1. The Head of the Household Who Stands Alone
Xia Cheng Qing was the eldest son of the Xia family, with a younger brother and a younger sister.
In addition, there was also an “unofficial” younger brother—his childhood neighbor, named A’Ying, who was a year younger than him.
There was quite a large age gap between Xia Cheng Qing and his biological siblings. He had originally been the Xia family’s only child, growing up carefree until the age of nine, spending his days fooling around with A’Ying. Then one day, the two mischievous boys had a sudden idea—to stick condoms they found in their parents’ wardrobe onto the wall and use them as targets for dart practice…
Ten months later, Xia Cheng Qing gained a pair of twin siblings—a boy and a girl—and his carefree childhood came to an abrupt end.
Babies were truly noisy, smelly, and constantly stealing their parents’ attention…
As a child, Xia Cheng Qing was utterly annoyed by his younger siblings, who couldn’t understand a word of reason. Yet, the siblings clung to him incessantly. In order to cultivate “sibling affection”, their parents often made Xia Cheng Qing help “take care of the children.”
After countless rounds of washing diapers, picking up toys, playing with them, soothing their cries, getting kicked and scratched, and having handfuls of hair pulled out—so much so that he developed patches of hair loss at the age of ten—Xia Cheng Qing finally snapped!
Clutching A’Ying, he burst into tears:
“I don’t want those two! It would be better if you were my brother!”
A’Ying, helpless in the face of his crying, began accompanying him every day in “raising the kids.” The two boys washed diapers together, picked up toys, played and soothed crying babies, endured kicks and scratches, got their hair pulled out together—and even went bald in patches together.
Fortunately, their hair eventually grew back. Otherwise, this alternate universe would’ve been impossible to continue writing.
When Xia Cheng Qing was fifteen, his business-minded parents died in a car accident.
In an instant, the household was left with only fifteen-year-old Xia Cheng Qing, two younger siblings who knew nothing but how to cry and run their noses, a house full of servants, and a crowd of relatives who came to divide up the inheritance.
At fifteen, Xia Cheng Qing turned the tide. He drove away the relatives, shut down his parents’ company, settled the debts, sold off the mansion they could no longer afford, dismissed the servants, bought an apartment near the school, and moved in with his younger siblings.
He knew clearly that until he graduated and began working, the three siblings’ livelihood would depend entirely on their parents’ inheritance. Although the inheritance was substantial, living off it without restraint would only lead to ruin. So he hired just one nanny to care for the younger siblings at home, while he himself lived frugally, studied with all his strength, and shouldered the entire family on his still-young shoulders.
This once carefree young master transformed overnight into a head of the household who could stand on his own.
The only downside—he became very irritable.
Understandably so. At fifteen, he was in the midst of heavy schoolwork. Anyone who studied hard all day at school, only to return home to two noisy, troublesome children and the endless calculations of daily necessities—firewood, rice, oil, salt, water, electricity, and gas—would become irritable.
And that troublesome younger brother of his! Even while still in diapers, he would tear things apart like a puppy. Once he could run and jump, he started provoking cats and dogs, causing trouble everywhere, mischievous and unruly. In a single year, they went through three nannies driven away by him.
For the first few years, Xia Cheng Qing managed to suppress his temper, diligently studying parenting guides, striving to become a gentle and amiable elder brother…
To no avail.
Later, he happened to watch an animal documentary and realized that dogs have a strong sense of hierarchy and alpha leadership. You must use force appropriately and establish authority—only then will they behave obediently.
There was nothing more to say. His younger brother’s skin had thickened anyway—so he started beating him.
Xia Cheng Qing decisively became a short-tempered elder brother, disciplining his younger brother with heavy-handed force.
Thankfully, there was some consolation—his younger sister was intelligent, sensible, gentle, and adorable. Aside from not liking physical labor, not enjoying socializing, being somewhat of a homebody, and somewhat introverted, there was nothing particularly unusual about her.
Even more comforting was that A’Ying often came by to visit and help. He continued to accompany Xia Cheng Qing in “raising the kids” every day. Although A’Ying was a young master from a wealthy family, acting like a little tyrant outside, once inside their home he would rein in his temper, helping with laundry, cooking, cleaning, and even accounting—and even joining in beating up the younger brother…
Aside from being terrible at cooking, he could practically be called a virtuous domestic partner.
When Xia Cheng Qing turned eighteen, even his younger sister Xiao Mang couldn’t help but secretly ask:
“Why is Brother A’Ying so good to us? Could he be Dad’s illegitimate child outside? Is he trying to claim a share of our family’s inheritance?”
Xia Cheng Qing replied:
“You’re only eight—stop watching those rich-family drama soap operas all day!”
After scolding his sister, Xia Cheng Qing himself felt a trace of unease. During lunch break, he secretly studied A’Ying—who was sleeping on his sofa—for quite a while. Only after failing to find any resemblance between A’Ying’s face and that of the Xia family did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.
The only strange thing was—
Why did A’Ying’s face grow redder the longer he slept?
2. As Though Everyone Had Lived a Second Life
At nineteen, Xia Cheng Qing entered university.
He didn’t know why, but ever since childhood, he had always held a deep sense of cherishing education. Even after entering university, he continued to bury himself in diligent study. He majored in architecture, and often had to conduct surveying and drafting in the school library until late at night.
A’Ying would stay at his home, keeping an eye on his younger brother’s studies, messaging Xia Cheng Qing, then meeting him on a bench beside the library—bringing him late-night snacks and hot coffee.
A’Ying did not like studying. In fact, he disliked it intensely. Since his family was wealthy, he stopped studying after finishing secondary school. By nineteen, he was already managing an auto shop of his own.
The car business was not easy—competition was fierce. The owner of the shop across the street was involved with thugs, and would occasionally bring a few underlings to stir up trouble. A’Ying and his employees had fought them several times, but gained no advantage, and his anger grew.
One day, sitting on the bench by the library, he said resentfully to Xia Cheng Qing:
“They’re going too far. I’m thinking of going to pledge allegiance to a faction, find a ‘big boss’ to protect me.”
Xia Cheng Qing looked at him for a long moment, then said very seriously:
“A’Ying, I won’t interfere if you don’t want to study. I know you’re smart—you can make a living for yourself. But if you go join a faction, then we’re no longer brothers.”
A’Ying was so shocked by those words that his face turned pale.
That very night, he was plagued by nightmares, waking up crying several times. By the next morning, he inexplicably developed a high fever that wouldn’t subside, falling gravely ill. His parents went to a temple on Lantau Island, praying to the gods, and invited a master to perform exorcism rites. Only after several days did he finally pull back from the brink of death.
