Vain, beauty-obsessed bottom (uke) × Military genius, transmigrated, scoundrel top (seme)

Xie Qiaoyu is the illegitimate son of a prominent family in a small county. With striking, radiant looks and a strong sense of vanity, he is determined never to become a concubine like his father once was. He dreams of marrying an aspiring scholar who will pass the imperial exams and provide for him. But that scholar dumps him halfway through—for his legitimate older brother.

Now left enduring his half-brother’s smugness, Xie Qiaoyu sets out once again in search of a dependable scholar… and unexpectedly finds himself drawn to a fallen noble, a so-called “good-for-nothing.”

At first, he mocks the declining Wan family, “Serves the Wan family right.”

Until he meets Wan Mingji—unkempt yet handsome, dressed in mourning attire.

“Mourning clothes make the man,” and Xie Qiaoyu’s heart skips a beat.

Quietly, he starts approaching Wan Mingji and asks, “Do you have any plans to sit for the imperial exam?”

After all, even a scoundrel could earn a degree under his supervision.

Wan Mingji, “No.”

Xie Qiaoyu, ”…No wonder you’re single.”

If he weren’t just a concubine’s son, with his looks alone, many would’ve lined up to marry him in this town. But alas—he is just a concubine’s son.

Now that he’s running around with a broke scoundrel, everyone mocks him.

And then… they all get slapped in the face.

—

Wan Mingji, once a dashing young talent, returned home after his studies to find his family in ruins and his name disgraced. Everyone avoided him. When he saw the now-grown, stunningly beautiful Xie Qiaoyu, he thought nothing of it—he was a straight man, with zero interest in pretty boys.

Xie Qiaoyu kept helping him anyway. Wan Mingji figured maybe they could just be “brothers.”

Wan Mingji, sincerely, “Let’s be brothers.”

Xie Qiaoyu, silently.

I want you to be my husband, and you call me your brother? Who treats a ge’er like their brother?! I’m going to kill you.

Xie Qiaoyu, grinding his teeth, “You’re going to die alone.”

Until one day, Wan Mingji sees a dirt-smudged Xie Qiaoyu up close, noses almost touching…

Next thing he knows, he’s standing at the gates of the Xie family home—to propose marriage.

Later, with fingers laced together, Wan Mingji asks his subordinates, “Family members can accompany soldiers, right?”

—

Even after marriage, Xie Qiaoyu remains hopelessly vain. He gets envious easily when others seem to be doing better than him—but just thinking of his husband makes it all sweet again.

“Wan Mingji, I want to eat a tiger!”

The next day, sure enough, he eats a tiger.