Jealousy Runs Wild

Xie Xin hated his frail, sickly body more than anything.

In summer, he couldn't bear a breeze; in winter, he couldn't withstand the cold. He was always freezing, and his chronic illness was beyond cure.

He wanted to travel the world with a sword, but all he could do was lie in bed and take medicine.

As the heaven-blessed favorites danced with their swords and chatted freely beneath the bright spring sun, jealousy and resentment took root and sprouted in Xie Xin's heart.

Why can't I do that?

He thought, Why should I accept my fate?

*

Xie Xin cherished the warmth and strength of Song Ruchen's embrace, yet envied the glory he earned, admired by everyone.

He was the elder brother Xie Xin depended on to survive, and the source of the longing that kept him awake at night.

He loved him, was enamored with him, yearned for him,

and yet resented him, envied him, and hated him for it.

The two of them were like intertwined trees, their branches twined together as they grew side by side. After all these years, they had become one, inseparable.

★ Xie Xin: bottom × Song Ruchen: top

Dark, jealous, irresistible bottom × radiant, obsessive top

★ Neither the top nor the bottom is perfect

★ Not biological brothers. Includes some real-and-fake young master plot elements

2022.9.26

Theme: Aspire to the highest ideals