After the Little Beauty Was Tricked into Marrying His Beloved

[A naturally naive, beautiful bottom who takes melodramatic novels as a guide to action x a gentle, sophisticated top in a secret identity, full of guilt and constantly jealous]

Yu Qing is a notorious pretty-boy in the entertainment industry, and the latest victim of a business marriage.

Faced with a strange marriage arrangement that suddenly lands on his doorstep, Yu Qing plans to call it off.

But after accidentally moving in with his "fiance," he discovers that the other man is actually his beloved idol, who left the industry years ago!

Yu Qing, who has spent years searching for his idol: This is my chance!

So the young man spends the night reading fanfiction and devouring melodramatic novels. He studies How to Make the Whole World Fall in Love with You and follows the advice of soap operas, sending his "fiance" a suggestive invitation: "Sleep with me!"

"No."

"Huh?" That isn't how the book said he'd answer!

*

After his twin brother Shen Guanzhi falls into a coma following a car accident, Shen Tinglan rushes back to the country.

But he discovers that before falling unconscious, his brother had arranged a marriage.

At their first meeting, his "sister-in-law" mistakes him for Shen Guanzhi and immediately asks to break off the engagement.

Since the person involved in the engagement doesn't want it, the two should have had no reason to see each other again.

But his "sister-in-law" is so sweet and adorable that Shen Tinglan takes pity on him. Somehow, he goes along with the mistake, setting off on the path of "pretending to be his brother and pampering his sister-in-law" and "pursuing his sister-in-law on his brother's behalf."

Who knew he might pamper him too much? His sweet, innocent "sister-in-law" blushes and asks him to sleep together...

He is only looking after his comatose brother's "sister-in-law." There is absolutely no reason to look after him in bed!

Shen Tinglan firmly refuses.

But then his "sister-in-law" lowers his long, trembling lashes, looking ready to cry, and Shen Tinglan instinctively tries to comfort him.

Then the young man lifts his head. His dark eyes are clear and dry, without a trace of tears. "Shen Guanzhi..."

Huh? How long does this absurd charade have to go on? After all he's done, doesn't he even deserve to leave his own name behind?!

For the first time in his life, Shen Tinglan resents his brother: Shen Guanzhi, can't you look after your own wife?

He never expected that a few days later, his brother would finally wake up and tell him that he was the one engaged to Yu Qing!

Wait, so how is he supposed to tell his "sister-in-law"... no, his own wife... who he really is?

*

The day his lie is exposed, Shen Tinglan rushes back from a business trip in Country X, arriving at Yu Qing's door in the middle of the night with flowers in his hands. The man who usually never runs out of ways to coax someone is unusually silent.

Yu Qing takes the flowers, but seeing him just makes him angry, so he tells him to leave.

The man stays and hands him a paper bag, speaking cautiously. "Is your insomnia any better? The shirt you wanted before I left should have lost most of its scent by now, so I brought you another one."

Yu Qing takes it and catches the comforting scent that belongs only to Mr. Shen.

But... after lying to him for so long, he can't just forgive him that easily!

Reading notes:

1. Same-sex marriage is legal in this setting.

2. The top is named Shen Tinglan, and his twin brother is named Shen Guanzhi. Yu Qing and the top's brother don't know each other, have never met, and have no romantic entanglement or actual marriage arrangement. The top and bottom only make real progress in their relationship after the top confirms that the bottom is his own spouse. Later, the engagement is officially changed to one between the top and bottom, so the young couple can be together openly and legitimately. The top's brother has his own partner.

3. This story has no real-life inspiration or allusions. Anything about the entertainment industry is made up.

4. One-on-one romance, happy ending. It starts slow, then picks up quickly once he discovers the idol's identity. A sweet romance, with a very mild groveling arc after the top's secret identity is exposed. It's extremely mild, because in my kind of romance, the couple's feelings are sincere and mutual, with both of them making an effort.

Theme: Love is seeing. I see you.