Xu Lang transmigrates into a farming novel and becomes a frail scholar who cannot even lift a chicken.
His mother is sickly, his father is honest and dull, his grandmother is horribly biased, and his little child-bride is always causing trouble.
The little child-bride is a top-tier spendthrift.
On the first day after joining the family, he washes the dishes and nearly burns down the kitchen.
On the second day, he goes out to hoe the fields and steps on half the seedlings.
In just three days, he almost squanders what little money the already poor family has.
Watching his life turn into a complete mess, Xu Lang finally comes to his senses.
His grandparents are biased and mean? Then he will split from the family at once and live well with his parents.
His little husband is clumsy and wasteful? Then he will work like mad to make money.
As long as he earns money fast enough, his family will never fall into ruin!
And so Xu Lang starts from nothing.
He sets up a street stall selling snacks: crispy pancakes, crunchy grilled sausages, and five-spice fried skewers. His small business flourishes, and he uses the profits to buy a house, a carriage, and shops for his family.
While his business thrives, he also raises his own little husband to be plump and rosy-cheeked.
At first, he only thinks that since the boy is already here, raising a little husband won't cost much. He might as well keep him around for fun.
But as the days pass, seeing the little cabbage he has so carefully nurtured, with his fair, clean looks and sweet, obedient manner, soft and cuddly, Xu Lang completely falls for him. As it turns out, raising him really is fun.
The little husband is named Li Yuan. His name sounds gentle, but he is no pushover. This sweet-looking little husband has quite a few ideas of his own. Every day, he schemes to ruin Xu Lang's reputation so Xu Lang will pack his things and send him back to his family.
The little husband is a born actor. Sometimes he crouches at the village entrance, facing the wind and wiping away tears. Sometimes he pretends to be wronged in front of outsiders, turning himself into a pitiful child-bride who has suffered terribly. Like a willow in the wind, he looks frail and helpless.
After a day of hard work away from home, Xu Lang returns to the village and hears all kinds of rumors. His whole world collapses.
Xu Lang tells Li to drink his medicine, and the villagers hear: The Li family's boy isn't even given food at the Xu house.
Xu Lang tells Li Yuan to eat fewer snacks, and the villagers hear: The Li family's boy got beaten just for eating a snack, and now he can barely walk.
Xu Lang tells Li Yuan not to go into the kitchen, and the villagers hear: That child-bride at the Xu house is so pitiful. After all these years, he still isn't allowed to be in charge. They guard the kitchen like he's a thief and won't even let him go in.
He knows his little husband is making up all sorts of "rumors" to play the victim, but when he gets home and sees that sweet, obedient face, every scolding word dies on his lips.
He can't exactly throw away the "black-hearted" little cabbage he raised himself. He might as well keep him around for fun.
Author: "Xu, why did you take in a child-bride?"
Xu Lang: "To raise him for fun."
Author: "So casual? You seem to take pretty good care of Xiao Bao."
Xu Lang: "I raised him when he was little. When he grows up... I'll play with him."
Author: "Oh~ Play? Can you write that kind of play on Jinjiang?"
[Note: The child-bride is part of a fictional ancient feudal setting. This is all made up, so please don't take it seriously.]
The Hunter's Delicate Little Scholar
In his previous life, Yu Ning trusted the wrong people and met a tragic end.
Reborn, Yu Ning wants to live happily with his hunter husband for the rest of his life.
They live together in the mountains. The hunter is strong and capable.
He can hunt rabbits and wild boars, and pick the sweetest fruit for Yu Ning.
Even though they live in the mountains, Yu Ning thinks his days are as sweet as honey.
In this life, Yu Ning just wants to be a happy couch potato, eating, drinking, and sleeping.
He obediently listens to everything his hunter husband says. His husband is the only one who treats him well and won't deceive him.
His husband sends him to study and tells him to get along with his classmates.
Study!
In front of the hunter, he's obedient. Behind his back, he writes essays that leave everyone at the academy speechless.
His husband takes him to live in a new house and tells him to get along with the neighbors.
All right! ...He sweetly greets them in front of his husband, then rolls his eyes so hard they nearly reach the sky as soon as his husband turns around.
Qi Yu married a male scholar, who is also his husband. He's exceptionally handsome.
Qi Yu dotes on him so much, afraid he might get too hot if he holds him in his hands, or melt if he keeps him in his heart.
My husband is small, tongue-tied, and gentle-tempered. Please be patient with him.
Villagers: "The scholar who stood at the village entrance cursing someone for ages without using a single swear word is tongue-tied?"
Villagers: "His temper is gentle? He couldn't win an argument with me, so he brought you along to beat me up. What kind of gentle is that?"
Qi Yu: "You people are always smearing my Xiao Bao behind his back. Xiao Bao has already told me everything."
Little Scene:
Qi Yu leaves home to earn money and sneaks back quietly.
He sees his own delicate, weak little husband with his hands on his hips, cursing someone in the foulest language imaginable.
Villagers: "Well, do you believe us now?"
Qi Yu: "You must have bullied him too much. I wasn't home, so he had to stand up for himself."
Villagers: "These two are seriously nuts... Yes, yes, the whole village bullies the two of you."
Little Scene:
After the two get married, Yu Ning secretly cries several times before Qi Yu notices.
"My good boy, what's wrong? Did someone hurt your feelings?"
After a long time soothing him, the young master finally sobs, "Ever since we got married, you don't dote on me anymore. You even bully me!"
"When have I ever bullied you, little brother?"
"When we were in bed! I said it hurt, and I cried!" Yu Ning snaps.
"I didn't hear you, little brother. Next time, call out louder, and I'll know," Qi Yu coaxes him.
"Really?"
"Really."
The next day, Yu Ning wakes up sobbing. Men are all liars!
He's spoiled, sharp-tongued, and timid, but I love him anyway.
A Ning has plenty of flaws: he's materialistic, petty, foul-mouthed, and mean. This is not a story with perfect characters.
Theme: Keep working hard to live your life, no matter what.