Who is that infuriating new author writing spicy romances and stealing her top spot on the Bestselling Huaben Chart?
Famous huaben author Recluse in Clouds?aka Shen Yun-si?has had enough. She wants her top spot back, and she's determined to do hands-on research to understand what makes hearts race and readers swoon. And who better to help than her old friend, Gu Ting-zhi?

Except Ting-zhi is no longer the boy she remembers. He's too tall, too composed, too nice. Only his mischievous smile and the glint in his eyes haven't changed?but instead of irritating her, they now send her heart into very complicated somersaults. What begins as playful "research" soon turns into something far more undeniable. As old bonds deepen into something new, Yun-si and Ting-zhi must navigate shifting emotions, unspoken desires, and the risks of crossing lines that could change everything.

Perfect for readers who love childhood friends-to-lovers, mutual yearning, slow-burn longing, and "love lessons" that turn dangerously real. The Scholar's Improper Wife is set in the same rich Chinese historical world as The General's Perfect Wife, brimming with C-drama charm and Julia Tong's signature blend of sweetness and spice.