That Beautiful Fool

[Pretty Foolish Top x Sharp-Tongued Cool Bottom | Xu An'an x Gu Wang]

"City boy, stop teasing him."

Gu Wang sat on the ridge between the fields, chewing on a blade of grass as he narrowed his eyes at the pretty figure crouched by the stream, playing in the water.

Xu An'an was the prettiest fool in town, and the only thing Gu Wang enjoyed after hiding out in the countryside.

To escape an arranged marriage, Gu Wang had retreated to the countryside where he'd spent his childhood. There were no bars or parties, and life was so dull he could count every speck of dust.

Until he met Xu An'an.

That fool was so beautiful. His eyes were like black grapes soaked in mountain spring water, so pure when he looked at people that Gu Wang wanted to corrupt him.

"Hey, fool." Gu Wang kicked a pebble by his feet. "Call me big brother and I'll give you some candy."

Xu An'an looked up at him, dazed, then broke into a grin, revealing two little canine teeth.

Gu Wang's mean streak was satisfied.

He went to see Xu An'an every day, taught him how to read, took him climbing trees, and deliberately called a deer a horse. Whenever the fool nodded earnestly, Gu Wang laughed until he doubled over.

Everyone in town said Gu Wang was bullying the fool. Gu Wang didn't care. He'd come here to amuse himself, after all.

Until one day, Xu An'an went tumbling down a slope while picking wild fruit for him on the hill behind the village. Gu Wang rushed over like a madman and lifted the little fool, covered in mud. His hands trembled uncontrollably.

"Are you stupid? If I wanted to eat fruit, couldn't I pick it myself?"

But Xu An'an held out the fruit he'd been protecting against his chest, his eyes shining. "For you. It's sweet."

Gu Wang froze. It felt as though something had slammed into his heart.

Only later did Gu Wang understand:

He wasn't the one playing with the fool. The fool was taming him.

With the clumsiest gestures and the purest sincerity.

By the time he realized it, his thoughts were already full of that pretty fool's smile.

For the first time, Gu Wang wanted so badly to protect someone, even if it meant standing against the whole world.

But when the blades of his family turned toward Xu An'an, Gu Wang could only be forced to "betray" him: a lie, and a scheme to send him far away.

"An'an, hate me if you want, forget me if you want... Just make sure you live well."

Three years later, Gu Wang returned after seizing power, but An'an, who had once softly called him "Gu Wang," had become silent and distant.

"You lied to me."

"Yes, I lied to you." His eyes red, he smiled. "So now I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

1. Xu is the top and Gu is the bottom. Pretty top, handsome bottom. They pamper each other, both are virgins, and the pairing is fixed.

2. There will be a breakup and reunion, but overall this is a sweet story, with only a few chapters of angst.

3. They separate because of circumstances, not because either of them did anything wrong. After they reunite, there will be a pursuit, with the top chasing his wife, but this isn't a groveling-in-hell story. They love each other more than anything!!! (Mutual love in bold and capital letters.)

4. The top isn't really stupid, just slow to catch on. He'll gradually become smarter later.

5. They belong to each other in body and heart. One-on-one romance.

6. The early chapters are from the bottom's perspective, then it switches to both perspectives.

7. Not much bedroom action. Frottage > face-sitting, only the top gets off.

Theme: Sincerity is precious