After a Top Idol Married the Sickly Young Master of a Wealthy Family to Bring Him Good Luck - Chapter 2

When Ling Suiyao was seven years old, he followed his mother to a temple to pray for peace and safety.

Passing by a large bridge, they stopped to have their fortunes told.

The master calculated that his life would be plagued by illness and that he would fall gravely ill at the age of twenty-two. The only solution was a “joyful union” (a forced marriage to ward off bad luck); otherwise, he would die.

Neither at the time nor later did anyone expect that the old fortune-teller’s words would turn out to be a prophecy.

At twenty-two, Ling Suiyao lay in the hospital for half a year with a persistent high fever that triggered various complications, leaving him in a precarious state. Driven to desperation, Madam Ling had no choice but to choose a “joyful union.”

Ling Suiyao held no hope. In his brief moments of clarity, he had even prepared his suicide note.

But unexpectedly, he actually pulled through.

Those six months of being muddled and drifting as if in hell felt like a dream.

It’s just that this person, his mother found for him—who supposedly had a perfect zodiac compatibility for the union—looked so much like…

Ling Suiyao pulled out his phone and logged into his side account on Weibo.

@SuiSui’s Little Rice Cake: Ahhh! Why am I only watching “Nine Linked Rings” now?! Ahhh, Pei Xinglu is my new husband!

Posted in November of last year, exactly the day before he fell ill.

Ah, now he’s become his real husband.

The beautiful young master blinked his eyes. “My name is Ling Suiyao.”

His round, large eyes were sparkling, filled with undisguised curiosity and joy.

Pei Xinglu grunted in response. With his hands in his pockets and his back straight, a flash of annoyance crossed his mind. “Pei Xinglu.”

He really didn’t like that kind of gaze. Pei Xinglu cast a casual glance downward.

Ling Suiyao was barefoot, with one foot on the carpet inside the room and the other on the cloud-gray marble tiles outside.

Butler Zhou was both anxious and helpless, coaxing him like a child. “Oh, young master, why aren’t you wearing socks again? Be careful not to catch a cold. The Madam, Master, and the eldest young master have given a thousand instructions and ten thousand warnings—how can you still be so careless?”

Ling Suiyao looked down. No wonder the soles of his feet felt a bit chilly. He stepped back so both feet were on the soft carpet and gave Butler Zhou a slightly guilty smile. “Uncle Zhou, I heard your voices, so I came out to see. Mom didn’t tell me that the person for the union was Pei Xinglu.”

“She did, but you were still dazed at the time, young master; you probably didn’t take it in.” Butler Zhou looked at the two of them. “Since the young master is awake, Mr. Pei, please sleep with the young master tonight.”

Pei Xinglu nearly lost his composure, his pupils dilating in shock. “What did you say?”

“Mm-hmm, okay, okay!”

Ling Suiyao happily ran back inside.

“Mr. Pei, this is your bed…”

Butler Zhou turned around and was startled. Whoa, this big star’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

Ling Suiyao sat on the edge of the bed, head down as he put on his socks. Then, he smoothed out the wrinkles on the quilt of the adjacent bed and flashed a brilliant smile. “Brother Pei, you sleep here from now on!”

“…” Pei Xinglu felt an immediate impulse to break the contract.

Even though there were two beds in the room with a certain distance between them, it still made his scalp tingle and sparked a deep-seated repulsion.

He did not like sharing a room with anyone.

An over-excited Ling Suiyao ran to the wardrobe, opened it, and rummaged for a while, looking somewhat troubled. “Brother Pei, I’ll have someone tailor some clothes for you. Later, give your sizes to Uncle Zhou. What colors and styles do you like? Any favorite brands? Do you want any gifts? I’ll give them to you. Shoes? Watches? A car? A house? Resources?”

Pei Xinglu’s brow throbbed violently. “What? Is Young Master Ling trying to ‘keep’ me?”

At such a young age, he was already learning the ways of an overbearing CEO “sponsoring” a star.

Ling Suiyao’s eyes widened, and he waved his hands repeatedly. “No, no! I want to thank you.”

“No need.”

Ling Suiyao’s heart tightened, and he froze in place.

With his head slightly lowered, he looked a bit pitiful and aggrieved. Having just recovered from a serious illness, he possessed an added layer of fragile, shattering beauty.

