Shenyechi

****Completed, but under revision.****
***SUPER SLOW BURN MATURE 18+***

After struggling her way through university, Mina Harlow, a top tier graduate (and literal genius), with the aspiration of lifting her family out of poverty, was still living in the slums, taking odd jobs to earn a living. All of her hard work had been for nothing and her life is cast into turmoil because she offended the wrong Miss from a prominent family. Desperate to for her next source of income, Mina aligns herself with the wrong people, and finds herself amid several conspiracies that keep becoming more and more confounded by misunderstandings. She is mistaken for a spy, by one of the most influential families in the country and held captive as the confusion, mishaps and misunderstandings build up all around her. Under the extreme circumstance, Mina is thrown into despair, hatred and love all that the same time, but will the experience break her or make her ‘better?’ 

(This story is set in a fictional, modern day patriarchal society on the brink of a shift public opinion on the 'role' of the woman.)

Excerpt: 

"Why are you crying?"

"Because I'm stupid," Mina replied. The man laughed sarcastically. 

"I disagree. I think you are a very smart girl."

"Being smart does not mean you can not be stupid." Who told her she was a genius anyway?

***THIS IS AN ADULT STORY WITH AN ADULT THEME. THERE IS VIOLENCE AND IMPLIED VIOLENCE. THERE IS ROMANCE IN THIS STORY, BUT IT IS NOT EXACTLY A LOVE STORY. ***

When a Genius Makes a Mistake

Cylus' words repeated in Mina's mind, and when she got to the mediation center, she resolved to go easy on Ian, as long as he did not try to manipulate her into staying with him. Sadly, one of the very first questions her husband asked made her think that he would never change. It also showed her that, whether male or female, the general consensus among citizens of Pan was that women were the lesser of the sexes, and yet, they were seen as responsible for keeping a marriage together. That logic permeated through the entire elimination process, and before Mina knew it, she had gone through all of her strikes, leaving her husband to choose whoever he wanted. She spoke no words as she left, but Ian chased after her, tapping her shoulder to get her attention.

"You always say that, but I haven't seen her, and for all I know she could be-"

"Dead?" Mina questioned. "Don't worry about that. I'm nothing like you."

Chapter 869: Worse