HOYSE CHAPTER 109

Chapter 109 — The Proposal [Finale]

The cold white light overhead poured down. Wu Fuyu sat quietly on the corridor bench, fists pressed to his forehead.

A few men in suits were led over by the butler. They were the Wu family’s legal team, a lineup of top-tier sharks. Any single one of them could make a corporation’s legal department break out in a cold sweat. Whenever they appeared, it was rarely for anything good.

Right now, they were the last people Wu Fuyu wanted to see as well. His face changed, as if the ferrymen of the underworld had arrived. He hissed, “What are you doing here?”

They all knew the second young master and exchanged looks. The lead attorney said, “We are here at the chairman’s instruction. If anything happens to him…”

So Wu Hanqi had anticipated this day. If he failed to survive, every next step had already been arranged. All Wu Fuyu needed to do was follow the plan and no risk would fall on him. Wu Hanqi lived like a man with nothing to lose, but had never allowed his son to take risks. Perhaps that was his only soft spot.

Wu Fuyu shot to his feet. His pheromones flared, a sharp pressure that made people’s skin prickle. He was furious. “What do you mean, if anything happens? Get out! My dad is not dead!”

“Second… Second young master, but—”

“I said get out!”

He could not believe his father had even arranged his own affairs. Did he really think he was terminal? If it was a confirmed illness, why had he never let Wu Fuyu help him seek treatment? Did he not want to live anymore? 

Only now did Wu Feiyu suddenly realize this. Was this what people meant by depression? How had he not seen it sooner?

The emergency room doors swung open. Seeing that there was no sheet over Wu Hanqi’s face, the knot in Wu Fuyu’s chest loosened. He rushed to the bed. “Dad…”

Wu Hanqi opened his eyes slowly, took one look, and seemed annoyed. “You're a grown man, stop making such a fuss.”

Rebuked again, but he was used to it. Wu Fuyu wiped his tears and swore with a laugh, “You old monster, you scared me this time! I already don't have a mother, and if I lost my father too, I’d be an orphan!”

He had known it. Plagues last a thousand years. A calamity like his father was not going to keel over that easily.

Wu Hanqi looked at his foolish son and could not be bothered to talk. He turned his head away. The more he looked, the dumber the boy seemed. How could this be his son?

The old “heaven” had crumbled, and life was returning to the world. The new “heaven” split in two. One part of the power returned to Gu Xi, who apparently did not realize he was the source of this world. The other part took root in Wu Hanqi. For a mortal, it would still take years to adjust.

That could wait. The impossible gamble had been won.

…

The rain poured down heavily as Gu Feng kissed the most precious existence in their hearts then slowly collapsed into Rong Jing's embrace. 

When the others reached the riverbank where Rong Jing was and saw the two embracing, they did not disturb them.

On the bridge above, police lights spun and sirens wailed.

This Omega had never liked being a princess. When trouble came, his first instinct was not to call for help. By the time they arrived, Gu Xi had usually finished taking care of things himself. It made people hurt for him and feel helpless in equal measure. 

He staggered into Rong Jing’s embrace and, perhaps only then, remembered that this warm harbor was irreplaceable.

“Take him home first,” Xie Ling said. “I will handle the rest.”

“Ge, we should go together.”

“Right now, your Omega comes first. He needs you.”

Xie Ling’s word was final. He took one look at the unconscious Gu Xi and told Rong Jing to look after him before anything else. Then he climbed into a patrol car to wait for the salvage team.

On the drive back, Rong Jing held Gu Xi half-upright. The Omega curled into his chest, fingers locked tight in his shirt. Gu Xi could feel Gu Feng's consciousness merging with his. The two who had never truly been separated couldn’t tell if this was a reunion or a farewell.

A warm drop landed on the back of Rong Jing’s hand. He looked down. A single tear had slipped from the corner of Gu Xi’s eye.

That night, Gu Xi developed a fever. The Xie family’s private doctor came to prescribe medicine, and everyone kept careful watch around him. After a while, Gu Xi’s eyelids fluttered. Guan Hongyi gasped, “He is awake!”