Pei Xinglu remained unmoved and asked a seemingly irrelevant question: “Are you straight?”

Ling Suiyao followed his lead and answered, “I should be, but I’ve never met a girl I liked.”

Just as he finished, he tilted his head, thought for a moment, and added, “I haven’t met a boy I liked either, so it’s hard to say. I’m not quite sure.”

The “love” of a fan is a different concept from what they were discussing now; calling someone “husband” was just something he did for fun, like other fans online.

Ling Suiyao truly didn’t know if he liked boys or girls. From childhood to adulthood, he had never been in a relationship.

In Pei Xinglu’s eyes, this little invalid was just dim-witted—he wasn’t even sure of his own orientation.

Pei Xinglu frowned with some disdain, while simultaneously feeling glad he had prepared an extra move. He took out a pre-prepared contract and handed it over.

“What is this?”

Ling Suiyao looked bewildered as he took it. On the header, five large characters were clearly written: Joyful Union Agreement.

“I had a lawyer draft this agreement.”

Pei Xinglu’s tone was cold and businesslike. “There are some things I need to make clear to Young Master Ling. I am straight and homophobic. Between us, this is just a ‘joyful union’ transaction; everything will be handled according to the contract. During these three years, I will take care of you and fulfill my contractual duties. After three years, we will have no further relationship. So, there’s no need to get close—it avoids lingering feelings and trouble.”

Ling Suiyao hadn’t expected this scene and couldn’t react for a moment.

Butler Zhou seemed about to say something, but Ling Suiyao stopped him.

He let out a soft sigh, his fingers trembling slightly as he flipped through the agreement.

Party A: Pei Xinglu,

Party B: Ling Suiyao.

Article 1: Party B is prohibited from using ambiguous language or harassing Party A.

Article 2: Party B is prohibited from any form of physical contact with Party A.

Article 3: Prohibited from inquiring into each other’s privacy.

Article 4: Party B is prohibited from excessively intervening in Party A’s life.

It was essentially a three-year partnership with a clear “Chu River and Han Border”—neither side was to cross the line.

Ling Suiyao was a bit puzzled. “Brother Pei, did you volunteer for this union?”

Pei Xinglu sneered. How could that be possible?

But restricted by the pressure from the Ling family, he had to admit it. He said coldly, “Of course. Trading three years for the Ling family’s top-tier resources without having to sell my body—I’m not losing out either way.”

Since this matched what his family had told him, Ling Suiyao thought about it again, processing this unexpected turn of events. Without further hesitation, he took the pen, signed his name, and handed it back with both hands. His eyes curved into crescent moons, appearing well-behaved and polite. “Okay! Then, for these three years, Brother Pei has been my roommate. Please look after me!”

Pei Xinglu looked at the signature on the contract—three characters written with considerable elegance and strength.

For these three years, he would be tied to this person.

Pei Xinglu gave a silent “Heh” and twitched the corner of his mouth expressionlessly, not replying.

Ling Suiyao’s heart, full of joy and enthusiasm, was doused with cold water. He bit his lower lip awkwardly.

Butler Zhou stepped in to smooth things over. “Young master, it’s getting late. Go to bed.”

“Okay. Goodnight, Uncle Zhou.”

Ling Suiyao smiled, quickly digesting his bad mood.

“Goodnight, young master. Goodnight to you, too, Mr. Pei.”

Pei Xinglu pulled his suitcase over and only gave an “Mhm” in response.

Butler Zhou closed the door and took out his phone to report exactly what had happened to Ling Jing.

Pei Xinglu began organizing the clothes in his suitcase.

Ling Suiyao, buried in his blankets, peeked at him, poking his head out. “Brother Pei, use the wardrobe on the left.”

Pei Xinglu stuffed all the clothes in at once.

He left out his pajamas and underwear, then grabbed his toiletries, preparing to shower.

Ling Suiyao poked his head out again. “Brother Pei, remember to press the smart temperature control button on the wall when you use it, so you don’t catch a chill…”

Pei Xinglu stopped at the bathroom door and asked, “Do I look like an idiot to you?”

Ling Suiyao’s words were cut off. Sensing the atmosphere, he retreated into the covers, forming a small lump, well-behaved and silent.