Xia Cheng Qing also felt that his words had been too harsh. Upon hearing that A’Ying had fallen ill, he became even more uneasy. He requested leave from his teacher and went to A’Ying’s home to care for him.
During the day, A’Ying lay unconscious, and Xia Cheng Qing studied at his bedside. At night, when A’Ying had nightmares, Xia Cheng Qing would hold his hand.
Startled awake from a dream, A’Ying said tearfully:
“I won’t go seek a ‘big boss’ anymore. I’ll only be your brother.”
Holding his feverishly hot hand, Xia Cheng Qing himself didn’t know what had come over him—almost as if possessed. He suddenly confessed:
“I… don’t actually want to be just brothers with you.”
A’Ying thought he was still dreaming. Terrified by those words, he burst into tears again, sweating profusely. By the next morning, the shock had cured his illness.
After recovering, A’Ying behaved himself. He never again mentioned joining a faction, and instead worked diligently at his business from dawn till dusk. Not long after, the competing auto shop across the street was shut down in a crackdown for illegal activities. With his rival gone, A’Ying’s business flourished more and more.
At twenty-three, Xia Cheng Qing graduated from university and entered an architectural firm, beginning his internship as an assistant.
He continued to live frugally and work diligently. There was still some of his parents’ inheritance left. For his younger sister, who loved music, he hired the best piano teacher, sent her to an arts high school, and later to a conservatory.
As for his younger brother, he alternated between threats and persuasion—backed up by his fists—dragging him through secondary school. In the end, his brother successfully gained admission to the police academy.
That year, Xia Cheng Qing was twenty-eight.
At his younger brother’s oath-taking ceremony, he sat among the family members, watching his foolish little brother in a crisp police uniform, raising his hand to swear the oath. Tears—unseen for more than a decade—fell from his eyes.
That day, the sunlight was warm, and the air carried the scent of fresh grass.
It felt as though everyone had been given a second life.
Leaving his foolish younger brother behind at the police academy, Xia Cheng Qing walked out of the gates alone. A’Ying was waiting for him outside, driving a newly bought Ferrari.
Xia Cheng Qing asked:
“Why didn’t you come in? When A’Hao was taking the oath, he kept looking around for you—and even got kicked by his instructor.”
A’Ying scratched his head:
“I don’t know. The moment I came here, I felt scared… But when you’re here, I’m not as afraid. I regret it—I should’ve gone in just now.”
Well, never mind.
The two of them got into the car together and let out a long breath at the same time, like a pair of parents who had endured years of hardship and finally sent their troublesome child off to kindergarten. They looked at each other—and suddenly burst out laughing.
“I finally have time of my own,” Xia Cheng Qing said with a smile. “I’m planning to start a business—open a studio with some colleagues.”
“Mm, my auto shop is opening a branch too,” A’Ying said with a grin. “Where should we go to celebrate later?”
“Let’s go home and cook. What do you feel like eating? I’ve been trying out a few new dishes lately…”
Before he could finish speaking, A’Ying’s phone rang.
A’Ying lowered his gaze to glance at the screen. His expression stiffened slightly as he raised a finger, intending to mute it.
Xia Cheng Qing stopped him and smiled slightly.
“Is it your girlfriend calling you? Go have dinner with her. I happen to have some work left—I’ll take a taxi to the firm myself.”
3. Because He’s a Bastard
Xia Cheng Qing and A’Ying, two hot-blooded young men, had inevitably gotten into their fair share of scuffles growing up.
After becoming adults, there was less physical fighting—at most a few verbal spats. Even if they did fight, they observed a certain code of conduct; their fists wouldn’t land on each other’s faces. After all, they still had to show up at their respective companies the next day and manage their subordinates.
But at the age of thirty-five, Xia Cheng Qing lost his temper and landed a heavy punch squarely on A’Ying’s face.
The cause was almost absurdly trivial—it started because Xia Cheng Qing wanted to buy a car of his own.
A’Ying: “I’ll give you one!”
Xia Cheng Qing: “I have the money to buy it myself. I don’t need you to give me one.”
A’Ying: “Where do you ever go without me driving you? Why waste the money?”
Xia Cheng Qing: “Because I don’t want to trouble you to drive me everywhere. My clients all think you’re my chauffeur.”
A’Ying: “I’ve got money and time—I can do whatever I want. But why do you suddenly want a car? Planning to take those female clients of yours out for coffee?”
That last line was dripping with sarcasm. Xia Cheng Qing immediately threw a tiger-like punch straight into A’Ying’s face, turning the handsome CEO of “Qingying Automotive Trading Company” into a panda-eyed mess.
The two fought and argued their way through Xia Cheng Qing’s house—from the kitchen to the living room to the entryway—eventually ending up in the elevator, where they were caught in the act by Xia Hao.
After being scolded by their younger brother as “you two bastards,” they conveniently gave him a combined beating, reliving childhood memories.
After beating up their younger brother, A’Ying stormed off in anger, while Xia Cheng Qing dragged his brother back home.
The younger brother asked, baffled:
“Why did you fight with Brother Ying?”
Xia Cheng Qing’s face darkened:
“Because he’s a bastard!”
Fortunately, the younger brother had been well-trained through years of being beaten and knew how to read the room, so he didn’t press further. After cooking him a bowl of noodles and sending him home, Xia Cheng Qing grew angrier the more he thought about it.
He neither smoked nor drank, leaving him with no outlet for his anger. So he went to what used to be his brother’s room—now a workout room—and started punching the sandbag. After half an hour, he still hadn’t vented enough, so he changed into sportswear and went out running along the seaside path.
It was a long—long—seaside path, stretching from Xia Cheng Qing’s apartment complex all the way to the villa district at the foot of the nearby mountain.
And there, he ran into A’Ying, who had just come out of his villa for a night run as well.
A’Ying stood at a distance, one eye swollen into a panda-eye, watching him warily.
“Are you stupid?! Don’t you know to put ice on it?!” Xia Cheng Qing shouted from afar.
“Are you stupid?! Why would I bring ice when I’m out running?!” A’Ying shot back.
“Go back right now and take care of it! Xiao Mang and A’Hao are coming over for dinner tomorrow night!”
“I won’t! Let them see what you did to my face!”
Xia Cheng Qing raised his fist from afar. A’Ying made an extremely childish panda-face at him, then turned and fled back into the villa.
The next afternoon, Xia Cheng Qing worked an extra half hour before leaving the office.
The Ferrari was still waiting by the roadside as usual, rain or shine. Xia Cheng Qing got into the passenger seat with a cold expression. The moment he entered, the smell of smoke hit him. The ashtray beside the armrest was stuffed with cigarette butts—who knew how long A’Ying had been sitting there smoking.