Gu Xi didn’t respond. He stared past everyone without a sound, no matter who called his name. His lips moved, whispering a few names over and over: Gu Yue, Gu Ying…

Guan Hongyi knew the signs and gently gathered him into his arms. It was not the first time. “Gu Yue is processing his visa and will be back in the country soon,” he murmured.

Soothed by his voice, Gu Xi closed his eyes again and motioned for them to keep quiet. They tiptoed out.

Rong Jing frowned. “Just now, he…”

“Post-traumatic stress,” Guan Hongyi said. “It has been rare these past few years. This time must have pushed him too far. He should be better after a night. He is very strong.” Strong enough to break the hearts of those watching.

Guan Hongyi considered and decided to say more. “Don’t worry. He usually forgets about his episodes. Even if I didn't tell you, you'd probably investigate anyway. Sometimes he disguised himself to attend certain parties.”

“Parties? Disguised as what?”

“Sometimes a server. Sometimes a receptionist. Sometimes a valet. Anything.”

Rong Jing suddenly remembered something from long ago. A server he had met who had left an impression. Later, that server had even been staying next door in his hotel. He had wondered then how the man could afford such expensive accommodation.

He had not expected that they had crossed paths so early. No wonder Gu Xi had trusted him so quickly. “Why did he do it?”

“To look for his sister.”

“His sister…” Rong Jing only remembered a few mentions of a younger brother in the original story. The sister had been a passing line.

“He had a younger sister,” Guan Hongyi said. The words already pointed to the truth. “After the three siblings were taken in by different families, his uncle used the aunt’s absence to try something monstrous. He threatened them with loan shark debts. Gu Xi refused and ran, but his sister missed him so much that she ran to his aunt’s house to find him. That beast did not even spare a child.”

“After she stumbled out, she was hit by a car. For a while after, Gu Xi would talk to the air as if she were alive.”

“She died in that accident?”

“Mm.”

“We staged a scene to make him think his sister had been taken away by someone in high society. A friend of mine helped, he is very good at playing villains.” Guan Hongyi shook his head. “But recently he has stopped going to those parties.”

He glanced at Rong Jing. “Maybe it’s because you showed up. He’s gotten much better. I haven’t seen him at the last few events. It was the first time I felt like I could finally breathe.”

“To him, you’re different. You should see the way his eyes light up when he talks about you. I’ve known him for years, and I’ve never seen him so alive.”

“Rong Jing, you’re his light.”

Something tugged deep inside Rong Jing as he glanced toward the bedroom.

“He’s been ill and working hard to get better. He’s afraid that if you find out, you won’t want him anymore.”

“How could I not?”

It was late. Guan Hongyi and Zhou You looked exhausted, so Rong Jing sent them home to rest. Only when he saw Guan casually loop his arm through Zhou You’s did the realization strike. When had those two gotten together?

Rong Jing took a seat by Gu Xi’s bed. The Omega’s gaze was empty.

Then, without warning, Gu Xi moved. The one who had always hated the smell of smoke reached for the nightstand and pulled out a pack.

Xie brand, orange blossom scented.

In the days Rong Jing had been gone, Gu Xi had started smoking. There had been nothing else to dull the ache. He inhaled one breath after another, letting that faint floral note soak into his bones, as if Rong Jing had never left.

Rong Jing’s heart had long since moved past aching. It was sharp now, twisting, like invisible hands squeezing it tight.

He gently took the cigarette from Gu Xi’s fingers.

Gu Xi didn’t resist. He just stared ahead, silent.

Rong Jing’s eyes grew wet. He took a breath himself, but he had not smoked in a long time and choked. “Cough, cough.”

He started to stand to put it out so Gu Xi would not breathe secondhand smoke, but Gu Xi suddenly lunged and caught the falling ash with his bare hand. It would have landed on Rong Jing’s knee.

“Move. It is hot,” Gu Xi said softly.