Pei Xinglu gave a cold snort and shut the door to the shower.

When he entered, Pei Xinglu almost thought he had walked into the wrong place.

This is a fucking bathroom?

The warm-toned style was magnificent and bright, with a level of luxury comparable to a castle, filled with piles of mysterious buttons.

Fortunately, Pei Xinglu was now a top-tier star and possessed some wealth and worldly experience. He quickly figured out the buttons and successfully turned on the hot water, avoiding the suffocating necessity of having to ask Ling Suiyao for help.

After showering, Pei Xinglu went out and subconsciously glanced at the other bed. He caught sight of the back of a head with messy hair, a head about to bury itself in the covers, and a glowing phone screen.

Ling Suiyao wasn’t asleep yet; he was typing away furiously, hesitating for a moment, then quickly deleting.

Hearing movement, Ling Suiyao turned around with another friendly smile. “Brother Pei, you’re finished? Are you used to it?”

Pei Xinglu gave a perfunctory response while drying his hair.

He wore white hotel-style pajamas. He was 185cm tall with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs; his proportions were excellent.

His face was clean-cut with a high bridge to his nose. His eyes were somewhat narrow, the corners tilting up slightly to convey a hint of cold, aloof disdain for the world. Just standing there, his spine was as straight as a pine or bamboo.

This classic, noble, “high mountain flower” type of celibate appearance really hit the mark for Ling Suiyao.

Especially since his hair wasn’t dry yet, with small water droplets on his cheeks, it added a touch of “desire.”

Countless fan-fiction plots instantly flashed through Ling Suiyao’s mind.

Pei Xinglu wasn’t blind; he could see Ling Suiyao “fangirling.”

With a sour face, he pulled his collar to the highest point, determined not to show a single inch of skin.

A flash of disappointment crossed Ling Suiyao’s eyes.

“…” Pei Xinglu was so angry that the veins on his temples throbbed. He told himself not to get angry.

At that moment, Madam Ling sent another message reminding Pei Xinglu about getting the marriage certificate tomorrow.

As if he might run away at any second.

Pei Xinglu asked Ling Suiyao impatiently, “Is your ID card with you?”

“Yes!”

Ling Suiyao’s actions were faster than his brain. He pulled open the bedside drawer and took out his ID, completely unguarded.

Pei Xinglu took a glance. He was three years younger than he was. The ID photo was quite cute and well-behaved, but he looked very young, like a high school student.

“Keep it safe. Bring it tomorrow.”

“Bring it for what?”

Strictly speaking, Ling Suiyao’s mind had been foggy; it wasn’t until he saw Pei Xinglu tonight that he became fully conscious. Therefore, he didn’t remember Madam Ling mentioning the marriage certificate during the day.

Pei Xinglu assumed he was feigning ignorance and said crossly, “Tomorrow at nine, the Civil Affairs Bureau. For the marriage registration.”

He looked as if he were unshakeable even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, but in reality, he felt utterly dazed. He never imagined that one day he would say such words to a pretty young boy.

It was truly beyond ridiculous.

Ling Suiyao suddenly snapped awake. “Registering?!”

Still acting.

Pei Xinglu didn’t want to deal with him. Feeling a bit thirsty after the shower, he found a disposable cup and poured some water.

Ling Suiyao gradually began to understand. His eyes followed Pei Xinglu, and he suddenly made a decision, saying very seriously, “Brother Pei, now that you’re with me, I won’t let you suffer any grievances—even if it’s only for three years.”

Pei Xinglu spat out his water.

Where the hell did he learn these greasy ‘overbearing CEO’ lines?

He exerted extreme self-control, grabbed a tissue to wipe his face, and gritted his teeth. “Ling Suiyao, go to sleep!”

“Okay… Goodnight, Brother Pei.”

Brother Pei is really so handsome. He raised his hand and threw a paper ball; although it missed, the way Brother Pei nonchalantly walked over, picked it up, and threw it into the trash can as if venting his anger was also so handsome.

Ling Suiyao turned off his phone and the bedside lamp, tucked himself into his small quilt, wrapped himself up tightly, and closed his eyes to sleep.

In a very relaxed posture, the corners of his mouth tilted up slightly, as if anticipating an extremely sweet dream.