Love at First Novel by Gu Lingfei

Could the mysterious, handsome man seen near Elora possibly be her private chef?

Rosie considered the idea but decided against asking Elora directly. She didn't want to risk upsetting her friend again. Their friendship was precious to Rosie, especially since it hadn't been easy to form such a bond with someone as reserved as Elora.

Rosie silently vowed to focus on supporting her friend's happiness in the future and to stop meddling in her personal life on behalf of others. Elora, only 27, wasn't in any rush to marry, and Rosie reminded herself that it wasn't her place to worry. After all, many accomplished women remained single well into their thirties and forties, prioritizing their goals and independence.

Later, during their call, Elora extended an invitation. "I'm having hot pot at home tonight. If you're free, come join the fun. But let me warn you-no matchmaking schemes. If you try, you're officially uninvited."

Rosie laughed. "Don't worry. I'm done with that. Besides, you're only 27 after the New Year. You've got plenty of time. You're still young." Rosie had married early, but she understood Elora's life was different. Unlike Rosie, Elora carried the weight of her family's legacy. Rosie remembered an old classmate who once offered to marry into the Ormond family as a stay-at-home son-in-law. While his intentions seemed sincere, his skills and ambition fell short of what Elora needed.

Ormond family required more than just good intentions. Without the ability to share Elora's burdens, he would only add to them. Rosie now

on her recent behavior, Rosie felt embarrassed. She had let someone's passionate confession sway her into

rubbed her temples. "If we hadn't been friends for so

by grand gestures, but she doesn't mean any

grinned. "Exactly. My sister's too sharp

snow long enough. It's freezing. Let's get

now that the break was here, they were all waking up

work, getting up early feels impossible. But give us a day off,

the snow, their cheeks red from the cold. Their third sister, Sevyn, watched them with a mix of envy and amusement. "Look at them, having the time of their lives. Makes me jealous. Maybe we should give them