Rong Jing looked at him, acting on instinct without even knowing why. No words were left. The tears he had held back finally spilled. He pulled Gu Xi tight. “I am not leaving again,” he said hoarsely.

Held like that, Gu Xi’s vacant eyes gradually regained consciousness. “Rong… Rong Jing?”

Gu Xi came to his senses. Guan Hongyi had determined it would take at least one night for him to recover, but the moment he sensed Rong Jing was in danger, he immediately became lucid.

His eyes went up to Rong Jing’s face, then around the room. Memories came back in a rush. The river. The sinking car. Gu Feng’s leaving. Rong Jing finding him.

Gu Feng had not truly gone. Gu Xi could feel it. They were always one. He was him. He’d never changed.

Rong Jing and Gu Xi had not held each other in six months. When Ji Jiongjie dragged him to the river, there had been only one thing on Gu Xi’s mind.  He had to see Rong Jing again before he died. For that, he would walk through thorns and fire without fear.

Longing turned to action. He hooked a hand behind Rong Jing’s neck and kissed him.

“Mm,” Rong Jing answered.

Gu Xi pushed Rong Jing down onto the bed, straddling him from above. One hand pulled open his own collar as he bent down, his eyes more seductive than ever before. “Take me.”

Rong Jing could not resist a clear-eyed Gu Xi, and yet something felt different. Or rather, everything was the same but sharpened. Ever since Gu Xi had begun resisting fate, the decisive edge in his nature had grown visible. Gu Feng’s farewell had simply returned this part of his nature to him.

Rong Jing felt as if bewitched. Just as his hand supported Gu Xi, he felt that scalding temperature, and his dazed eyes instantly cleared.

He froze.

Gu Xi frowned. “You don’t want to?”

“We’ll wait for your fever to break.”

Having sex with someone running a fever, what kind of degenerate Alpha would do that?

“It has been half a year. Don’t you miss me?” Gu Xi’s fingers traced his jaw, feather-light and sinful. Blood surged through Rong Jing’s veins. He struggled to restrain himself when Gu Xi shifted deliberately. “They say when you have a fever, it’s hotter inside. It will feel even better.”

Wild and cool all at once, Gu Xi was impossible to refuse. Rong Jing had never faced anything like this.

He swept Gu Xi into his arms.

For a second, joy sparked in Gu Xi’s eyes. Finally, he thought, the saint has fallen. As expected of me.

But Rong Jing only set him gently back on the bed. Gu Xi tugged at him with soft hands. Instead, Rong Jing pulled the covers up, showing no other indication.

“Rest. When you’re better, I’ll make you congee.”

And then he fled.

Gu Xi stared at the closed door, stunned.

Gu Feng, you liar! You said if I put my heart into it, he’d fall. Fall where? He ran!

Now that Gu Feng was truly part of him, Gu Xi could only punch the quilt in frustration.

“I’m going to explode,” he muttered.

What kind of Alpha was this hard to seduce?

Rong Jing, you just wait.

I’ll make you understand the price of angering an omega.

If I don’t keep you in bed for seven days and seven nights, I’ll eat instant noodles for the rest of my life.

Meanwhile, Rong Jing had rushed to the kitchen, staring down at the very awake part of himself. He pressed a hand over it and sighed. He had nearly lost the battle with his own self-control. Lighting the stove, he set to making vegetable congee and warming up Gu Xi’s medicine.

As the pot simmered, Guan’s words echoed back.

It was true. Since waking up, Gu Xi hadn’t brought up the topic of siblings again.

Then his phone rang. It was Xie Ling. The salvagers had recovered the sunken car. Ji Jiongjie’s body was still inside. He had died with one hand gripping the door handle, eyes wide open, as if refusing to go.

He probably tried to escape but lacked the strength. He had drowned in agony.

Xie Ling had expected the Ji family to press charges. But to his surprise, not a single relative came. The only person who arrived to collect the body was a long-time household retainer.

