At the matriarch of the Xie family's sixtieth birthday celebration, Qin Ke, the finest opera singer in Jiangnan, took the stage to perform. The stage was about to collapse when he fell into someone's arms. All he remembered was meeting a pair of eyes as bright as the stars.
Only later did he learn that the man was Xie Qing, the eldest son of the Xie family.
Xie Qing treated him like a precious treasure, filling the yearning for warmth that had haunted him for ten years. Like a moth drawn to a flame, he willingly took off the opera costume he cherished and married Xie Qing as a concubine.
But one drunken night, a painting, and a long kneel in the winter cold finally broke his heart.
It turned out he was no more than a plaything who happened to resemble Xie Qing's deceased beloved.
He finally saw things clearly. Dragging his ailing body along, he wanted only to live out the rest of his days in peace.
But unexpectedly, when he stopped appearing before Xie Qing and making himself a nuisance, Xie Qing found himself unable to get used to it.
At first, Xie Qing truly saw Qin Ke as nothing more than a plaything bought with money. The small measure of genuine affection he showed him was only because Qin Ke's features so closely resembled those of his cousin.
But in the end, he fell in love. Unfortunately, he realized it too late. Qin Ke's wholehearted love had already been shattered, and his health was failing by the day.
He was terrified that he would never again be able to keep the man who had smiled at him with softly curved lips that spring.
Reading Notes:
1. I'm the author, so the story may get a little angsty, but it will definitely have a happy ending.
2. Xie the Dog really is a jerk at first. You can curse him out, but don't curse me out (running away with a pot over my head).
Theme: Love begins when two hearts are drawn to each other and ends when both pursue one another.
