Sorry, Bro, That's Your Brother's Wife

Bai Yu was a young slave in a wealthy household, hardworking as a little bee but so thin he looked like skin and bones.

Everyone bullied him, except the hired hand's son, who was kind to him, secretly bringing him food and promising to marry him when they grew up.

Later, the hired hand's son kept his promise and married him.

But times had changed, and everything was different. His husband no longer felt the way he had back then. He ignored him, paid him no attention, and they always slept in separate rooms.

Bai Yu called him "big brother" every day, but his big brother ignored him and glared at him coldly.

He could eat his fill, stay warm, and even have meat here. Terrified of being sold again, he secretly tried to seduce his husband. If his husband wouldn't sleep with him, then he would go sleep with his husband.

Lu Beixiu lived in Nanhua Village. His older brother had already joined the army. Before leaving, his brother had said, "I made a promise to a young man. Help me buy him back. If I haven't returned in five years..."

What he left unsaid was: if he died within five years, his husband would belong to his younger brother.

When Lu Beixiu bought Bai Yu back, he said nothing and simply gave him his own room.

The young man called him "big brother" every day and followed him around, looking at him with affection.

Even more absurdly, one day Lu Beixiu came home from work, lifted the covers, and found a naked young man lying in the bed, timidly calling him "husband."

Not long after, he received the terrible news that his older brother was gone.

Later, they began sharing a room, and the young couple lived happily together, raising chickens and ducks, farming and harvesting.

But whenever his husband nestled against him, rubbing his big belly as he told him amusing stories from his days in the wealthy household, Lu Beixiu couldn't think of a single thing to say. He could only blush and mumble, "Mm, mm, mm."

He was four years younger than his brother. Back then, he was still running wild around the village in split-crotch pants.

Who could have imagined that his brother would return then, alive and well, with all his limbs intact and military honors to his name, eager to come home and live with his husband?

Lu Beixiu shielded his pregnant husband behind him. "I'm sorry, Brother. This is your younger brother's husband!"

Theme: If you can't keep your own house in order, how can you govern the world?