Xie Ling clicked his tongue at the coldness. Rong Jing, however, wasn’t surprised. In the original version of events, the Ji family had been just as heartless.

What they didn’t know was that quiet retainer had served the family for decades. Long ago, the original Ji heir had helped him during a difficult time. He had also witnessed Ji Jiongjie push that heir down the stairs and fake the scene afterward. The retainer had wanted justice ever since, but the power imbalance had made it impossible. So he waited.

No one in the family cared what happened to a dead man. After the cremation, the ashes were his to claim. Quietly, the retainer switched the urns and scattered Ji Jiongjie’s remains at the elder son’s grave as an offering.

Justice had come twenty years late, but it had come all the same.

Rong Jing stirred the pot and searched Weibo for tips on making congee more appetizing. A blogger he followed had just posted a clip: “Found Gu Xi’s old ideal-partner interview. Guess I am not worthy [doge].”

The video showed eighteen-year-old Gu Xi with a face fresh as dew, already beautiful in a way that foreshadowed everything. The host asked about his type.

“Sunny, cheerful, talkative, with a sense of humor. Someone who can make me laugh. I am quiet. If I find someone even quieter than me, being together will be boring.”

An arrow through Rong Jing’s knee. Quiet and not talkative. That was him.

“Any requirements for looks?” the host asked.

“Decent is enough. This mainly depends on chemistry, but preferably not too tall.”

“What counts as too tall?”

“Do not go over one 185. Taller than that is like a mountain. A bit scary.”

Rong Jing, who had been hovering at one eighty-nine when you rounded down, stared at the screen. Another arrow. He remembered the height chart Xie Ling had put on the wall during renovations because he had worried his younger brother might still be growing. Rong Jing measured. From 189.4 he had crept up to 189.9 cm.

So he missed the ideal both inside and out.

He scratched his head. How could he look shorter?

He carried the congee and medicine upstairs. Gu Xi had fallen asleep again, but he could not skip the medicine. Rong Jing called him softly. Gu Xi answered in a dreamy murmur. Thank goodness they had not done anything earlier. In this state he would have fainted halfway through.

Rong Jing held him. “Congee first?”

Gu Xi nodded and nuzzled his chest. “Why did you dodge me earlier? Am I a beast?”

Rong Jing said helplessly, “You’re still sick. Stop thinking about such things.” At least now he could say it calmly. He was growing.

Gu Xi pouted, still sulking, and reached for the bowl.

“What’s your ideal type?” Rong Jing asked before he could stop himself.

“You,” Gu Xi replied without hesitation. “You’re my entire standard.”

“…” Little liar.

Gu Xi had just taken a bite when his stomach churned, nearly making him throw up.

That was the cost of six months of suppressants piled on top of a wrecked appetite. If it hadn’t been for Rong Jing’s letters later on, he might not have been able to hold on.

Seeing him struggle, Rong Jing stood to make something else, but Gu Xi caught his sleeve.

“I can do it. I’m just… not hungry.”

He forced down each bite, eyes turning red, still insisting it was delicious.

Rong Jing watched in silence.

This Omega could tug at his heart without even trying.

On the third day, Gu Xi was bright-eyed again, but Rong Jing came in with a serious face and a phone, opened a familiar questionnaire, and asked him to fill it out afresh. It was the same mental health self-tests as before, plus a few more. He had prepared them all.

Back then, when he had carried Gu Xi out of the rain, every answer had seemed normal. Now he knew better. The actor had been acting. Gu Xi had spent years in therapy and knew these tools too well. He knew how to score “healthy” and had performed it flawlessly in front of Rong Jing.

Now the curtain was down.

Gu Xi’s heart skipped. He looked up pitifully.

“Answer honestly,” Rong Jing said coolly. “No cheating.”

Gu Xi balked, phone unmoving. Rong Jing’s eyes softened. “Whatever the result is, I will be here.”

Gu Xi looked at Rong Jing’s serious face and sighed.

It was like being back in school facing a teacher. He filled it out reluctantly, then tremblingly handed it to Rong Jing.

