Chapter 69 I Said I’d Marry You (End of Main Story)

Chapter 69: I Said I Would Marry You (End of Main Story)

A week later, the First Alliance headquarters underwent a major reshuffle. Holleschel personally intervened, and the investigation into Ji Dufeng's affair was finally concluded. Simultaneously, a list was publicly posted by the military, causing widespread public astonishment.

"Captain!" Lu Sien burst into the office, slamming a document onto Ji Yaoming's desk. "Two things: First, multiple media outlets have contacted us for an exclusive interview with you. The Marshal also supports this; the contact list is all here. Second, the commissioning ceremony is in five days at the headquarters auditorium. You need to leave tonight. Should we delay a bit?"

Ji Yaoming shook his head.

A flustered Lu Sien responded, "Huh?"

"It's 'we,'" Ji Yaoming said with a smile, taking the media list and quickly scanning it.

"Of course," Lu Sien said, nearly jumping out of his skin. "I'll definitely be there too, just like before. Why would you even say that? When have we ever been apart, brother?"

"...Don't say it like that; it's gross," Ji Yaoming sighed helplessly. "Five seconds ago, I just received notice. The new Chief Executive Officer for the First Unit has been decided."

Looking at Lu Sien's bewildered face, Ji Yaoming smiled and asked, "Commander Lu, who do you think it is?"

"Holy shit..."

Lu Sien took two steps back. "Holy shit!"

"Alright, hurry up and pack," Ji Yaoming said, getting up and grabbing his clothes to head out. "We leave at nine tonight."

Upon returning home, Ji Yaoming instinctively found and embraced the person lost in thought on the sofa. He kissed his forehead and told him he had to leave that night.

Wen Qi paused for a moment and asked, "Is it because of that application?"

Ji Yaoming hadn't expected him to know so soon: "Partly, but mainly for the commissioning ceremony. Teng Feng applied to transfer to the Northern Warfront half a month ago, voluntarily demoting himself to adjutant. So now the CEO position is vacant. Holleschel only approved the application on the condition that I take the role."

Wen Qi was at a loss for words.

"I've thought it through. In two months, when your external assignment ends, my handover will be about done too. Then we can return to the capital together," Ji Yaoming said, cupping the sulking person's face. "I have to leave tonight. Don't be upset, okay?"

Wen Qi nodded.

He had seen the document Rong Qiu sent him early that morning. The list of 379 names included his own, and the series of additional honors below each name, along with the word "sacrificed" in parentheses, brought tears to his eyes.

Finally, after two years, those who had fallen and were buried beneath the old city were remembered once again.

The day after leaving the base, as the shuttle landed at the transfer station, Ji Yaoming received a call from Wen Qi.

"Is everything going smoothly?" the voice on the other end asked.

Ji Yaoming was in high spirits: "Everything's fine so far. We're at the transfer station, waiting for the jump. Do you miss me?"

The other end of the line fell silent, only the soft sound of breathing remaining, teasing his heart. Ji Yaoming knew he was shy and didn't press further. He never demanded much from Wen Qi, so he just smiled and added a few words of advice before waiting for Wen Qi to hang up.

After a light sigh, the phone transmitted: "...You're getting farther and farther away from me."

The staticky line delivered this message, followed by, "Someone's calling me, I have to go," and then the disconcerting dial tone. Ji Yaoming stared blankly at the phone, lost in thought until Lu Sien called him to board the ship, snapping him out of his daze.

"Say, how long would it take to fly back to the base right now? Wen Qi said he misses me."

"Ji Yaoming, are you insane? No way! Absolutely no turning back!" Lu Sien gritted his teeth, blocking the cabin door, and shouted to the pilot, "Operator! Full speed ahead... yes, head straight for the capital. Don't even think about turning around!"

The morning after arriving in the capital, Lu Sien grabbed the car and rushed Ji Yaoming to headquarters. But as they neared the headquarters, Ji Yaoming asked him to stop for two minutes in front of Wen Qi's building. Lu Sien understood, parked the car, and reached for the Taimiya in the back seat to take it upstairs, but was intercepted: "I'll go up. Wen Qi insisted I bring it home personally." After a pause, Ji Yaoming added, "Or do you want to come up for a drink?"

Lu Sien simply flipped him off.

