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.

ability to share Elora's burdens, he would only add to them. Rosie now

someone's passionate confession

Elora leaned back and rubbed her temples. "If we hadn't been friends for so long, I'd

heart. She's easily moved by grand gestures, but she doesn't mean any

grinned. "Exactly. My sister's too sharp

Tell them it's time to head inside. We've been out here enjoying the snow long enough. It's freezing. Let's get back to the house, crawl under some blankets, and take a nap. Nothing beats that cozy holiday feeling." Before the holiday started, everyone had joked about sleeping in for three days

the break was here, they were all waking up

mused, "when you have to work, getting up early feels impossible. But give us a day off, and we're up before sunrise, full of

red from the cold. Their third sister, Sevyn, watched them with a mix of envy and