After Rong Jing clicked submit, the system quickly produced results.

Depression, anxiety, and paranoia all in the severe range. The last was nearly maxed out.

“What are you paranoid about most?” Rong Jing asked.

“Paranoid?”

“The thing you care for so much you cannot stand to lose it.”

Gu Xi looked at Rong Jing quietly. The answer was in front of him.

Me.

Your obsession begins and ends with me.

Rong Jing went to consult a psychologist. What should he do now? 

The answer was simple: do nothing unusual. Stay with him as you’ve always been. 

Most of the time Gu Xi could regulate himself, and according to his medical records, his condition had been improving ever since he started dating Rong Jing. If they kept going, one day he would win free by his own will.

Following the doctor's advice, Rong Jing continued to stay with Gu Xi. This also included the “exercise” Gu Xi wanted. 

When Zhou You called, Rong Jing was still lost in soft nights and warm arms. He shifted slightly, only for the Omega behind him to stir. Gu Xi’s arms slid tighter around his waist, one hand brushing across his chest, feather light.

“Where are you going?” he murmured.

“A bit of work. I'll be back after handling it.”

Gu Xi hummed. He was like a plump white fledgling lately. Rong Jing had been coaxing his appetite back, and the progress showed. He kissed the top of his head. Gu Xi kissed him back. Their eyes tangled, fooling around for quite a while before reluctantly parting.

For Gu Xi’s sake, Rong Jing insisted on once a night at most, and even then for half the time. It left Gu Xi both satisfied yet not quite enough, painfully happy. Rong Jing kept telling him he was too slender and fragile, that one forceful move would break his back. When he filled out, they could talk about more.

Gu Xi made no comment. He remained cool and aristocratic in public. In private, he ate a few more pieces of fatty meat.

When Rong Jing left, Gu Xi checked his inbox. Work inquiries had been piling up and he had ignored them. He thought it through slowly. He was a working professional. Perhaps he was not cut out to be a pampered canary. The idea left a tiny pang.

Why had work ever seemed so appealing? How could work compare to Rong Jing’s appeal? He remembered those broad shoulders and narrow waist when he’d gotten up earlier, plus that beautiful butterfly valley on his back, both secure and well-proportioned. Gu Xi sighed. Beauty could ruin a man. No wonder ancient kings skipped morning court.

He typed replies and wondered what method would make Rong Jing finally break his rules. Where was the leverage? When would the chance come?

---

Zhou You carried a mountain of files to the apartment. Under his supervision, Rong Jing had dragged himself back to the company to deal with paperwork and meetings. Of course, during this period, there was still one very important matter to handle: seeing his older brother.

Back at Xie Group headquarters, Rong Jing lingered in the lobby, suddenly nervous now that he was near home. A voice like ice slid up behind him. “Are you a pillar here?”

He turned. Xie Ling.

“Ge!” he blurted, too loud.

“Mm.” It warmed Xie Ling to see his brother’s emotions show so plainly. He thumped Rong Jing on the back of the head and led him to the executive elevator.

The receptionists who would normally chorus greetings at the sight of Rong Jing turned meek as hens under Xie Ling’s gaze, only daring to greet Rong Jing with small gestures. 

A man like that wore a sign that said strangers keep out. It was hard to imagine anyone standing at his side.

Because Rong Jing had asked Xie Ling to manage the company, most of the business had stayed clean of the copy’s meddling. He had piled up too much to finish in a day. Xie Ling left work early and took him to his usual boxing gym.

Only when Rong Jing stepped into the ring did Xie Ling say, “Come on. Spar.”

Rong Jing thought he was joking. He had barely laced his gloves when Xie Ling charged. An Alpha’s aura slammed across the ropes.

Rong Jing dodged, unwilling to swing at his brother.

“Take it seriously! Let me see that our family’s alpha isn’t a coward!”

“Get up! Don't make me look down on you!”

“You b*stard!”

“Running away from home like that!”

