I Ran Away After Provoking My Brooding Imperial Brother

Older top, fake siblings.

As the only legitimate child of the former Crown Prince, Lu Ning was cherished from childhood and grew up spoiled and willful.

But on the night he was invested as Crown Prince's heir, Lu Ning dreamed that one day, the maternal relatives and eunuchs would join forces to strip him of power and turn him into a puppet emperor.

It turned out he wasn't the former Crown Prince's true posthumous child. He was a fake, raised by the maternal relatives to steal the throne.

His elder half-brother, Lu Yan, whose legs were disabled and who was kept in the Cold Palace, neglected by everyone, was the true imperial heir.

At the end of the dream, Lu Ning saw Lu Yan return to the capital, surrounded by officials, purge the court, and ultimately ascend the throne.

As for Lu Ning, he would be cast out of the palace and confined in a square courtyard by a masked man whose face he couldn't see, never allowed to leave.

*

Lu Ning was so terrified that he woke up clutching his quilt and shivered all day. At last, in the quiet of night, he made up his mind, slipped away from the crowds, and crept into the Cold Palace and Lu Yan's room.

"Elder Brother."

Hugging a pillow, Lu Ning stood timidly by his bed. "I can't sleep. Can I sleep with you?"

Taking advantage of Lu Yan's current inability to get up and send him away, Lu Ning forced his way into the room, hoping to clear his name.

He followed Lu Yan around all day, calling him "Brother" this and "Brother" that like a little tail, hoping Lu Yan would remember their past and spare his life someday.

At last, Lu Yan ascended the throne, and the truth was revealed to the world. Lu Ning dutifully packed his things, ready to give up his place, but accidentally found a familiar mask in Lu Yan's room.

It was ice-cold to the touch, and exactly like the one worn by the faceless man in his dream...

*

Lu Yan had never been loved by anyone. He had never imagined that one day a little thing would willingly crawl into his arms.

The boy was clearly terrified, yet still worked up the courage to tug on his sleeve and plead pitifully, "Elder Brother, I'll be good to you. You have to protect me in the future, okay?"

Lu Yan stared expressionlessly at the sleeping boy in his arms. He reached out, gripped his wrist, and traced the pulse beneath his skin, his eyes dark and unreadable.

You're the one who came to tempt me first.

Brooding, obsessive top × timid, spoiled bottom

Theme: Brothers should get along.