After the Sickly Beauty Was Coveted by His Nemesis

[A deceptively innocent, sickly beauty vs a ruthless, obsessive, protective heir]

Jiang Zhaohua died on the day of the first snow.

He was the Jiang family's adopted son. Everyone in the capital knew the family had raised him only to gain power, and never cared whether he lived or died. Yet he still blindly followed their instructions, doing everything he could to pave the way for them.

There had never been a place for him in the Jiang family. Outsiders called him a dog the family couldn't get rid of, while the Jiangs treated him like a servant they could order around at will.

No one in the capital treated him like a person. Everyone knew that if they gave him what he wanted, he would do anything for them.

Many people bullied and toyed with him.

For a scrap of information, he would stand in the rain for half a day. To earn someone's trust, he wouldn't keep them waiting, even in the depths of winter with nothing but a single layer of clothing on.

His efforts went unrewarded. The Jiang family secured its position, then decided he was too low-class and switched his medicine. A lifetime of loyalty ended with him dying alone in a sickbed.

When he awoke again, the family's young master had caused trouble and pushed him forward to take the blame.

Standing opposite him was the heir, Xie Zhuyue, who had been at odds with him for nearly ten years.

Xie Zhuyue had always disliked his ways and made things difficult for him at every turn. This time, he wouldn't help the young master of the Jiang family, nor would he bow his head to Xie Zhuyue.

The cold wind made him sway, but instead of waiting for a reprimand, Xie Zhuyue suddenly stepped forward, squeezed the back of his neck, and asked with a sneer, "What, is the Jiang family not even feeding you now? If that's the case, why not come with me? The heir's residence can afford one more mouth."

Jiang Zhaohua took Xie Zhuyue's words as a joke, until Xie Zhuyue came to call on him and the Jiang family, eager to curry favor, couldn't wait to hand him over.

He sat inside in red clothes, the red candles making his eyes ache.

Unlike in his previous life, Xie Zhuyue neither mocked nor ridiculed him. He was so gentle with him it was almost unbelievable.

After being reborn, Jiang Zhaohua realized that Xie Zhuyue wasn't the only one who had changed. He had become strange too.

In his previous life, chronic illness and his detached nature had left him with no thoughts of romance. Yet in this life, he couldn't stand even the slightest teasing.

Xie Zhuyue could make his whole body burn with just a few words. He tried hard to hide it, but was still found out.

Somehow, the two of them ended up making a deal. Jiang Zhaohua would serve as Xie Zhuyue's adviser, and Xie Zhuyue would give him what he needed.

Later, Xie Zhuyue was the first to change the terms. Holding down Jiang Zhaohua's hand as he tugged at his belt, he earnestly advised, "My dear Zhaohua, your health is fragile. If we keep this up, you'll damage your constitution."

Jiang Zhaohua frowned. "Are you not up to it anymore?"

Xie Zhuyue endured it and endured it, but even though he restrained himself, he still wore Jiang Zhaohua out so badly that he was sick for over half a month.

The doctor sighed. "Your Highness, you must exercise more restraint. If you keep this up, he'll waste away."

Xie Zhuyue couldn't explain himself. After seeing the doctor out, he returned to the inner room and looked at the man, who wasn't asleep at all and whose face was as pale as paper. "Did you hear that? The doctor said we need to exercise more restraint."

He deliberately emphasized the word "restraint." Jiang Zhaohua's gaze drifted lightly toward him. "...Life is short. We should enjoy ourselves while we can."

Xie Zhuyue: "..."

Next story: Puppy, Puppy, a warm and cozy childhood-friends story

Also set in an ancient xianxia world: upcoming story The Ways of Demons

[An unruly, mischievous junior disciple vs a gifted, icy senior disciple]

Jiang Liuyao was an orphan picked up and brought to the sect. Perhaps out of pity, everyone in the sect indulged him, and no one ever spoke harshly to him, no matter what he did.

He should have been happy, but because of all that inexplicable indulgence, none of the other children his age in the sect would play with him. That was, until an elder brought back a boy.

The elder told him, "By seniority, from now on he is your junior brother."

Jiang Liuyao looked at the expressionless boy and went up to him. Everyone else had always avoided him, but this boy didn't.

"Senior Brother!" Since the boy was older than him, Jiang Liuyao called him Senior Brother at every opportunity.

The lonely child now had a playmate.

His senior brother didn't talk much and was always cold-faced, but he didn't avoid him.

*

Jiang Liuyao liked his junior senior brother very much and followed him everywhere. When he did something wrong, everyone else would just say, "Let it go." Only Ling Guanxue would keep a straight face and tell him, word for word, "Liuyao, you mustn't."

Jiang Liuyao would pretend not to understand and ask, "Why not? The elders all say it's fine."

Ling Guanxue would sigh. He had no right to discipline Jiang Liuyao, but he worried too much and didn't know how to explain. He would only say, "Your senior brother doesn't want to see you like this."

Whenever he said that, Jiang Liuyao would smile and reply, "Since you put it that way, I'll listen to you, Senior Brother. After all, I like you."

*

Later, the two took different paths. The righteous sects surrounded Jiang Liuyao, but he stood among them alone without the slightest hint of panic.

Jiang Liuyao was waiting for someone, waiting for someone to take him away or end his life with their own hands.

Ling Guanxue appeared, and took him away.

Jiang Liuyao sneered. "Should I call you Immortal Lord Ling, or Senior Brother?"

He had prepared himself to fight to the death, but Ling Guanxue suddenly covered his mouth. A vivid red seeped through his fingers.

*

The whole world was waiting for Ling Guanxue to attack Jiang Liuyao, but no one knew that on that chaotic night, Ling Guanxue had personally let him escape.

"Go. Don't come back."

"I'm not leaving!"

Jiang Liuyao refused to go. He had nowhere else to go.

Why should he leave? He hadn't done anything wrong, and his senior brother knew perfectly well that he had never committed any massacre.

"No one believes you."

Jiang Liuyao wanted to say that it was enough if Ling Guanxue believed him. But before he could speak, the sword he had personally given Ling Guanxue pierced and shattered his golden core.

Jiang Liuyao was cast out into the snow. The falling snow quickly buried him. He didn't want to leave, and he didn't believe the senior brother who had always protected him would abandon him.

Even after he passed out, Jiang Liuyao never saw his senior brother.

Jiang Liuyao also didn't know that the person he thought of so constantly only left with snow covering his body after Jiang Liuyao had been taken away, leaving a trail of red behind.

Message: Love others and love yourself