“You said nothing and left. You little—”

Hearing Xie Ling's words, Rong Jing’s heart felt like it was soaking in sour soup, warm yet painful. Xie Ling pressed forward relentlessly, and Rong Jing was also provoked into fighting spirit by these words. The brothers went at it, all their pent-up feelings pounding out through fists and footwork. When they collapsed against the ropes at last, both were bruised and breathless and more at ease than they had been in months.

How could Rong Jing not feel Xie Ling's hidden longing? He slowly said, “I made you wait.”

Xie Ling stared up at the ring lights. A smile slipped out. “You came back. That is enough.”

Even if you lost the path, you still found your way home in the dark. What more could he ask?

---

Not long after, Chu Yang’s verdict came down. Life in prison, as Rong Jing had predicted. Let him sing his tears to iron bars. Rong Jing also learned that before Chu had tried to arrange the stabbing, he had approached Han Lianmei with a large offer. In his mind she was vain and, as Rong Jing’s mother, the most effective route.

She never contacted Rong Jing. In the end she at least held to a mother’s bottom line.

Upon learning this, Gu Xi summed it up: “I cannot tell whether she is a good person or a bad one. People are truly complicated.”

Rong Jing kissed his cheek. “They are.”

Everything had settled. All the trash of the original book had received their due. Only Wu Fuyu remained, nursing his father back to life in their villa. The sky above stopped playing tricks. Netizens even joked that the heavens had changed temper. The sunlight felt warmer than before.

After Sovereignty exploded at the box office, Rong Jing became a hot name overnight. Unlike other overnight stars, he took no endorsements and attended no events for half a year. He might as well have vanished, leaving fans in agony. 

At last, there was news. He had accepted an invitation from his alma mater to give a talk.

Once he had sat in those seats. Now, he had become a goal that students eagerly pursued.

Rong Jing was in the teaching building office talking with Teacher Hu. The teacher and student hadn’t seen each other in a long time. Teacher Hu thought about how his daughter could rest in peace thanks to this student's report and felt deeply comforted. His gaze toward Rong Jing grew even more gentle.

Teacher Hu had been mocked for years for being blind after that performance incident. Back then, he’d backed the original host as male lead, and when Rong Jing had just transmigrated, it was he who recommended him to audition for “Sovereignty.” Whether on the campus forum or in reality, no one had been optimistic.

In the office, colleagues whispered: “Is that the number two at Xie Group? Quite a student, Teacher Hu.”

“You are new. There is a story here. It is a mentor and horse tale, not a matter of family wealth.”

“Life dealt Teacher Hu a bad hand, but that his student remembers him like this… that is the best return a teacher could hope for.”

The talk drew not only the school’s own students but many reporters. Gu Xi went in a disguise and sat in the audience, watching the man on stage shine.

Rong Jing spoke honestly about his journey, most of it borrowed from his previous life. The sincerity kept the crowd in thrall. In the dimness he thought he spotted a familiar outline and shifted tone. “I used to be down there, watching the seniors on stage. Life is full of surprises. I didn’t think I would stand here one day.”

Someone shouted, “Gu Xi! Is that Gu Xi?”

It was a familiar meme among their CP fans and still floats around on variety shows. Rong Jing only smiled.

Hearing people call his name, Gu Xi shrank into his seat. Rong Jing could not have seen him. He had hidden so well.

At the end, Rong Jing quoted, “A teacher once told me that flowers do not bloom forever. Acting is like life. There are no permanent winners and no permanent losers. I believe that even in hardship, you can still turn the wind in your favor.”

Rong Jing spoke sincerely with great infectious power. Plus, he himself was the best example. Some students below were motivated and stood up to applaud. Teacher Hu in the front row looked at his prized student with satisfaction, and Gu Xi also stood up to applaud along with the crowd.

Afterward, students swarmed him. An overexcited girl nearly kissed his cheek. He dodged by a hair. He wanted to wait and leave with Gu Xi and hoped Gu Xi hadn't seen that scene. Unfortunately, luck was against him.

