Republican-Era China: Letting the Wolf In

Fang Shaolun, the eldest young master of the Fang family in the southwest, brought home a starving refugee named Zhang San.

From then on, he had a loyal guard dog by his side, one who wouldn't dare go west when told to go east. If Fang Shaolun got tired walking, Zhang San would crouch down and carry him. In hide-and-seek, he was only allowed to seek, never hide. He would catch a whole pocketful of fireflies on summer nights... When Zhang San was fifteen or sixteen and Fang Shaolun was eight or nine, he carried him across the Silverwater River. “Young Master, Zhang San will always be your dog.”

But ten years later, Zhang San became Third Master Zhang, and the loyal dog became a wolf.

A pair of wolfish eyes fixed on him. “Getting married? Don't even think about it, Young Master. I'm telling you now: you'll never be able to marry any girl from any family.”

Fang Shaolun doesn't take him seriously. But... one early morning at the training ground, he helps Zhang San correct his archery stance as usual, only to kiss him while Zhang San narrows his eyes to take aim. In the middle of the night, he has a vivid erotic dream, then wakes to find the red mole at the base of his thigh rubbed raw...

He invited a wolf into his home, and now he regrets it! Fang Shaolun flees overseas to Japan and never looks back.

Three years later, a telegram saying, “Father critically ill. Return immediately,” summons him back to his storm-tossed homeland.

A tall figure in a high-collared robe and cloak slowly approaches through the twilight. No matter how sumptuous the robes or exquisite the accessories, they're only adornments.

He shows a row of neat white teeth and smiles menacingly, whispering in Fang Shaolun's ear, “Young Master, let's see where you can run now...”

If Fang Shaolun had known how exhausting Zhang San could be,

he would have chosen to let him starve to death in the wilderness.

That would have been better than being worn out in bed...

Scheming, cunning, rugged, loyal-dog top VS arrogant, upright, stubborn but soft-hearted bottom

* The bottom is somewhat of a harem protagonist. The top is a virgin; the bottom isn't. (Includes a second male lead who gets a wall-papering.)

Upcoming story, “Three Thousand Notes on Needling the Bud”:

Xi Men Song, a wastrel from Fuping County who loves handsome men, flees to the capital to avoid his creditors and meets the legendary Ninth Prince, Zhu Xiujin.

He can't stop thinking about him, and he lies awake at night, composing an erotic poem:

“I dream of embracing my beloved and stripping him bare,

His sweet tongue and pearly teeth like sugar,

Three thousand notes on needling the bud,

I'd gladly die for it!”

“There's no need for you to die,” Zhu Xiujin says with a curl of his lips. “If you can find the relief funds for the severe drought in Jinan, I might even let you take a look while I undress.”

“There's flooding in Jianghuai. If you can build the flood-control embankment, I'll let you find out if I'm as sweet as sugar.”

“The Later Jin are invading. If you can produce thirty million taels for military expenses, I'll allow you all three thousand notes!”

With a carrot dangling in front of a stubborn donkey, the wastrel becomes a wealthy merchant in his own right.

He sails west, crosses deserts, and opens trade with neighboring countries. The money he earns fills the bellies of disaster victims and feeds the fine horses on the frontier. Then, full of excitement, he climbs into bed with the Ninth Prince, no, the Mingde Emperor...

“Holy crap! Slow down, slow down! You promised...”

“Rest assured, my beloved subject. Three thousand notes. I won't shortchange you by a single one!”

A handsome emperor who embodies all the beauty of the imperial family, plays the fool to catch the tiger, outwits his civil and military officials, is somewhat bloodthirsty but afraid of his spouse, and rules as a wise top VS a clever, lively, shrewd merchant bottom who can open a road through mountains and build a bridge over rivers, calculates in his head, and knows how to make money

Theme: What you keep thinking about will eventually come back to you.