Come, Crane

[Gentle, good-tempered gong x proud, beautiful, strong-but-tragic shou]

Two hundred years ago, the demon Yanyue once won the heart of a prodigy from a human immortal sect. He swore he would protect this precious jewel he'd worked so hard to win, forever and ever.

But the Heavenly Altar chose Yanyue to become a Divine Lord, and an immortal master sealed away his memories to erase his demon identity.

When they met again, his precious jewel had lost his family and fallen into demonic cultivation. He personally suppressed him.

Two hundred years later, Yanyue is mired in a conspiracy, but fortunately, his precious jewel has never left his side.

Even after forgetting the past, he falls in love with him all over again.

Reading guide: Top protagonist, one-on-one, both pure, happy ending.

Content warning: The gong is a bit of a simp.

*

Please check out my new novel, The Beautiful Strategist~

[Gong: despairing and world-weary, bent on dying x Shou: determined to survive adversity]

[Gentle, jade-like beauty gong x quirky beggar shou]

After reclaiming the realm for his father and teacher, Xian Qi also lost the most important person in his life, along with his most important faith.

Now everyone knows that the beautiful strategist is a master of schemes, capable of controlling the entire realm from the palm of his hand and deciding who takes the throne.

Yet the regent Xian Wu, whom Xian Qi raised to the peak of power, is cruel, violent, and a scourge upon the nation.

Xian Qi sees himself as the culprit responsible for the people's suffering, so he plans to end his life.

Before dying, he takes responsibility before the world for every crime committed by Xian Wu. He plans to disappear along with all that guilt, giving his younger brother Xian Wu a new life free of blame.

But at this very moment, a flower blooming through a crack in the stone disrupts his plan and colors the boundless whiteness of his heart.

*

Yang Yiku is just one unremarkable child among the many street urchins in the capital.

Using his quick wits and caution, the young boy has figured out a few tricks for scraping by in the city.

Not only does he survive, he also teaches many other homeless children how to get by.

The hardships and dangers of life on the streets are unavoidable, but at least they all grow up.

The younger sister bought by Lord Lu is Yang Yiku's only concern and his last lifeline when he's at the end of his rope.

Although his sister despises him, almost to the point of hatred, and always wears a sour expression whenever she gives him money.

Yang Yiku believes that their bond as twins means his sister loves him.

So after she dies, he must take revenge.

His sister dies in a palace coup, and the one who caused it is the beautiful strategist whom the regent worships: Xian Qi.

"Some beautiful strategist? I'll turn you into a skeleton strategist!"

But things take a strange turn. He wants to kill Xian Qi, yet ends up saving him.

After accidentally eating two Matchmaker Pearls, the two of them are overcome with agony whenever they get more than five zhang apart. What's more, the Host of the male pearl has a strange reaction whenever he touches the Host of the female pearl...

Yang Yiku: "I'm never eavesdropping on only half a conversation again. If I'd known there'd be this many side effects, I'd never have eaten them!"

*

The Matchmaker Pearls were originally meant to be eaten by the regent Xian Wu and his older brother Xian Qi as a token binding them together. The fact that he has special feelings for his biological older brother is no secret.

So Xian Qi's disappearance and Yang Yiku stealing and eating the Matchmaker Pearls both accelerate Xian Wu's descent into brutality.

While evading the regent's pursuit, Xian Qi chooses to seek the protection of the Grand Princess.

He appears to help her fight for power, but in truth, he's given up and wants to die.

But so he won't drag Yang Yiku down with him, he can't die until he finds the antidote to the Matchmaker Pearls.

Then the various conspiracies of the past come to light, and the regent's unrequited love for Xian Qi drives him to madness, while the people suffer terribly.

Xian Qi no longer plans to die. He decides to stir up the political tides once more.

This time, it's not for his duty as a member of the Xian imperial family, nor for his teacher's dying wish. It's for every child in this world like Yang Yiku, so they can have a country where they don't need to live on the streets.

*

"If it weren't for the Matchmaker Pearls, would you still treat me this way?"

"Silly, I took the antidote to the Matchmaker Pearls a long time ago."

Moral: Deep love lasts forever