Standing alone outside the car, pretending to smoke an unlit cigarette for over ten minutes, he finally saw Ji Yaoming emerge from the building in full formal attire, open the car door, and get in.

"What took so long?" Lu Sien grumbled, stubbing out his cigarette before driving straight to headquarters.

"That ball made me promise to bring it back to the First Unit with me," Ji Yaoming said, rubbing his temples. "It took over ten minutes of reassuring him before he unlocked the door and let me leave."

Lu Sien laughed: "But that thing is like a child. I wonder how it was made."

"It's not a product of our alliance." The car stopped. The headquarters gate was packed, with citizens lining up to enter. The two hurried through the internal passage to the auditorium.

"Kinda nervous," Lu Sien muttered softly to Ji Yaoming, looking at the crowd outside the curtains. Ji Yaoming patted his shoulder firmly and straightened his cloak.

"You've always done well," Ji Yaoming said solemnly to the person who had always been by his side, running around tirelessly. "Thank you, senior."

Lu Sien's lips quivered as he pulled Ji Yaoming into a tight hug, patting his back heavily.

His eyes brimming with tears, he sniffled: "You call me 'senior' and still say that?"

A moment later, the person on stage, draped in a black cloak and wearing a sharp military uniform, his deep features still cold and imposing, sent a chill down the spines of those who looked at him.

Watching the screen, the three members of the First Unit's logistics department, along with a few others who didn't want to watch the broadcast in silence in the hall—like Xiao Wu—were gathered in the studio, intently watching the Marshal update Ji Yaoming's rank insignia and chip. Shen Feiyan clicked his tongue twice and shook his head: "Way too handsome, ridiculously outstanding, unfairly good-looking! Tsk tsk, too bad Wen Qi isn't here today."

"Huh?" Rong Qiu, standing nearby, was confused. "He hasn't been here for days, right? I've been meaning to ask, where is Wen Qi?"

Jiang Liangping replied: "He took leave." Then, with a smile, he nodded toward the person on the screen. "My guess is he went to the venue."

-

"In the days to come, I will do everything in my power to protect the hard-won peace and harmony of our daily lives. I ask for your supervision."

Ji Yaoming's words were solemn, unflashy, and unassuming, yet somehow reassuring.

"Moreover, I believe everyone who has worked and sacrificed for peace deserves to be remembered. They should never be glossed over lightly. Every one of them is a hero."

Amid the applause, Ji Yaoming glanced toward the audience. The glaring media lights made his vision blur, and at the entrance of the auditorium, he thought he saw a familiar figure.

"Please, do not forget them. Our present is shared with their glory. Thank you."

When he looked back at the stage, there was no one there, as expected. Lowering his eyelashes, he finished his military salute to the audience and stepped down from the stage, adorned with his new metal insignia.

Then, watching Lu Sien take the stage, tears in his eyes as he solemnly swore his oath.

"Lieutenant Colonel Ji..." Someone backstage called out to him, "No, it's Colonel now."

Ji Yaoming nodded: "Thank you."

"Someone asked me to give this to you," the person said with a smile, holding out a letter. Ji Yaoming took it, and upon seeing the familiar pattern, his heart suddenly raced.

He quickly asked: "Where did you get this from him?"

The person shook his head: "Why not open it first? Maybe there's something inside."

With that, the person left.

Ji Yaoming's hands trembled. Outside in the auditorium, Lu Sien had said something that made everyone laugh uproariously, but Ji Yaoming struggled to calm the thoughts swirling in his mind. He opened the envelope, took out the letter... and unfolded it.

"Meet me in the underground parking lot after this."

Without a second thought, Ji Yaoming sprinted outside, leaving Lu Sien—who had just gotten off stage and wanted to hug him and cry—staring bewildered at his retreating figure, shouting in despair: "Where are you going? We have a group photo soon!"

The underground parking lot had few people—firstly, only internal personnel had access, and secondly, most of them were either busy with work or celebrating upstairs. Ji Yaoming felt his heart racing as he clenched the note and scanned the area, until he spotted a few yellow petals. Only then did he look up and scan the surroundings—

Leaning against a conspicuous red sports car was a man in a white suit, holding a bouquet of green carnations. He lowered his head to sniff the flowers, then looked up, their eyes meeting. He smiled brightly, as if he had already found him long ago.

Ji Yaoming rushed over, and Wen Qi took a few steps forward to meet him.

"Congratulations on your promotion, Colonel."