“You’ve been waiting this long—couldn’t you get out and grab a coffee?” he scolded, frowning.
“None of your business,” A’Ying replied, cigarette in his mouth.
Xia Cheng Qing restrained himself again and again, though he really wanted to give him another black eye—to complete the pair.
The two rode in silence. A’Ying finished one cigarette and reached for another, only to have Xia Cheng Qing snatch the pack and throw it out the window.
A’Ying muttered “bastard” under his breath but didn’t dare say anything further.
The siblings had already arrived early at Xia Cheng Qing’s home to prepare hotpot. Xiao Mang had bought all the ingredients, and Xia Hao had washed and cut all the vegetables. The red, bubbling broth simmered vigorously in the pot.
When Xia Cheng Qing entered and saw this, he showed no outward reaction—only smiling as he greeted his siblings, took off his coat, and poured himself a cup of hot tea.
Instead, A’Ying started lecturing the younger siblings:
“Your brother’s stomach hasn’t been well lately—why didn’t you prepare a clear broth? Fine, fine, I’ll go cook him some noodles.”
“You think what you cook is edible?” Xia Cheng Qing snapped. “Even a dog cooks better than you. A’Hao, you go.”
Xia Hao obediently stood up and started cooking the noodles—only realizing halfway through that he had just been compared to a dog.
The family sat together, laughing and chatting over the meal.
Well—mainly Xiao Mang and Xia Hao were laughing. Xia Cheng Qing sat calmly, while A’Ying—usually eloquent—remained unusually quiet.
One of his eyes was still swollen; even eating hurt, and speaking hurt even more.
Xiao Mang wanted to ask about “Second Brother’s” eye, but just as she was about to speak, Xia Hao secretly kicked her under the table.
After dinner, Xia Hao voluntarily went into the kitchen to wash the dishes, while Xiao Mang followed under the pretense of “supervising.” The siblings whispered among themselves:
“Brother fought with Brother Ying yesterday.”
“Another ‘fight’?”
”Shh—not that kind of ‘fight’ you’re thinking of. They fought in the elevator—and were calling each other ‘bastard’ the whole time.”
“Big Brother hit too hard—what if it leaves a scar?”
“Big Brother knows his limits. When he beat me as a kid, only one out of ten times actually hurt. Brother Ying must have said something really bad to make him this angry.”
The two of them speculated back and forth but couldn’t figure out the cause. Since their eldest brother was still in a foul mood, they didn’t dare ask.
Before long, their conversation drifted elsewhere—to the new intern in the forensic department—and no one paid any more attention to the “Second Brother,” who “probably deserved it anyway.”
4. Are You Planning to Marry Under False Pretenses?
Time spent together as adults is always fleeting. After dinner, Xiao Mang went home to watch the finals of her variety show, while A’Hao returned to the police station to work overtime. Only Xia Cheng Qing and A’Ying changed into sportswear and went out together for a run, venting their frustration.
The night wind was cool, whipping against the bruised and swollen injuries. A’Ying clenched his teeth in pain, but stubbornly made no sound.
Xia Cheng Qing slowed his pace, took off his own jacket, and tossed it onto him.
“Wear mine. It has a hood.”
The two exchanged jackets and continued running in silence. A’Ying tightened the hood strings, wrapping his head inside. With every breath, he was surrounded by Xia Cheng Qing’s scent.
The dark blue seaside path stretched endlessly toward the ocean, lined with warm yellow lights along the shore. The interplay of yellow and blue created a dazzling, almost dreamlike beauty.
They ran all the way to a bend in the path, where there was a small pavilion—their usual resting spot.
Before sitting down, A’Ying instinctively reached for his cigarette pack, only to remember it had been thrown away by Xia Cheng Qing. He sat down awkwardly instead.
His injured eye still throbbed faintly. He sniffed, feeling deeply aggrieved.
“Thirsty?” Xia Cheng Qing asked irritably.
“Hmph.”
Suppressing the urge to hit him again, Xia Cheng Qing went to a nearby vending machine, bought two bottles of water, and tossed one to him.
The two sat together in silence. A’Ying stared fixedly at the sea, rubbing the water bottle in his hands, lost in thought for a long time.
Suddenly, Xia Cheng Qing spoke:
“You were in a bad mood yesterday, picking a fight—is it because you heard a female client invite me out for coffee? Why is it that you can have a girlfriend, but I can’t?”
A’Ying reacted immediately, yanking off his hood, his face flushed red with anger:
“Haven’t you always buried yourself in studying and work all these years—saying you ‘don’t want to date’?”
Xia Cheng Qing said calmly:
“It’s not that I don’t want to—it’s that I couldn’t.”
A’Ying froze for a moment, then stammered:
“Y-you… is it that… that you have a problem… in that area?”
Xia Cheng Qing’s face darkened:
“I’m perfectly fine in that area, thank you for your concern! If there’s a ‘right person,’ I would be willing to date. If you can date, then of course I can too—that’s my freedom, isn’t it?”
A’Ying lowered his gaze, sulking for a while.
“…Yes. It’s your freedom.”
“Then let’s go back.”
The two ran back to the Xia residence in silence. The Ferrari was still parked downstairs. A’Ying, dejected, opened the car door and sat inside. Just as he was about to start the engine, Xia Cheng Qing knocked on the window.
A’Ying rolled it down. Xia Cheng Qing bent down, leaning close to his face as he said:
“A’Ying, go back and think carefully. If you still want to be brothers with me, then you have to accept that I will date. You can’t drive me around for the rest of your life—I will eventually marry and have children.”
Ignoring A’Ying’s stunned expression, he turned calmly and went upstairs.
Though he spoke so casually, Xia Cheng Qing himself felt deeply unsettled. Standing at his door, his mind in turmoil, he entered the wrong code several times before finally unlocking it.
He had just turned on the lights and was about to close the door when—
An arm suddenly shoved in. A’Ying forced his way halfway through the doorway, panting heavily from running.
He slammed the door shut and demanded fiercely:
“You’re going to marry and have children? Are you planning to deceive someone into marriage?”
Xia Cheng Qing’s mind buzzed. For a moment, he was completely stunned.
“Y-you… what are you saying?”
A’Ying’s face was flushed red with anger, his words tumbling out incoherently:
“You like men! I know—I’ve always known! I knew since middle school! You—you went out with that senior, he kissed you—I saw it, I saw it! I’ve always known! All these years, you’ve been secretly dating men, right?! And then in university, that guy—those guys—and now your business partner!”
