I Went to the Countryside to Avoid Trouble, Then Someone Clung to Me

An alternate-universe story for the Xue Yu novel. A beautiful young master arrived at the docks that day. He’d come all the way to this remote little place to get some peace and quiet, away from someone who wouldn’t leave him alone. Who knew he’d have three strokes of bad luck as soon as he arrived? First, the person pestering him dropped everything and came by boat to find him in person. Second, he met a dull, rough-looking man who stared at him without blinking and spent every penny he earned buying things for him, wasting it all on him. Third, just as his refuge came to an end and he boarded a ship, he received the terrible news that the Pei family, across the river, had fallen from grace. Now that the family had lost its power, people were looking for him everywhere, hoping to drag him back. With nowhere to run, and on the verge of being discovered, he was taken home by the rough-looking man who’d been hanging around him for days. The man said he didn’t want a penny from him and wouldn’t make him do any hard labor. He could stay as long as he liked. At first, he thought he’d gotten an amazing deal. But after a few days, he noticed the gaze of the man who’d repeatedly insisted he wanted nothing from him growing more and more improper. A chill ran down his back, and he suddenly came to his senses. He’d escaped the wolf’s den, only to fall into the tiger’s jaws. Theme: World peace