Under a tree not far away, who else could it be but his little jealous vinegar jar?

That night, Rong Jing came home to a dark apartment. He searched until he found his Omega sulking on the sofa.

Gu Xi’s face was solemn. Rong Jing had a bad feeling, as if he had walked into a courtroom.

“Do you remember what today is?” Gu Xi asked.

What day? Not a birthday. Not an anniversary. Then he saw the folder. The one-year contract had reached its end.

Gu Xi looked at him expressionlessly, “Tell me the truth. If you had not fallen for me, what would you do now?”

“I…”

“Tell the truth.”

Why did this feel familiar? Rong Jing, unaware of danger, thought for a moment. “Part on good terms?”

Teeth ground together in Gu Xi’s head. Exactly as expected. If Rong Jing hadn’t fallen in love, he'd be this “businesslike.”

He had only wanted to tease him into a new chapter, one that surpassed five nights in a row. That answer brought back the memory of their first accident. If not for luck and a lot of brazen seduction, Rong Jing might still be forcing himself to love him out of responsibility.

Gu Xi’s temper spiked. He flung the papers. In the storm of pages, he shoved Rong Jing against the wall. His pheromones rolled like a wave and almost knocked Rong Jing out. “Contract is over. Planning to find a younger, prettier Omega?”

“Of course... not.”

“Hmph, better not.”

His eyes narrowed. While Rong Jing was feeling guilty, he would push through and break the man’s rules completely.

Rong Jing dizzily caught his seductive omega. He always felt that since bringing Gu Xi back from the river, Gu Xi had sometimes become extraordinarily “wild,” his possessiveness mysteriously strong. Before, his jealousy wasn’t so obvious, but now it was direct and straightforward.

He felt that today’s jealous outburst was merely for the sake of those several days and nights.

Did Rong Jing mind? Ask him one second from now and he would say, No. Or rather, it is a little thrilling.

“Take responsibility to the end, understand?” Gu Xi bit his lip and warned. 

In that instant he was sharp and intoxicating, like a deep liquor that burned and lingered. In the middle of making love, Rong Jing thought blankly. Wait, wasn’t Gu Xi supposed to be a pure white flower?

A suspicion long buried rose again. He pushed it away. It did not matter. Whoever he had been, he was Gu Xi.

Sovereignty was nominated in the main categories, including both leads. The ceremony was broadcast live. Director Liu led the team down the red carpet with a grin that would not quit. The screams went up when Gu Xi stepped onto the carpet and doubled when Rong Jing followed.

This awards ceremony was broadcast live. When the Sovereignty crew appeared, barrage comments flooded the stream.

“They are in the same frame, in the same frame! After six months, I finally see the babies in the same frame. After half a year. I can die happy!”

“This is a banquet of faces!”

“Husband-and-wife joint login~~~~~!”

“For once I am jealous of Director Liu’s big flat face. A handsome A and a beautiful O, one on each side!”

“Are they wearing couples’ outfits? One in black, one in white.”

“Coincidence, right? RJ endorses Xie. GX wore a white Xie suit in Venice. They just both happen to like this brand.”

Half a year without public interaction had taught the CP fans to feed themselves. Even passersby ranked them the least likely top CP. 

As awards were announced one by one, Liu Yu was grinning from ear to ear. The film had already won several major awards including Best Screenplay and Best Director. Next up was Best Newcomer. This year had many outstanding candidates, making the competition exceptionally fierce.

In his previous world, Rong Jing had won many heavy prizes but had never taken Best Newcomer. It had been a regret, though he had made peace with it.

“Nervous?” Gu Xi whispered.

“A little.” Even having experienced this many times, in this atmosphere, he still couldn't help but feel nervous.

Being from the same production, the two sat together, making it convenient to whisper. But because they both carried their own buzz, the camera honestly recorded this moment.

Rong Jing was indeed somewhat nervous and not just because of the nomination. His fingers brushed the velvet box in his pocket, something he had prepared long ago but never found the right moment to give to Gu Xi.