His eyes were red with anger as he struggled to continue:
“If it was just them… fine. All these years, I endured it. I didn’t want to discriminate against you—you were still my best friend, my best brother! But now—you can be with women too? You’re not going to be gay anymore? Or are you planning to trick someone into marriage?!”
Xia Cheng Qing’s mind rang loudly. It took him great effort to process everything A’Ying had said.
A’Ying stood there, breathing heavily, glaring at him. Xia Cheng Qing’s expression shifted—from shock, to fury, and then suddenly to calmness and emptiness.
He said flatly:
“Yes. I don’t want to anymore. Being gay is too exhausting. It’s better for me to be with women. I’ll accept An Qi’s invitation for coffee tomorrow.”
A’Ying froze. After a long moment, he said stiffly:
“H-how can you be so casual about this?”
Xia Cheng Qing replied coldly:
“I can. You said it yourself—it’s my freedom. It’s late. Get out. I’m going to rest.”
He moved past A’Ying and reached to open the door, intending to shove him out. But the moment his hand pressed against A’Ying’s sweat-damp chest, A’Ying grabbed him and slammed the door shut again.
The two struggled and shoved each other in the entryway, when suddenly—
Xia Cheng Qing let out a low cry!
A’Ying lunged forward and kissed him. It was too fierce, too urgent—their teeth collided, splitting Xia Cheng Qing’s lip.
Xia Cheng Qing responded with an even heavier punch—bang! Now the pair of panda eyes was complete.
Clutching his eye, A’Ying staggered back against the metal door with a dull thud. His face and neck flushed red as he roared:
“Why can they—but I can’t?!”
“You’re the only one who can’t!” Xia Cheng Qing shouted back. “Back then, when that senior pursued me, I didn’t agree! Those two in university were just friends—there was never any romantic relationship! And not my business partner either! But what about you?! From middle school until now, how many girlfriends have you had?!”
His voice turned hoarse with anger as he rushed forward, grabbing A’Ying by the collar and slamming him against the door once again.
“If you always knew, then why did you keep getting girlfriends?! And now you suddenly act like you like me—interfering with my dating! What right do you have?! Who do you think you are?! Get out—!”
In a frenzy, he kicked A’Ying several more times, then yanked open the door and threw him out like trash.
The door slammed shut.
His legs gave out instantly. He collapsed onto the floor, covering his face in pain.
5. Crying Like a Kapok Fish
A real man does not shed tears lightly. Xia Cheng Qing did not cry at all. His parents had passed away early, his younger siblings had once cried helplessly for care—he had struggled through life all these years with unwavering strength.
He was simply in pain. Deeply, unbearably in pain.
In silence, he spent the entire night in the workout room, beating the sandbag. By dawn, even the sandbag had been torn apart by him. When he removed his gloves, the skin on the backs of his hands was split open, blood and flesh a mess, his knuckles swollen and bruised.
Xia Cheng Qing felt no pain. He touched the blood on his hands with a numb expression.
“So he knew all along,” he thought coldly. “All these years of restraint were utterly foolish. That heartless bastard—if he dares show his face in front of me again, I’ll beat him every time I see him.”
Thirty-five seemed to be a turning point in his life. Fortunately, his younger siblings had finally grown up—one had become a teacher, the other a police officer. And an unrequited love had finally reached its end.
It was time to begin a new chapter.
He washed up, changed clothes, and reset the passcode on his door lock. Then, looking refreshed and composed, he went downstairs.
The Ferrari was still parked in the same spot. Xia Cheng Qing didn’t even glance at it as he walked straight out of the residential complex.
A real man does not shed tears lightly. A’Ying, however, had been crying inside the Ferrari all night.
He cried so hard that his already bruised eyes swelled into something like two dark walnuts. His entire face looked like a wide-eyed frog, his eyelids swollen into narrow slits—he could barely see anything at all.
He felt overwhelming guilt. Overwhelming regret. And overwhelming grievance.
Back then, he had seen that senior invite Xia Cheng Qing to the alley behind the school. After a few words, the senior kissed him. A’Ying had been so shocked that he turned and ran immediately—he never saw Xia Cheng Qing’s rejection afterward.
Later, that senior would still come to find Xia Cheng Qing from time to time, and Xia Cheng Qing never appeared particularly distant. That senior was still his friend to this day—even occasionally inviting him out for drinks.
Then there were those university classmates—those flamboyantly dressed ones—obviously little gays. Xia Cheng Qing would laugh and chat with them as well.
And then there was his business partner—formerly a colleague from his firm—whose orientation clearly wasn’t “normal” either. The two of them even started a studio together… was it for convenience in carrying on their relationship?!
A’Ying had been furious, yet he didn’t even understand why he was angry, or what right he had to be. He didn’t dare confront Xia Cheng Qing. He endured it, suppressed it, until he could bear it no longer. Then he thought, “Why shouldn’t I find someone too?”—and started dating one girlfriend after another…
Yet none of those relationships lasted longer than a month.
And they almost always ended with the woman shouting:
“You don’t love me at all!”
“Is something wrong with you?!”
—or with a burning slap across his face.
Everything Xia Cheng Qing had said to him last night was absolutely correct. He deserved it.
But… but if I had known… if I had known you were never actually with them, I would have… Ah—!! I regret it to death—!!!
Crying until dawn, he vaguely saw Xia Cheng Qing coming out of the building through the narrow slit of his swollen eyes. Instinctively, he tried to open the car door and stop him—
But he was so dazed from crying and couldn’t see clearly. He fumbled around for a long time without even finding the door handle.
By the time he finally stumbled out of the car, Xia Cheng Qing was already long gone.
With his eyes swollen shut, A’Ying flailed about like a blind deep-sea fish, struggling for a long while before finally managing to retrieve his phone from the car. Squinting, he first called Xia Cheng Qing.
Xia Cheng Qing, of course, ignored him—and blocked his number.
A’Ying cried for a while longer, crying so hard he nearly fainted. Only then, driven by sheer survival instinct, did he call—Xia Xiao Mang.
A’Hao was at work—no use relying on him. It all depended on whether Xiao Mang was free from class.
Luckily, Xiao Mang had no class and lived in the neighboring complex. She arrived quickly. From a distance, seeing the miserable state of her “Second Brother,” she felt both sympathy and amusement.
She first hid in the bushes by the roadside and laughed for five whole minutes, secretly snapping several photos. Only then did she compose her expression and approach with a concerned face to help him.
Originally, she planned to take him to their elder brother’s place nearby to rest—but their elder brother was so angry he had even changed the door lock passcode.
