How Deep Will You Go For Love
Everyone knows the classic Cinderella story.
A prince who falls in love with a commoner and unintentionally rescues her from her abusive household.
But… What if Cinderella were a prideful young man, and the prince… was a princess who could barely admit her own feelings?
Oh. The things people will do for love.
The illegitimate son from the Xie family is laughed at the aristocratic circle. Proud, aloof, and undeniably rude, he’s everything but likable. His only saving graces are his unmatched grades and a face that could stop traffic.
Yang Qinru, the "tyrant" of Imperial Academy, is no damsel in distress. With a bat in one hand and wit sharp enough to cut steel, she’s both feared and respected. But behind her rebellion is a girl who’s unafraid to take what she wants—even if it’s someone as infuriating as Xie Xinglin.
...
"You’re kind of cute,” Yang Qinru mumbled, her cheeks betraying her with a faint pink hue.
"What was that?" Xie Xinglin looked up, frowning.
"I said you look like you crawled out of a garbage can!" she snapped, cheeks flaming as she spun on her heel and stormed off.
Later, Wang Ye leaned in with a sly grin. "Boss, you into him? Like, fantasizing-about-him kind of into him?"
Yang Qinru shot him a glare. "Like who?"
"You know… him. Do you, like, daydream about holding his hand and skipping through fields of flowers or something?"
She snorted. "Of course not! What kind of nonsense—?" She paused, her voice dropping to a mumble. "It's not like I imagine us getting married, building a house in the countryside, and adopting five cats or anything."
Wang Ye blinked, stunned. "Uh… boss, that’s oddly specific."
"Shut up!" she barked, shoving him away.
This isn’t your typical fairy tale. When the "Cinderella" isn’t waiting to be saved, and the "prince" has his own walls to break down, what’s left is a whirlwind romance of rivalry, sarcasm, and reluctant confessions.
After all, love doesn’t always follow the script.
