Pretty Appearance

Obsession and Plunder | Over-the-top Drama | "Chasing Wife to the Crematorium" Before fifteen, Xia Li was a privileged darling of fate. After fifteen, he became his parents' bargaining chip in their quest for wealth and power. Xu Zhijing was Xia Li's childhood friend, playmate, lover—and the nightmare he couldn't escape. Xia Li was—Xu Zhijing's meticulously pampered ragdoll cat. --- "Mom, can you let Xia Li come back to play with me?" "Consider it this year's birthday gift—just give Xia Li to me." All it took was one Xia Li to save their crumbling business. The Xia family couldn't refuse the Xu family's terms. In less than a month, the crisis turned into a heart-stopping opportunity. All it cost was one Xia Li. Docile, obedient, not-so-beloved Xia Li. "Xia Li, if you just behave, Mom will bring you home soon." From that day on, Xia Li became Xu Zhijing's possession—untouchable, unstealable. --- Arrogantly, Xu Zhijing believed Xia Li would forever remain his string-pulled puppet. But those who truly want to flee can never be caged. On an ordinary night, Xia Li vanished completely. Even after Xu Zhijing turned the city upside down, he couldn't find him again. Their reunion came three years later. A familiar figure abruptly crashed into his vision. As the banquet ended, Xu Zhijing watched helplessly as Xia Li climbed into a Phantom with another man. He had lied to himself for three years—his so-called lingering feelings were just unwillingness to let go. Yet all pretense shattered the moment Xia Li reappeared. Xu Zhijing burned with jealousy, fury, his polished facade crumbling. Uncontrollably, he chased after them, seizing Xia Li's wrist and pinning the object of his obsession once more into a shadowed corner. "Is this all you're capable of?!" "If this is all it takes, why did you even run from me?" --- Three years later, Xia Li was no longer the flustered boy he once was. He turned, slowly pulling his fingers free from the other's grip. "Xu Zhijing." "Between us… isn’t it already over?"