Left with no choice, Xiao Mang sent “Second Brother” back to his villa, where the household staff rushed out in alarm, shouting as they helped the “young master” inside.
After watching him stagger into the house, Xiao Mang turned around and immediately messaged her younger brother—complete with photos—detailing everything that had just happened.
At that moment, A’Hao was staking out a suspect inside a van. When he opened his phone and saw Xiao Mang’s message—
“Brother Ying cried like a kapok fish.” (photo attached)—
he burst into laughter so hard the entire van shook.
“Hahahahahahaha—sorry, sorry, Brother Ying, but you really do look like it—HAHAHAHAHAHA!”
6. That’s Seriously Such Scumbag Behavior
A’Ying was thirty-four this year, the only son of the Xu family. The owner of three chain car dealerships, he held several prime commercial properties, owned four or five luxury cars, a yacht, a three-story rental apartment, and shares in several of his parents’ trading companies.
He was one of the city’s most outstanding young elites—a tycoon among tycoons—earning money even while lying at home doing nothing.
And this wealthy young master lay at home doing nothing—and earning money—for three whole days and nights, crying so hard he was nearly blind.
He frightened his parents and the entire household staff out of their wits. Thinking back to past incidents, his parents once again went to a temple on Lantau Island to seek an exorcism.
The monk patiently advised them:
“Amitabha. Benefactor, if your son is ill, you should take him to a hospital. We handle exorcisms, not medical treatment.”
So the family sent him to the hospital instead. His parents argued for quite some time over whether to send him to ophthalmology or psychiatry. In the end, the old butler overruled them:
“Treat the eyes first! Then the brain!”
Fine—so that’s what they did.
He ended up hospitalized for a whole month.
After a month, his eyes had recovered—once again bright and handsome. But his mind was still far from normal. Every day, dressed in a hospital gown, he curled up in his blanket, wallowing in melancholy. A single leaf falling outside the window could make him cry for half an hour.
His face had grown thin from all the crying, pale and haggard.
Relatives came to visit one after another and told his parents:
“Doesn’t he just need a good beating? You can’t control him?”
“We can’t! Since he was little, he only listened to that studious handsome boy next door. Now that person has finally seen what kind of useless guy he really is and won’t associate with him anymore.”
“Sigh—serves him right!”
All his medical indicators were normal, so the hospital refused to keep him any longer. He was moved back home, where he spent his days sprawled by the window on the second floor of the villa, watching falling leaves.
The villa’s garden was filled with evergreen plants, and the gardener trimmed them daily. After three days, not a single leaf had fallen—he didn’t even have an excuse to cry anymore.
A’Ying was suffering—but Xia Cheng Qing wasn’t doing much better.
He had thought time would heal everything. Unexpectedly, even after a month, it hadn’t achieved even the effect of a simple bandage.
Xia Cheng Qing had realized his sexual orientation at sixteen and buried it deep in his heart for nearly twenty years. A’Ying might be foolish in matters of love, but in everything else, he had always placed Xia Cheng Qing first. They had endured hardships together, shared joy and sorrow, and raised his younger siblings together.
How could such memories possibly be forgotten?
Not to mention—
Ever since A’Ying’s business stabilized and he no longer had to toil day and night at the shop, he had practically become Xia Cheng Qing’s personal driver—picking him up and dropping him off from work, accompanying him to client meetings, traveling with him on business trips, and even going out together in their free time.
They spent nearly every day together—more like an old married couple than an actual married couple.
And after all that, A’Ying still thought he had been secretly dating other men?!
Was he blind—or just blind at heart?!
By day, Xia Cheng Qing worked calmly and composedly. By night, at home, he flew into a rage, violently kicking a new sandbag. He was so angry he felt like wrinkles were about to form, applying a facial mask with a dark expression before bed.
One day, the long-unseen senior had another breakup and invited Xia Cheng Qing out for drinks to drown his sorrows.
This was the same senior who had confessed to him in high school and stolen his first kiss. Although he had earned himself a panda eye afterward, he was also the first “kindred” Xia Cheng Qing had ever met, and the two had remained friends.
The moment Xia Cheng Qing saw his call, he remembered that stolen first kiss—and A’Ying’s twenty-year misunderstanding. He immediately wanted to paste the senior’s photo onto the new sandbag and kick it.
The senior, completely unaware of the impending disaster, waited eagerly at the bar.
The moment they met, he began to pour out his heartbreak—
Only to be met with a slap to the head from Xia Cheng Qing.
“Ah?! What was that for—waaah!” the senior cried, clutching his forehead.
“Nothing. Go on.”
This senior went through five breakups a year—a resilient “bottom” who grew stronger through hardship. After just two drinks, he had already recovered.
But unexpectedly, today it was the usually steady and reserved Xia Cheng Qing who opened up:
“That bastard! He’s the worst of all! He knew from the start that I like men, and he just watched all these years! He’s had one, two, three, four… twelve girlfriends! Twelve! And he still has the nerve to forbid me from dating?!”
The senior was utterly shocked:
“That’s seriously such scumbag behavior! Who is this straight guy? You’ve never mentioned him before!”
Xia Cheng Qing tilted his head back and downed another glass of whisky in frustration:
“I knew he was straight, so I never made a move on him. If there had been anyone else to choose from, I would have liked someone else long ago.”
The senior immediately sensed an opportunity and struck a pose flirtatiously:
“Then have you ever liked anyone else?”
Xia Cheng Qing glared:
“I’m with him all the time—how would I have the chance to like anyone else?! And he even thought I was secretly dating you people?! When would I even have the time? While using the bathroom?!”
The senior hesitated:
“Uh… right now?”
Xia Cheng Qing stared at him for a long moment.
The senior asked hopefully:
“Feeling something?”
Xia Cheng Qing immediately brought his palm down on him again with force!
“It’s you! You’re the one who ruined everything!”
7. The CP Can Flip but Must Not Be Split
Late at night, A’Hao received a call from his elder brother’s phone. But the voice on the other end was that of a stranger:
“Are you A’Qing’s younger brother? He’s drunk and refuses to go to a hotel with me. Could you come pick him up?”
A’Hao tilted his head to hold the phone between his shoulder and ear while massaging the shoulders of Xiao He, the forensic doctor helping him write reports:
“I’m working overtime with a colleague and can’t leave. Sorry—try calling my second brother.”
The senior flipped through the contact list for quite a while but couldn’t find anyone labeled “Second Brother,” nor did he think to search the blacklist for “bastard,” so he ended up calling “Younger Sister.”
