Falling Blossoms in a Dream, Silent as They Fall

Though unfeeling, he is still captivating; who could have stirred up such storms in Hong Kong? When love runs deep, it turns to hate, and looking back, one wonders if it was all a dream. Kindred spirits and confidants across three lifetimes, yet always kept apart by national feuds and family grudges, by the imperial court and the martial world. Their mutual admiration, expressed through the harmony of zither and flute, ultimately withered beside the Bridge of Helplessness, amid flowers on the far shore. In every life, they had the most legendary of encounters. Yet after meeting, coming to know one another, and swearing brotherhood unto death, their lives always came to an abrupt end in the prime of youth. Every death left behind endless regret and resentment. Unwilling to let go, in their final life, as they went to their deaths hand in hand, they swore the same oath: If Heaven and Earth are heartless, then let blood ties bind them for all eternity; if fate is fickle, then let them renounce love and affection to remain together in this life. At last, they were fortunate enough to be born as brothers. Surely nothing could ever separate them now, with the bond of flesh and blood and the love between siblings. So his frail, sickly baby brother is the person he loves most in this life. Taking good care of him and protecting him is his sole reason for living. Cold indifference and keeping everyone at arm’s length are instincts he was born with. He understands and wants none of it, whether it’s a beautiful woman’s confession or a handsome man’s pursuit. For someone whose emotional intelligence is below zero, love is far more dangerous than a hail of bullets. The passionate devotion of his many admirers is a puzzle more complicated than Goldbach’s conjecture and harder to understand than the theory of relativity. How can he escape these tiresome entanglements? Mengmeng would like to make one thing clear: The first part mainly establishes the background, shows the brothers interacting, introduces the female characters, and plants other seeds for the emotional changes to come. (Mengmeng also regrets letting the story drag on for so long.) It may not seem very much like a danmei story at first, so anyone who is impatient can skip this section and start from Chapter 20. Mengmeng would like to answer a few questions: 1. This story was originally meant to be an ambiguous romance (the romantic tension only starts to build in the middle). Although the danmei flavor is lighter in the beginning, it isn't a heterosexual romance. You should have noticed that the men have been acting ambiguous with each other from the start, so Mengmeng didn't suddenly change the story halfway through. 2. Mengmeng originally planned to write a story about brotherly affection, but the categories only offer romance, not family affection. So no matter how Mengmeng writes, readers keep mistaking the brothers' feelings for romantic love. Maybe even Mengmeng hasn't figured it out subconsciously? 3. Female characters in danmei stories are usually cannon fodder, so Mengmeng decided, out of a certain perverse curiosity, to try portraying them positively. Though in the end, they will probably, most likely, perhaps, more or less still be cannon fodder... 4. Due to personal family circumstances, Mengmeng hasn't written anything in the past two years. The old drafts left behind are also quite messy and haven't really been proofread or organized, so they can't be posted quickly. Mengmeng is still very busy, so feel free to urge an update, but please be patient and understanding. Mengmeng is very grateful for everyone's support. Announcement: Just after returning from the New Year holiday, Mengmeng had an accident and was badly weakened. I've been recuperating ever since. My family has been keeping such a close eye on me that I haven't been able to get near a computer, so I couldn't come here to let everyone know I needed a leave of absence. I can only apologize now and post a notice belatedly. It will probably be a while before I can slowly resume updating. There's nothing I can do, so please be understanding and forgiving. Being stuck at home and forced to do nothing but eat and sleep, Mengmeng really is pitiful... Theme: