How a Bystander Top Became the Main Character

Updates: Main story complete, bonus chapters ongoing. See you in my next book, loves! (P.S. Don't reread it just yet; I'm going to revise it later.) Blurb: Ji Linxi was born under an unlucky star. Orphaned young, he roamed the streets and did whatever it took to survive, from stealing chickens to swiping dogs. Though he had the face of a gentleman, he did the sort of filthy, low-down things best kept in the dark. He was greedy for money and power, and he was a lecher too. Every night, he dreamed of passing the imperial exams, marrying a princess, and rising straight to the top. The rat in human skin scurried around the gutters day after day, until one day on the street he saw a beautiful young gentleman dressed in rich brocade, looking like an immortal descended to earth in the form of an unparalleled peony. The beautiful woman he had seen in his dreams, the one he'd made love to through the clouds and rain without ever seeing her face, suddenly had one. He was hard. … To get a taste of the swan's flesh, Ji Linxi set off, huffing and puffing, on the road to turning his life around. In the first year, he studied day and night, passed the county, prefectural, and provincial exams, and became a successful candidate in the imperial examinations. In the second year, he passed the metropolitan and palace exams, placed among the top three in the highest degree, and rode through the streets as the third-ranked scholar. In the third year… In the third year, Ji Linxi became a dog for the beauty he pined for in secret: His Highness the Crown Prince. … “Seize the present, and you create the future.” “Study hard for one year, and win the prince's pale thighs.” “When you're young, reach for the clouds. Don't go home until you've grabbed the prince by the waist.” “Study hard by the cold window, and enjoy yourself on your wedding night.” “Persistence will help the prince take off his clothes; perseverance will pave the path to his secret chamber.” “Where there's a will, there's a way. Burn your boats, and the Crown Prince will be mine.” “Those who strive with all their heart won't be let down by heaven. Lie in bed and taste his skin; when desire overwhelms you, swallow him whole.” … The Crown Prince, raised in luxury and privilege, endured it again and again, until he couldn't take it anymore. “You scoundrel! Write another one of those vulgar, indecent poems, and I'll have your head chopped off tomorrow!” … P.S. Little angels, please try to avoid calling the top or bottom “baby.” This is a traditional, old-fashioned pigeon who isn't used to babying the main characters (turning them into little blobs of slime). Unless a character is actually a baby, it gives me a strange feeling of guilt. (Bows and bows.) Here's a preview of my upcoming story, Raising My Senior Brother Is Hard! Synopsis: The first day Cang Hejing joined the sect. His master pointed to a delicate, beautiful man and instructed him kindly, “Hejing, this is your senior brother. His name is Xin Guanyan. From now on, you're in charge of looking after him.” Cang Hejing: “?” Did I hear that right? Later, he swept the floors and cooked for Xin Guanyan, waited on him hand and foot, and put up with him finding fault with everything. When Xin Guanyan made an appearance, Cang Hejing even had to organize the sect's disciples into a cheering squad: one played the flute, another the pipa, and the rest blew smoke. After a year of being worked to the bone, Cang Hejing shouted at his master, “Anyone who wants to can look after that fussy, pretentious senior brother! Go find another sucker to do it! I'm not doing it!” Five years later, his master really did find another sucker and bring a new disciple into the sect. “Hejing, I know you've suffered these past few years, so I specifically found you a junior brother to share the pain and torment.” Cang Hejing: “…” Well… it hadn't really been suffering. Nor pain or torment. … The first day Cang Hejing joined the sect. He knelt on the floor while his devastatingly beautiful senior brother reclined on a chaise longue, tapping his snow-white fingers. “Junior brother, our sect has three rules.” “Rule one: Take care of your senior brother.” “Rule two: Take good care of your senior brother.” “Rule three: Make sure your senior brother is well taken care of.” Cang Hejing rolled his eyes. He needs someone else to take care of him too? What, can't you even look after yourself? The seven-hundred-and-thirtieth day after Cang Hejing joined the sect. He was already used to dressing and washing his useless senior brother, cooking and cleaning for him, and rubbing his shoulders and back. One night, he had a dream. In the daytime, he waited on his useless senior brother like a servant beneath the bed, doing this and that at his command. At night, he turned the tables in bed, taking charge as he grabbed all ten of his senior brother's fingers and did this and that to him. He woke up. He understood. Core theme: Hard work always pays off