“Ah?” Xia Xiao Mang sounded anxious and distressed. “How could my brother get drunk? He doesn’t usually drink much. Thank you for taking care of him—I’ll come right away… Oh, wait—can he still stand? And… do you think he still has the strength to hit people?”
The senior rubbed his swollen forehead.
“Probably not anymore.”
“Alright, thank you.”
Twenty minutes later, a Ferrari sped into the bar street and screeched to a halt in front of a small tavern.
A’Ying rushed out of the car first, followed by Xiao Mang, still shaken from the reckless drive.
Xia Cheng Qing’s drunken state was actually quite composed—he lay slumped over the bar counter, motionless, as if peacefully asleep. The senior stayed beside him, somewhat tipsy himself. Seeing them arrive, he said:
“Are you A’Qing’s sister? He’s over here!”
“Who gave you permission to call him A’Qing?!” A’Ying immediately fixated on the wrong issue.
“We’ve always called him that,” the senior replied, puzzled. He shook his head, thinking for a moment. “Why do you look so familiar? Have we met before?”
With Xiao Mang’s help, A’Ying hoisted Xia Cheng Qing onto his back, shooting the senior a resentful glare.
From that look—so full of envy, jealousy, and resentment—the senior suddenly recognized the junior from years ago and had a flash of realization:
“Oh! You’re that straight guy! He’s been cursing you all night—you’re really a scumbag!”
The jealousy on A’Ying’s face instantly turned into guilt and regret. His eyes dimmed as he lowered his head. For once, the usually competitive A’Ying didn’t retort. He simply steadied Xia Cheng Qing on his back and walked out in silence.
It was Xiao Mang, still behind them, who couldn’t hold back and spoke up in defense of her “Second Brother”:
“Brother Ying is not straight, and he’s not a scumbag! He treats my brother very well! They just had a little quarrel—that’s all! I appreciate you taking care of my brother tonight, but don’t even think about taking advantage of the situation! They’ve been together for over ten years—their CP can flip but must not be split, you know?!”
The senior was left completely stunned by her scolding. After she hurried out following A’Ying, he stood there blankly, thinking:
“Together… for over ten years?”
How is that completely different from what A’Qing told me???
Did she misunderstand—or did I hear wrong??
With Xiao Mang’s help, A’Ying got Xia Cheng Qing out of the car, into the house, and onto the bed.
The moment Xia Cheng Qing lay down, he vomited. The bedsheets and covers were a complete mess, and his entire body reeked of alcohol. The dignified image of the eldest brother collapsed entirely.
A’Ying said to Xiao Mang:
“It’s late—it’s not convenient for you to go home. Stay here tonight. I’ll change the sheets. I’ll take him to wash up first.”
Xiao Mang had class early the next morning and was already exhausted. She yawned and went to the room at the far end of the corridor—the one she had used as a child. Xia Cheng Qing had kept it just as it was, even leaving spare clothes for her so she could return whenever she felt nostalgic; only their younger brother’s room had been converted into a workout room, so he could vent his longing by punching a sandbag.
Before leaving, she gave A’Ying a meaningful look:
“If you two are going to ‘fight,’ keep the noise down.”
A’Ying glanced at Xia Cheng Qing, who was limp as mud, and replied honestly:
“We won’t be fighting tonight.”
Xiao Mang left regretfully, yawning as she went to sleep.
A’Ying had underestimated Xia Cheng Qing’s stamina—honed from daily sandbag training. The moment he helped Xia Cheng Qing into the bathtub, Xia Cheng Qing woke up.
Still groggy, Xia Cheng Qing recognized him—and immediately became furious, determined to carry out his vow of “beating him every time he saw him.” He raised his fist and started swinging—right there in the bathtub.
A’Ying, feeling guilty, didn’t dare fight back. He was dragged into the tub and thoroughly beaten, soaked from head to toe. His entire body was covered in bruises, and even his lip was split after hitting the edge of the tub.
After finally escaping the drunken assault, he endured the cold and pain, coaxing Xia Cheng Qing to finish washing, drying him off, wrapping him in a towel, and carrying him to the sofa. Then, sneezing, he changed the filthy bedding before persuading the still-cursing eldest brother back into bed.
After venting enough through both scolding and hitting, Xia Cheng Qing drank half a cup of warm water, rinsed his mouth, and fell into a satisfied sleep wrapped in clean, soft blankets.
Meanwhile, A’Ying, cold and aching all over, stood silently by the washing machine sorting the dirty sheets. He felt that everything was over—that he would never be forgiven. Finally, he found another reason to cry again.
He tossed his own clothes into the washer, took a cold shower in a daze, hissing at the pain from his bruises. Wearing Xia Cheng Qing’s robe, he rummaged through the medicine kit and clumsily applied iodine to disinfect his wounds.
Afterward, with a reckless “it doesn’t matter anymore” mindset—since he believed he would never see him again—he slipped off the robe and boldly crawled into Xia Cheng Qing’s bed, falling asleep naked in his arms.
The next morning, the truth was buried.
Having been beaten and chilled, A’Ying developed a mild fever. His face was flushed, and he drifted in and out of nightmares. Halfway through one, he was awakened by birdsong outside the window.
Groggily opening his eyes, he saw Xia Cheng Qing sitting at the bedside like a ghost, his face pale, staring at him.
Startled, A’Ying broke out in a cold sweat. His voice was hoarse as he spoke:
“Y-you… what’s wrong…?”
Xia Cheng Qing, still hungover with a splitting headache, couldn’t remember anything from the previous night. Wrapped in the blanket, he stared at A’Ying’s flushed face and strangely swollen lips in shock, then reached out to lift his blanket.
A’Ying, thinking he was about to be beaten again, clutched the blanket tightly, trying to burrow inside:
“Don’t… please spare me… I—I have a fever… I feel awful…”
Xia Cheng Qing’s expression shifted through a storm of emotions:
“I just want to check… uh… did you clean up?”
A’Ying thought he was being accused of being unclean:
“I’m not dirty—I took a shower…”
Xia Cheng Qing grew anxious, trying to pull back the blanket:
“Are you stupid? Did you catch a chill from bathing? Let me see! Are you injured?”
He caught sight of the strange red marks along A’Ying’s collarbone and the bruises across his shoulders.
Terrified, A’Ying nodded tearfully:
“I’m injured! I already applied medicine! It hurt a lot last night… and it was cold… I even washed the sheets… I—I know I was wrong… it’s all my fault… I’ll apologize properly later… I just feel really awful right now…”
Xia Cheng Qing’s expression was indescribably complex.
At that moment, Xiao Mang knocked on the door from outside:
“Brother? Are you awake? I’m heading to class. Are you both okay?”