The double nervousness caused fine beads of sweat to appear on Rong Jing's forehead. This appearance made even Gu Xi, who was used to awards ceremonies, unable to help but worry.

He stared intently at the envelope in the host's hand on stage. The answer was inside.

Bullet comments:

“Wow, they’re talking to each other! If you live long enough, you’ll see miracles!”

“Xi Xi’s smile is so sweet, my heart is melting.”

“They’re talking. Does this mean their relationship has thawed?”

The nominee clips rolled. The last was Sovereignty, the scene where Fu Qianming lifted the enemy’s head and roared hope to the soldiers who had held the wall for five days.

The female host looked at the envelope in her hand: “And the Best Newcomer is… Rong Jing! Congratulations!”

He froze for a heartbeat, then stood. On the big screen, his character still burned. The barrage exploded.

“Will there be a hug? Jing jing is right next to Xi Xi. There has to be at least one polite hug!”

“No way, no way. They do not… AHHHH look!”

“It’s happening, it’s happening!!!”

“Live long enough and you see everything!”

Just as Gu Xi began to rise, Rong Jing stepped forward and pulled him into a clean, firm hug.

“Congratulations,” Gu Xi said, eyes shining. You are my eternal light.

Rong Jing closed his eyes and held on. A regret from a former life finally mended. The clip shot to number one trending. Netizens called it their century’s great reconciliation.

After the awards ceremony ended, whether from winning the award or not, Gu Xi felt that today’s Rong Jing seemed particularly tense. He even drove himself today. From the day they met, he had never driven. He had always feared missing a light under the old system’s hunt.

He parked by a park and said, “Shall we take a walk?”

Gu Xi felt a bit shy. They rarely dated in public due to their careers. 

The two walked under the gentle night, cool night wind blowing, tree leaves rustling. Not until they came to the familiar lakeside and the familiar stone bridge, did Gu Xi finally sense something. It was the place of their confession. 

From the distance on the river, lotus lanterns floated as they had that night. He did not know Rong Jing had arranged them in advance.

The trees lit with tiny lights and their reflections scattered across the water, breathtakingly beautiful. Gu Xi sensed what was coming and stared at Rong Jing, every word stuck in his throat. His heartbeat pounded. 

Thump thump thump.

He had not felt this in so long. The last time had been when Rong Jing had appeared at the matching center.

Rong Jing swallowed, took out the box he had almost crushed in his grip, and went down on one knee.

He had prepared more than a month of scripted words for today but ultimately discarded them all. He felt that speaking honestly might suit them better.

He opened the box and met Gu Xi’s eyes with a calm, solemn gaze. “I am not very sunny or humorous. I am taller than your limit. I probably do not fit your ideal on paper. But I still hope that for the rest of my life, there will be you.”

“Gu Xi, will you marry me?”

Still straightforward without a hint of romance, yet these were the most beautiful words Gu Xi had ever heard. He had thought the day at the matching center was the best surprise of his life. He had been wrong. This was better.

He clapped both hands over his face and looked away. Joy shook through him and the tears he had held back spilled. He thrust out his hand, voice unsteady. “I told you already. You are my standard.”

Rong Jing slid the ring onto his finger. He knew. But love bred fear, and fear bred doubt.

Gu Xi had something for him too. After they had shopped for necklaces, he had bought a matching one online and had always wanted to give it back. He took it out, fastened it on Rong Jing, pinched the red gem, and lowered his head. “From today forward, we belong to each other.”

With that, he smiled through tears and threw himself forward, tightly embracing his miracle that had descended from heaven.

Rong Jing caught him, as if holding his entire world.

Amid ten thousand lights and flowering trees of fire, they made their vow.

---

Author’s Note:

Finally finished! Thank you for staying with me these months. There will be a few extra stories.

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IsitRo:
There's a short Epilogue and some reflections from the author too! I'm keeping them separate so it doesn't interrupt the reading flow. This chapter is a long one after all! Lol