Xu Fuyan was born frail and destined for a short life. To stay alive, he followed an old Taoist priest's advice and married into the Cheng family to bring good fortune to himself.
He'd heard that life in a wealthy family was tough, so he was prepared to keep his head down and avoid making trouble. He never expected them to treat him like royalty, sending him all kinds of tonics, supplements, talismans, and blessed Buddhist prayer beads.
Xu Fuyan was about ready to throw up from taking all that stuff. Was it possible that he was here to bring good fortune, not to be treated like an emperor?
Especially since his husband was always away from home. To make it up to him, the family would occasionally shower him with money, enough to buy a decent grave in this overpriced place.
His days had been going pretty well until one day, his no-good husband, who spent his nights partying, drinking, and living it up, suddenly changed his ways. He came home, clung to Xu Fuyan's leg, and cried that he wanted to keep him like a dog.
Xu Fuyan frowned. "Are rich people really this kinky?"
Cheng Shangzhi heard that he had a wife, a barely legal young thing, and immediately ditched his friends and rushed home.
One look told him everything. She was gorgeous, and definitely young, but she was like Lin Daiyu, frail and not long for this world.
He wasn't interested in sickly people, but he couldn't help it. He had an immature idea, while his father had a very mature Seven Wolves belt and his mother had a very mature leather-belt stir-fry waiting for him.
With no choice, he had to share a room with that sickly beauty. He even bought a second bed so they could each have their own. But the next day, he was the one who crawled into her bed.
Luckily, Xu Fuyan was sickly and had no interest in dealing with him. But then Cheng Shangzhi started sulking about it.
He clung to Xu Fuyan all day, begging for kisses. If Xu Fuyan refused, he'd throw a tantrum and sprawl across his bed, refusing to get off even if it killed him.
Xu Fuyan had been married into the family for nearly three years, and Cheng Shangzhi figured they must have developed feelings for each other. Then one day, he saw Xu Fuyan getting along rather well with another man. They even had coffee together, and Xu Fuyan called him that night.
That pretty boy even taunted him. "You're a strange one. Instead of looking for a wife you like, you go and marry the one I like."
That night, Cheng Shangzhi fastened a dog collar around his own neck and handed the leash to Xu Fuyan. "Honey, will you keep me like a dog? Don't look for anyone else."
Xu Fuyan cursed. "Are you out of your mind?"
A little bonus scene
Xu Fuyan had to spend a few days at a Taoist temple every year, to symbolize driving away evil spirits.
When Cheng Shangzhi came home that day and couldn't find Xu Fuyan, he cried and shouted for his wife.
The wealthy madam was in the mood to tease her silly son, so she said, "Didn't you say he's sickly and hard to take care of? Someone came asking to marry Yanyan, so I sent him to meet them."
Cheng Shangzhi exploded on the spot. "I said he was hard to take care of! I! Did! Not! Say! I! Wouldn't! Take! Care! Of! Him!"
"Mom, stop making trouble. I'm 28, and it's not easy to find a 21-year-old wife. I don't care, you owe me my wife."
Two weeks later, when Xu Fuyan came back, he found Cheng Shangzhi clinging to him every day like someone with separation anxiety.
"Don't even think about leaving me. If I find you, I'll make sure you never escape my grasp again!"
Xu Fuyan kissed the corner of his mouth and smiled. "You mean your paw?"
Note: The couple will only ever be devoted to each other. The male supporting characters are all good friends.
They marry first and fall in love later, and their relationship is very intense.
In this story, same-sex couples can marry, but they cannot have children.
Theme: Love someone for a lifetime.