A reply came from inside. After a long while, Xia Cheng Qing, wrapped in a robe, opened the door slightly.
Xiao Mang peeked in with a grin:
“Made up already?”
“…Mm,” Xia Cheng Qing replied vaguely, holding the door.
“Oh—just like they say, ‘fight at the head of the bed, make up at the foot of the bed,’” Xiao Mang said meaningfully. “Brother Ying worked really hard last night—I even heard him come out to wash the sheets and look for medicine in the middle of the night.”
Xia Cheng Qing’s expression grew even more colorful.
He had “worked hard” all night, washed the sheets himself, and even treated his own wounds—so resilient, so dutiful… so humble.
For the first time, Xia Cheng Qing began to feel that perhaps he was the more scummy one.
Xiao Mang, satisfied that the CP she had shipped for over ten years had not been broken apart, happily left for work.
8. How Can There Be Such Idiotic Lovers
Xia Cheng Qing boiled a kettle of water, prepared a cup of honey tea, and brought it into the bedroom to feed A’Ying.
With a dark expression, he apologized:
“I was drunk last night—it’s my fault. If you’re really bothered by it, you can hit me.”
A’Ying, inexplicably catapulted from hell straight into heaven, almost suffered altitude sickness from the sudden emotional rise.
Wrapped in a blanket and leaning against the headboard, he held the cup nervously, shaking his head repeatedly:
“No, no—it’s my fault. I know I was wrong during this period. I’ve been regretting it every single day.”
“Stop talking so much—your voice is already this hoarse,” Xia Cheng Qing said with concern.
A’Ying immediately fell silent, only making small sip sip sounds as he drank the honey tea.
“I’ll go to the pharmacy later to buy some cooling patches. What do you feel like eating?” Xia Cheng Qing asked gently.
What did A’Ying want to eat?!
Right now, he was shocked, frightened, and overjoyed all at once—he just wanted to run downstairs and sprint laps, so overwhelmed that he wished he could dig out his wildly pounding heart and swallow it!
If he had known that getting beaten and running a fever would bring Xia Cheng Qing back to him, he would have stripped naked and soaked himself in ice a month ago!
A’Ying spent a comfortable day recuperating at Xia Cheng Qing’s home.
That evening, after work, A’Hao and Xiao Mang also came to visit him, fussing over him with concern. He thoroughly enjoyed being treated like a “sister-in-law.”
While Xia Cheng Qing and A’Hao cooked dinner in the kitchen, Xiao Mang crouched by the bedside, cupping her cheeks as she asked curiously:
“Brother Ying, you and my brother ‘fought’ again last night, right?”
A’Ying’s fever had mostly subsided. Still wrapped in the blanket, his face flushed warmly, he coughed lightly:
“Yeah… mostly he hit me.”
“Mhm, I could tell. By the way, after all these years of ‘fighting,’ is it usually him ‘hitting’ you, or you ‘hitting’ him?”
Though he didn’t understand why Xiao Mang’s eyes sparkled when she emphasized the word “hit,” A’Ying thought seriously and answered honestly:
“About half and half. He hits me a bit more.”
“Oooh—” Xiao Mang nodded knowingly. “Reversible but not separable, I get it. After all, you’re both strong men.”
What… what? He didn’t understand a word. Was she watching some new drama again? The generational gap with his younger sister was growing deeper and deeper—how upsetting.
The two of them continued chatting, completely talking past each other yet somehow matching perfectly.
From outside, Xia Cheng Qing called:
“Dinner’s ready!”
“Coming!” Xiao Mang replied. Then she turned to A’Ying, “Brother Ying, I’ll help you—you’re having trouble walking, right?”
A’Ying had indeed been kicked several times in the backside the night before, so he was limping slightly. As Xiao Mang helped him off the bed, he sighed at her thoughtfulness:
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing, it’s only right. It’s all because my brother’s waist strength is too strong.”
Well… kicking does require waist strength. A’Ying sighed:
“He trained it by kicking sandbags—now I’m the target.”
“Oooh—”
Again, they were talking at cross purposes—but still somehow perfectly aligned.
When Xia Cheng Qing saw A’Ying walking out slowly, holding his waist, his expression became extremely complicated.
In the entire house, only A’Hao remained blissfully clueless, enthusiastically praising the new colleague from the forensic department for writing excellent reports.
Xiao Mang leaned over and whispered to him:
“They ‘fought’ again last night. After the ‘fight,’ they made up.”
A’Hao: “Oooh—”
Xia Cheng Qing shot him a glare: What are you “oooh”-ing for? Do you even understand what your sister means? Do you know what that “oooh” means?
A’Hao lowered his head and continued eating, puzzled and slightly dissatisfied:
Of course I understand. My sister already told me—it just means fighting on the bed, right? With a mattress underneath, it probably doesn’t hurt as much.
—Again, completely missing the point, yet somehow still aligned.
The family happily finished dinner. A’Hao was just about to get up and clear the dishes when Xia Cheng Qing suddenly said:
“Wait. I have something important to say.”
The younger siblings immediately sat up straight, waiting for the “head of the household” to announce an important family decision.
Especially A’Ying—his fate uncertain—his heart pounded nervously.
Xia Cheng Qing cleared his throat and declared with calm authority:
“A’Ying and I…”
A’Ying’s heart nearly leapt out of his throat.
Is this a Hongmen Banquet? Is this a formal breakup? Was all that gentleness today just a last flicker before the end?
Elio’s Notes: A banquet set up with the aim of murdering a guest.
Xia Cheng Qing continued:
“We’re together.”
A’Ying: “??????”
The younger siblings, however, were completely unfazed.
A’Hao: “Weren’t you always together?”
Xiao Mang: “Exactly. You’ve been like an old married couple for over ten years—we already figured it out.”
Xia Cheng Qing: “??????”
Xia Cheng Qing: “What nonsense are you guessing? What ‘over ten years’? We only got together last night! With how much of a bastard he was before, who would want to be with him?!”
Xiao Mang was instantly shocked:
“Last night?! Don’t tell me last night was your first time—?!”
Xia Cheng Qing: “Yes.”
Xiao Mang’s entire CP worldview collapsed!
“Then all those times when you two locked yourselves in a room ‘fighting’ when we were kids—you were actually fighting?!”
Xia Cheng Qing: “Of course we were actually fighting!”
Xiao Mang: “And those ‘mosquito bites’ you had the next day—those were really mosquito bites too?!”
Xia Cheng Qing: “They were actual mosquito bites! Just how many melodramatic soap operas did you watch when you were little?!”
