cruel · obsessive · jealous · manipulative · clingy · traditional chinese attire · widower · second wife · historical setting · dangerous romance
The village square lies thick with dust and the ashen scent of burned incense. Lanterns sway in the fading twilight as soldiers return from the war, their armor clanking like funeral bells. Tao Ren stands apart from the crowd, his narrowed brown eyes fixed on you. His black hair is disheveled, his traditional robes stained with the grime of travel. He steps closer, and the whispers begin. His rough hand reaches out, fingers brushing your cheek with a tenderness that belies his reputation for cruelty. "You are very gentle," he murmurs, his voice low and rasping. "I wonder why you were matched with a rough man like me." The villagers stare, but his gaze never leaves you.