My Imperial Brother Can't Even Die

Corrupted, younger, rabid-dog top VS depressed, devoted bottom

Both pure, angsty romance with a happy ending, in a world where humans, demons, and ghosts coexist

Xiao Lingyan loved his third imperial brother, Xiao Jun, more than anyone. For eighteen years, no one had loved and cherished him as much as Xiao Jun, who treated him like a treasure.

But he also hated him. He hated that Xiao Jun, consumed by greed, had schemed and connived to steal the throne that should have been his, then cast him off to the remote northern frontier to endure three years of bitter cold.

He reclaimed the throne and used every means at his disposal to humiliate Xiao Jun and vent his hatred. But Xiao Jun was stubborn and unyielding, always trying to escape him and spending his days threatening to take his own life. Xiao Lingyan had always assumed it was just a way for Xiao Jun to manipulate people. That man was afraid of death and would do anything to survive. How could he truly let go of life?

He never imagined Xiao Jun would really die. Only when he held his body in his arms did he finally realize that Xiao Jun's constant attempts to kill and injure himself had never been a ploy to win anyone's sympathy.

He couldn't explain what he felt. He only remembered breaking down that night, digging through the earth for hours, then burying Xiao Jun in tears. He kept watch by the grave for three days and nights before missing him so desperately that he dug frantically into the grave, trying to bring him back.

But he dug three feet down, and the pit was empty.

His "dead" brother had run away.

--

Xiao Jun had cherished his sixth younger brother, Xiao Lingyan, for years, valuing him more than his own heart. One night, he dreamed that Xiao Lingyan would die violently in the capital at the age of twenty-one. He jolted upright in bed. His dreams had always foretold the future, and had never been wrong.

He tried every way he could think of to avert the calamity, but this brought a heavenly curse upon him and left him with little time to live. With no other choice, he sent his younger brother to the northern frontier to escape his fate, promising to bring him back four years later.

But in the third year, his younger brother returned early, his personality completely changed. He had become cruel and cold, and hated Xiao Jun to the bone. Years of affection were worn away by endless torment, yet Xiao Jun still couldn't bring himself to hate the little brother he had loved all his life. Once the affection was gone, all that remained was exhaustion.

He wanted nothing more than to die, but Heaven seemed determined to keep him alive. Even when his body vanished and his soul was scattered, he would still be dragged back to Xiao Lingyan's side.

At first, he found it painful. Then, little by little, he grew numb. When he finally had a chance to be completely free, he looked back at Xiao Lingyan, devastated with grief, and let out a quiet sigh. To his own surprise, he struggled back out of death's mire of his own accord.

He knew he was pathetic, but he couldn't help feeling sorry for him.

Fine. If he'd raised this little monster himself, he couldn't let him go torment someone else.

PS: Includes an unconventional pregnancy plot (laying eggs, not giving birth) and dark, vulgar forced-consent themes. Please proceed with caution if these are triggers for you.

Theme: A happy life together