The Life of a Beloved, Ailing Beauty

[Main story complete] 1. Gu Mian always thought his name was a poor choice. It didn't sound nearly as manly as Lu Hancheng's. Lu Hancheng said he was being fussy: he was sickly to begin with, fainting at the drop of a hat and needing someone to keep watch over him every moment. Otherwise, someone had to carry him around. Wasn't he just like a piece of jade, a pretty, delicate little thing? Gu Mian kicked Lu Hancheng in the backside. “Get lost.” Young Lu Hancheng burst out laughing. The distinctive scent of green shoots, fresh earth, and blazing summer heat swept over him. A dim, mysterious light glimmered in his deep, dark eyes, where currents seemed to swirl. “Nope.” Gu Mian's cheeks flushed faintly. He curled his lovely lips into a smile, his eyelashes seeming singed as they trembled and drooped. “It's boiling. Don't come any closer.” Lu Hancheng felt as if Gu Mian's expression had set his skin on fire. For a moment, he wanted to go further, but even the slightest advance would frighten Gu Mian. He might melt into a puddle of midsummer water and flow away somewhere unknown. Afraid he wouldn't be able to hold on to him, the boy instead pinched Gu Mian's snow-white, slender fingers, soft as if they had no bones. His hands were beautiful. Lu Hancheng turned them over and over in his own, his rough teenage calluses scraping across Gu Mian's palms, which had barely ever done any farm work. It was both painful and ticklish... Suddenly, the sound of Gu's father's motorcycle returning came from outside the window. Gu Mian's younger siblings all rushed to greet him, filling the courtyard with noise. A jumble of footsteps headed straight for the room where Gu Mian was. Gu Mian immediately tried to pull his hand free in alarm, but Lu Hancheng's eyes darkened, and he instinctively clamped down on it... 2. In the mountain city, winter in the year 2000 brought no snow, while summer was unusually hot. That year, Gu Mian and Lu Hancheng's sixteen-year friendship began to tilt into dangerous territory. But no matter how many hardships the future might hold, Lu Hancheng seemed ready to face them without hesitation, so Gu Mian wasn't all that afraid. A seemingly aloof, clever, but actually a little dim, tearful, clingy, sickly beauty bottom x a seemingly steady gentleman, but actually violent, controlling, wealthy-family heir and top student top Childhood friends, mutual pining, an ambiguous relationship until death. [Here's Jiji's upcoming story! Please add Pretty Mama's Boy to your reading list!] 1. Gu Guai is almost thirty, and he's still arguing with his childhood friend Jiang He while on a self-driving adventure in the frigid north. It's not that he's bad-tempered. Jiang He is clearly the one who won't stop nagging. For the past few years, Jiang He has been dead set against Gu Guai going on blind dates. Gu Guai says that if he doesn't find a girlfriend soon, he'll spend the rest of his life with his right hand, and his mom will scold him too. Jiang He, the CEO of a game company, usually acts like a refined gentleman, but he drops the act around Gu Guai and calls him a mama's boy, always saying things like “My mom says” or “My mom won't let me.” “What? Your mom says you have to get married this year, so you'll just close your eyes and do it? Have you got rocks in your head? Haven't I told you that marriage needs love? It's not about settling for whoever. Is your family broke or something? Why do you have to settle?” Their argument ended with them getting lost in the Arctic aurora while driving a tracked off-road vehicle. With no signal or sense of direction and a blizzard howling outside, they dug a snow shelter nearby and hid underground. Gu Guai was dressed like a bear, but he was still freezing. Shivering, he looked at his childhood friend with huge, innocent eyes that made him look much younger. Jiang He clicked his tongue, pulled him into his arms, opened his jacket, and tucked Gu Guai's head against his chest. “Stay nice and still. Don't be scared.” 2. “Oh, right. I read a guide. If you're cold too, we can kiss. It says that in extreme situations, kissing to preserve body heat makes your adrenaline spike and improves your chances of survival,” Gu Guai suddenly said, probably afraid his childhood friend might freeze to death. Jiang He, holding Gu Guai, stared at him as if he'd seen a ghost. His throat went dry in an instant. After a long pause, he could hold back no longer and asked in a low, hoarse voice, “Are you sure?” The pretty Gu Guai nodded innocently. “I'm sure. It's just a kiss. We're both guys, so nobody's going to get pregnant.” Pretty, sweet mama's boy x totally straight guy Childhood friends: get on the boat first, sort out the tickets later~ Theme: Always stay optimistic. Miracles can happen.