I'll Give You That, You're Good at Holding Back

[A seemingly aloof, serious top vs. a truly lustful, alluring bottom]

When he was acting as his friend’s love guru, Ye Chen advised him, “Better to have something real without a title than a title without anything real.”

But when it came to himself

On New Year’s Eve, Ye Chen braved the heavy snow and drove two thousand kilometers to bring a poor little streamer living in a rented apartment home with him.

The streamer, Jiang Yu, was innocent and alluring, clueless, and a good-looking online celebrity who couldn’t even manage to make suggestive content.

He was certainly a quick learner, though. The first thing he did after coming home with Ye Chen was take off his clothes.

Ye Chen straightened his collar and told him that wasn’t what he wanted.

He kept Jiang Yu for two years without giving their relationship a name or making it physical. Then he discovered

Jiang Yu was the youngest son of Harbor City’s shipping magnate. He could shoot the mast of a cruise ship three thousand meters away, and he’d only become a suggestive streamer to show off his abs and hear people praise him.

Ye Chen: “…”

The love guru never goes into battle, but when he does, he’s always the joker.

If Jiang Yu had been willing from the beginning, then what was Ye Chen’s point in holding back for two years?

Jiang Yu: That you’re good at holding back.

[Ye Chen is the top; Jiang Yu is the bottom.]

[This pairing is absolutely non-negotiable. No switching or breaking them up!!!!!]

Please check out my upcoming story: “The Special Art of Usurping the Throne as a Foolish Emperor!”

In his previous life, Fu Chenghan was a foolish emperor. While leading an expedition, he fell for the enemy’s scheme to sow discord and dismissed the great general Xiao Xun, whose achievements had made him a threat to the throne. As a result, Fu Chenghan’s army was defeated, and he was captured.

Xiao Xun turned the tide, slaughtering his way through the enemy forces and killing eighteen enemy generals before rescuing him.

Fu Chenghan knew how rare a pillar of the state was. He took an arrow for Xiao Xun, and died.

0-1-18. The record speaks for itself!

When he opened his eyes, he was ten years in the past.

The empire was intact, Fu Chenghan was only sixteen, and the future great general was still a young guard, ordered to watch over him every day.

Most importantly, his peerlessly mighty father, a god of war who had died young, was still alive!

Fu Chenghan threw his arms around his royal father’s leg and vowed to keep him healthy and ensure he reigned for a thousand years.

When his father took dubious pills, Fu Chenghan tried them first. When his father was attacked, he took the blade for him. When his father ordered a family exterminated, he saved them. When his father gave himself over to beautiful women, he… How had his father ended up favoring the Prime Minister?!

Was this what happened when you doted on your ministers? Did it always end with them in your bed? No wonder his father never suspected his subjects of plotting rebellion. They might quarrel in bed, but make up before morning. Your dad is still your dad!

If Fu Chenghan had been close to Xiao Xun in his previous life, then even a hundred enemy schemes couldn’t have driven them apart.

Deeply chastened, Fu Chenghan decided to put together his political allies early. He needed to start favoring a few people right away.

Naturally, first on the list was Xiao Xun, his future general who would defend the nation.

Following the example of wise rulers of old, Fu Chenghan shared a carriage and a seat with Xiao Xun, and slept at his side. He just hadn’t figured out how to favor a man yet.

Xiao Xun was restrained, self-disciplined, stubborn, and taciturn. He refused to teach Fu Chenghan, no matter what.

Fu Chenghan persisted and decided to teach himself.

That night, while Xiao Xun was asleep, he quietly loosened the man’s military robe. He stared at the powerful, muscular chest beneath the white undergarments, felt the heat of Xiao Xun’s body, and grew nervous. Then he looked lower. It was bulging like a horse.

Xiao Xun woke up.

Fu Chenghan suddenly got cold feet and frantically tried to back out. “Tonight, tonight you can sleep by yourself. I have to go find someone else. The strategists are waiting for me.”

Xiao Xun yanked Fu Chenghan back and pinned him beneath him like prey.

At last, Fu Chenghan learned how to favor a minister.

After that night, Xiao Xun became even more loyal, willing to take his hits and insults and serve him like an ox or a horse.

By day, Fu Chenghan rode the horse. By night, the horse rode him :(

★★★★★

"Reader’s Guide"

[1] The main story is told from the bottom’s perspective. Both are faithful, and each other’s first love.

[2] In Harbor City, the bottom is a cold-faced little tyrant. In front of the top, he acts like a delicate flower.

[3] Once again, two hopeless romantics are falling for each other. It’s a mutual case of madness…

Lots of red packet giveaways in the comments, sent randomly by the System. They aren’t meant to hint at anything, so please don’t read too much into them.

★The author writes both top and bottom pairings. The views expressed by the characters do not represent the author’s views. By opening the story, you accept its content warnings. You can drop it without telling the author.

★If you suspect plagiarism or think it resembles another work, please bring a comparison chart and report it directly to the Jinjiang reporting center. Writing isn’t easy, and the author reserves the right to take legal action over all defamatory, fabricated, insulting, or attacking statements.

★The author is sensitive and may close the comments if unable to handle them. Please be civil online, for everyone’s sake.

Blurb completed on September 7, 2025. Steal my ideas and I’ll cry.

Theme: Freedom is eternal!