How Did the Black Lotus Get Plucked by a Lazy, Universally Hated Person?

[Updates paused. I'll update when inspiration strikes.]

A story about the true and false young masters. The seme and uke are not blood-related and did not grow up together.

Nobody likes Yan Fengque.

His father thinks he's a nuisance, his mother despises his lack of refinement, and everyone in the household laughs that all he can do is play second fiddle to the fake young master, his younger stepbrother, Lu Hongyin.

At first, Lu Hongyin is wary of this older stepbrother, rejects him, and schemes against him.

But Yan Fengque seems... not to care at all.

Everyone is convinced Yan Fengque is plotting to win favor, but in reality, the real young master only cares about massage and wellness.

Everyone thinks Yan Fengque plans to dazzle the capital with his talent, but he still keeps up the act of being illiterate, serving as Lu Hongyin's study companion and personal guard.

Everyone suspects Yan Fengque has powerful backers hiding behind him, but when they dig deeper, they find he's just a silly dog trailing after his little brother.

At last, everyone believes that the real young master, Yan Fengque, is a lazy, useless fool who has given up on life.

Everyone except Lu Hongyin.

Lu Hongyin thinks Yan Fengque isn't lazy at all, but has some ulterior motive.

Otherwise, why would he untie his sachet, remember to bring him food, and stay by his sickbed without changing out of his clothes?

Rain-soaked old rooms, water seeping through thin clothes.

Lu Hongyin lifts the hem of his robe and asks in embarrassment, "Could you help me change my clothes?"

A large hand rests on his smooth, soft back, almost as if caressing him suggestively.

Lu Hongyin's ears turn red, but the man behind him speaks in a steady, serious voice.

"Your back is nice and flat. Perfect for cupping."

Lu Hongyin: ...

Fine. Very fine. Just perfect.

...At Prince Jin's birthday banquet, Lu Hongyin lures him into drinking wine laced with an aphrodisiac, then grabs Yan Fengque by the collar and spends a night of passion with him.

The kiss marks on his snow-white neck are lush and alluring. Smitten by Lu Hongyin, Yan Fengque finally realizes his feelings and bares his heart.

But Lu Hongyin only smiles softly, his voice gentle and understanding.

"Ah Yin knows Big Brother didn't mean to do it. I won't take it seriously. Let's pretend nothing happened."

Yan Fengque, who was planning to do it again: ...

I can't keep up the act anymore.

The Lu family's power collapses overnight. Beneath a sea of arrows and a mountain of corpses, all they find are Yan Fengque's icy remains and a beautiful madman beside him, his face stained with blood.

People say: Young Master Lu killed the older brother who had designs on him so he could marry into the northern frontier.

When he takes a love poison himself and sells himself as a wife to the various tribes of the northern frontier, the rumor seems all the more believable.

Everyone says: Lu Hongyin is so crazy about becoming the northern frontier's crown princess that he's lost his mind.

Meanwhile, the crown prince of the northern frontier hears the rumors and furrows his brow. He draws back the flower-patterned curtains, wanting to see just what kind of peerless beauty has gone mad with the desire to marry him and thrown all the tribes into chaos.

Instead, he sees a gorgeous young man dressed in black, tearfully kissing a burned portrait in his arms.

...The portrait clearly shows his own face.

The crown prince is furious. "What is the meaning of this?"

Lu Hongyin lightly licks his fingertip. "Brother, have you forgotten? I said I would marry you."

You forgot, but I remember.

A System prompt sounds beside his ear.

"Detection: transmigrator 'Yan Fengque' has been assimilated into the character 'Fengque, Crown Prince of the Northern Frontier.' Host, do your utmost to awaken him."

[Oblivious, teasing, wooden, wild-dog seme x scheming, dark-lotus, brother-obsessed beauty uke]

① After the seme fakes his death, the uke inherits the transmigrate-into-a-book System. The reason the seme loses his memory will be explained in the story.

② One-on-one, both virgins, happy ending. This is practice writing a romance, so don't let the blurb fool you: the story itself is sweet.

③ Mainly from the uke's perspective. The cover features the uke.

Theme: Shameless everyday life between brothers