: vampires.

It is never healthy to attract the gaze of the aristocracy of the night. It takes much to survive in this merciless world, but Ariane will not let that deter her. The southern belle has a bite, and she is willing to learn and to grow in this hostile new world. She will use whatever means necessary to reclaim her freedom, be it guile, charm, or those intriguing new instincts that make blood so delectable.

This is a story of vampires as I believe they should be, with their strengths and weaknesses, with their remnants of humanity and the beast inside. Updates every Friday. Mind the tags.

Cover by Antti Hakosaari: https://www.artstation.com/haco

Special thanks to Svensonsen for getting me started, as well as Omi Nya, Hesketh, Rhaegar, Yaksher, Selkie and Raven for proofreading my stuff. Thanks to my patrons and you dear readers, for the support. I could not do it without you.

Journey is on Amazon, both in ebooks and audio. here is a link to the first one:

https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B08DK6G8Y8

The story probably exists in your local marketplace as well of I can tempt you.