How to Raise a Beautiful Childhood Friend

Everyone who knows Yue Yan says he has a lovely temper, gentle and refined as jade. When he smiles, it feels like a spring breeze, and he has the air of a kind senior. Who would have guessed that as a child, he was a little menace who gave his parents endless headaches? Mischievous and destructive, he would climb onto the roof and tear up the tiles. Even the neighbor’s husky gave him a wide berth. Everything changed on a rainy day when he was eight. His parents brought home a boy as pretty as a porcelain doll: Lin Zhunlu. Quiet and pale, just like his name, he would look at people with lashes trembling like a startled fawn. They said he was the son of one of his mother’s friends, and that they were taking him in for a while. Yue Yan rubbed his hands together, thinking he’d gotten a little underling who would obey his every word. Who could have imagined that this boy would become a precious little tyrant who needed to be coaxed every single day? Lin Zhunlu was afraid of the dark, so Yue Yan told him stories every night until he fell asleep; Lin Zhunlu was a picky eater, so Yue Yan fed him by hand, one spoonful at a time; When Lin Zhunlu felt wronged and sulked, Yue Yan had no choice but to put his hearing aids back on and whisper “I love you” in his ear over and over. Time passed, and the little fawn Yue Yan had carefully looked after grew taller, taking on the beautiful outline of someone between boyhood and adulthood. Lin Zhunlu was still quiet, still clingy. But as his dependence on Yue Yan quietly grew, it seemed to become mixed with something hotter and more intense. The air conditioner sent cool breezes through the room, but they could not dispel its heat. The person on the bed curled up beneath a thin blanket. Suppressed gasps and faint movements could be heard from underneath. At first, Yue Yan thought he was having a nightmare. He lifted the blanket to comfort him, but the sight before him made his breath catch. Lin Zhunlu opened his eyes. His gaze was still damp and innocent, but his voice was hoarse beyond recognition. “Yanyan...” “I feel awful... Help me...” His gaze burned frighteningly hot, though his voice trembled with sobs, as if he were on the verge of breaking down. His grip was strong, impossible to escape. He took Yue Yan’s hand and tried to pull it under the blanket. Reading Guide: Childhood-years story ‖ Begins when they are young ‖ Both leads have only ever been with each other ‖ They are both adults when they become intimate, during their university years A preview of my upcoming novel: The Bad Dog [Beautiful, wicked shou × younger, doting gong] Jiang Qingli died. By suicide. You could say he got what he deserved. Unfortunately, troublemakers live forever, and he was reborn. He returned to eight years ago, before he had ever crossed paths with Mu Ying. Jiang Qingli knew he wasn’t exactly a good person, though every now and then his conscience stirred. In his previous life, Mu Ying had hated him to the bone. Since Jiang Qingli had already died once, he figured he might as well grant Mu Ying the wish he’d always had. But a few days later... Jiang Qingli stared thoughtfully at Mu Ying, lying beside him. He’d finally talked himself into staying away from Mu Ying, so why had the man come right to his door instead? His father didn’t care for him, his mother didn’t love him, his stepmother was cruel, and his illegitimate younger brother was a scheming little angel. It was already a miracle Jiang Qingli had grown up at all, so who could expect him to become an exemplary student or a model young man? Give me a break. With a notorious reputation and a long list of misdeeds, Jiang Qingli was ready to follow his old path and coast through life. But while he was flirting with someone at a bar, Mu Ying dragged him home. From then on, beautiful women and male models were out, and workbooks and practice exams were in. Jiang Qingli: ? He stared at Mu Ying in disbelief. His ex-boyfriend, who had once been so poor that all he had was his pride, was still broke, yet dared to pin Jiang Qingli in front of an old desk. He made him work through problem sets and practice exams, with a ruler at the ready to smack his palm for every wrong answer. “Get into Jing University.” Mu Ying said only those three words. Jiang Qingli laughed in disbelief. “Are you crazy, or am I?” He’d never even passed Chinese in his entire life! *Bonus scene* The white-lotus younger brother came to Mu Ying with red-rimmed eyes. “Senior Mu, don’t let him fool you. Jiang Qingli is a terrible person. He only got close to you back then to get back at me.” “He knew I liked you, so he deliberately stole you away. He never really cared about you.” The air fell silent. Standing around the corner, Jiang Qingli heard Mu Ying give a soft laugh. “I know.” “But so what?” “No matter how bad he is, I’ll teach him.” “And if I can’t, I’ll be there to catch him.” Reading Guide: [The gong is broke right now, but he’s working hard to spoil his wife. He gives him the very best, and later on he’ll be rich.] Theme: Study hard