Xiao Mang slammed the table and shot to her feet:
“I don’t believe it!! I refuse to accept this!! Last night was your first time?! After all these years—you didn’t feel pent up at all?! You’re already this old!! You clearly liked each other but wasted so many years—are you idiots?!”
Xia Cheng Qing: “……”
The words struck him dead center, as if pierced through all seven orifices! Enraged and embarrassed, he rolled up his sleeves, ready to commit the unthinkable—beating his younger sister!
Xiao Mang wasn’t afraid in the slightest, consumed by the fury of having mis-shipped this CP for over a decade!
How can there be such idiotic lovers?!
I could write ten “NTR” scenarios just to vent, turning the both of them into rag dolls!!
Elio’s Notes: She wants to imagine dramatic “someone steals your partner” scenarios
as a way to vent frustration at how ridiculously slow and clueless the couple is.
Completely clueless about what they were arguing about—but highly attuned to the signs that his elder brother was about to start hitting someone—A’Hao quickly jumped up to break it up:
“Brother! Sister! Wait a second! Look at Brother Ying—what’s wrong with him?! He hasn’t said a word this whole time!”
The noisy room fell silent for a second.
“Brother Ying has fainted—!!”
Overwhelmed with excitement to the point of fainting, A’Ying collapsed face-first into leftover soup and rice—and was promptly carried off by Xia Cheng Qing to be washed.
Bathing required undressing.
And once the clothes came off—the buried truth came to light.
Xia Cheng Qing: “……”
So even the so-called “first time” wasn’t actually a first time.
Thirty-five truly was a major turning point in life.
Even his intelligence seemed to have taken a cliff dive.
He had even come out in a humiliating fashion, completely destroying the previously harmonious sibling relationship—and the dignified image of the eldest brother had crumbled into dust.
That very night, he bundled up the root of all this chaos—the damned bastard—and threw him back to the villa.
The most heartbroken person in this entire affair was Xiao Mang.
It was as if the CP she had shipped for over ten years both existed—and never existed.
It was as if she and her younger brother had shipped them together for over a decade—and yet her younger brother had never once shipped them correctly.
(P.S. The younger brother only learned the “correct way to ‘fight on the bed’” after having his “pipes cleared.”)
This CP journey had turned out to be so rugged, so lonely, so long.
Too tragic.
Even more tragic was—
When they do “fight,” who exactly is the one doing the “hitting”?
That, too, would remain an unsolved mystery!
Brothers? Still ended with a HE.
P.S. If it had been an alternate version of coming out:
Xia Cheng Qing: “Ahem. Regarding your Brother Ying, I have something important to announce.”
A’Hao: “What is it? Did you finally find evidence that he’s actually our biological brother?!”
Xia Cheng Qing: “Even if I did, you’d better keep your mouth shut!!!”
Author End Note:
Thank you all for accompanying me through this AU fanfiction of over twenty thousand words. This fanfic series officially comes to an end here.
My original intention was to write a clean and upright A’Hao, and a Xia Cheng Qing living a peaceful and tranquil life. Both of these wishes have been fulfilled. I had a great time writing this, and I hope all of you enjoyed reading it as well.
The reason Xia Cheng Qing only comes to understand his feelings at the age of thirty-five is because that is precisely the age at which Azure Dragon died. The twenty years that Azure Dragon and A’Ying spent together are mirrored in the parallel world as the twenty years between Xia Cheng Qing and A’Ying. However, Xia Cheng Qing ≠ Azure Dragon, and A’Ying ≠ A’Ying—these two characters are significantly OOC. This is also why they are able to reach a HE in the parallel world.
In the original work, the relationships among Azure Dragon, Liu Yi, Xiao Man, and A’Ying are extremely complex. Even when I reread the “Brothers” extra, I felt deeply moved by that sense of inescapable entanglement and inevitable destruction.
A few days ago, a friend who had read “Brothers” asked me what Azure Dragon had wanted to say to A’Ying before he died. I went back to reread it, and I think Azure Dragon actually wanted to apologize.
He was shocked, but he did not hate A’Ying. He was only astonished by how deeply A’Ying had misunderstood him, and by A’Ying’s anger over his feelings for Liu Yi. Years of accumulated disagreements and misunderstandings had pushed their relationship onto an irreparable path.
Before that, however, Azure Dragon had always been soft-hearted because of their once-deep brotherhood. He chose not to pursue the matter, not to reflect deeply on it, and not to guard against it—so in the end, he was caught completely off guard and was harmed by A’Ying.
After rereading “Brothers,” I feel that Azure Dragon’s feelings toward A’Ying were more disappointment and guilt, rather than hatred.
If he were reborn in a parallel world, I think he would also be willing to untangle this relationship anew (though not necessarily as a romantic one). However, if reborn within the original storyline, then what they had sown together in that harsh and dangerous environment would still bear its bitter fruit—their relationship and ending would likely remain unsolvable.
I would rather attribute their tragedy in the main story to that particular era, the dark environment they lived in, and their own flawed personalities.
In the parallel world, although the era and environment are better, I have still retained Xia Cheng Qing and A’Ying’s flawed personalities. This is also why it took them twenty years to understand each other’s feelings.
Xia Cheng Qing always believed A’Ying was straight, and A’Ying also believed himself to be straight—or perhaps he truly is straight, except for Xia Cheng Qing alone.
But regardless, if not for their twenty years of inseparable companionship, if Xia Cheng Qing had had a more suitable “partner” to choose from, then given their personalities, they still might not have ended up together.
This is not only because A’Ying is closeted, slow-witted, and emotionally oblivious, but also because Xia Cheng Qing endured for twenty years under the belief that “the other person is straight.”
Fortunately, this is AU fan fiction after all—give them enough luck, and just a little more courage than in the original work, and achieving a HE is not a problem.
I wish that everyone in this parallel world may find happiness and fulfillment.
P.S. Some readers have wondered whether Azure Dragon and Liu Yi would end up together if placed in another world. Personally, I think that with Azure Dragon’s personality flaws, he would lose to the bold and relentless “green tea” Xiao He in any world.
In a better, brighter world, Xiao He wouldn’t have to compete with the dead, and A’Hao wouldn’t have psychological barriers—wouldn’t that make things even smoother? Xiao He would probably “fix A’Hao’s pipes” within three months—why wait three years?
P.P.S. As for whether Xia Cheng Qing and A’Ying are top or bottom, there have already been several hints in the previous and current chapters. But since this is fanfiction, I don’t want to limit anyone’s imagination—ship whoever you want as the top, feel free.
Finally, presenting A’Ying the “big-eyed chicken” who has accompanied everyone these past days—considering that he’s now become a crying baby, let him have his HE.
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