Ji Yaoming pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Why did you come all of a sudden?" Ji Yaoming's voice trembled as he spoke, his breathing unsteady. "Did something happen again?"

Wen Qi thumped his back, signaling for him to let go. Ji Yaoming reluctantly released him, and Wen Qi smiled helplessly, handing him the bouquet. Then he added, "I missed you. How could I not be here for such an important moment for my boyfriend?"

The weight in Ji Yaoming's heart lifted, and he finally laughed. "Thank you."

Suddenly, Wen Qi's expression shifted. He looked uneasy, opening his mouth several times but ultimately saying nothing.

Ji Yaoming grew anxious again.

Frowning, he asked, "Can I return these flowers to you?" Whenever Wen Qi acted out of the ordinary, it never boded well. He no longer dared to hope for surprises—he just wanted to avoid any shocks and keep things calm and ordinary.

"Well..." Wen Qi scratched the tip of his nose. "There's a gift for you in the passenger seat. Do you want to see it?"

A chill ran down Ji Yaoming's spine, so cold that even his military cloak couldn't ward it off.

"Show me," he sighed, slowly opening the passenger door. With a rustle, yellow petals scattered and covered the ground. Amidst the floral arrangement, he saw stacks upon stacks of Galash currency notes, neatly piled like bricks. On top of the "wall" of money were two cards, and above the cards—

Ji Yaoming's breath hitched.

He stared in disbelief at Wen Qi, then trembling, picked up the red box. Wen Qi's face flushed bright red, but even so, he gestured with his eyes for Ji Yaoming to open it.

Ji Yaoming flipped it open—

A ring adorned with a purple diamond lay securely inside.

Why was there only one?

Ji Yaoming frowned.

"Where's the other one?"

Before he could finish, Wen Qi raised his right hand, revealing an identical ring snugly fitted on his ring finger.

"That's all my assets," Wen Qi said, his eyes shining as he stepped closer. He took the ring from Ji Yaoming's hand. "Though I'm not as wealthy as I used to be," he continued, lifting Ji Yaoming's left hand under his astonished gaze and sliding the ring onto his ring finger, "I meant what I said about taking care of you."

"......" Ji Yaoming felt as if his breath had been stolen. It took him a moment to find his voice again. His pupils dilated, and his voice shook. "Are you sure about this?"

Wen Qi grabbed Ji Yaoming's collar, pulling him down abruptly. As Ji Yaoming bent over, he saw Wen Qi curl into a smile. "You sneaked into that room, didn't you?"

Ji Yaoming blinked and nodded without a hint of guilt. "But I didn't expect to be found out so soon."

Wen Qi raised an eyebrow, studying the man feigning innocence before him.

He had discovered it last night.

Last night, after landing on Hailight Star, Wen Qi had planned to tidy up the house and prepare a surprise to celebrate Ji Yaoming's promotion. But as he sat on the sofa, lost in thought, his gaze drifted to that door. Remembering that he hadn't updated the wall with newspaper clippings in a long time, he decided to spend some time inside, hoping it might inspire a good idea.

But Taimiya stubbornly refused to let him in.

"No, Master! Let's think about which flowers would suit Ji Yaoming instead! There's no time to worry about other things right now, don't you think?"

"It's fine. I can think just as well inside."

Taimiya: "...The room hasn't been cleaned in ages! Wait until Taimiya tidies up tomorrow, Master, and then—"

Before Taimiya could finish, his master had already deftly entered the passcode and opened the door.

Wen Qi froze in the doorway.

Slowly, he closed the door, then opened it again.

It was true.

The room was pitch black.

He hurried to turn on the floor lamp, and bright light flooded the room. Wen Qi stood stunned, staring at the bright light in disbelief. He turned around and saw that on the wall, above the timeline he had meticulously created for Ji Yaoming, an additional densely written timeline had appeared.

18: Promised to marry me, broke his word; ran away, couldn't find him; has a new boyfriend now...

21: Sleeping Beauty, didn't wake up even after a kiss...

22: The guy living next to the dumpster gave Wen Qi a ball; went fishing at the bay, didn't catch anything for five days straight...

23: Went to Philkwhite to dig for Crystal Source, saved someone (unusual look in his eyes, keep an eye on him)...

24: Joined the logistics department, colleagues treat him well; played ball with Jian Youan, improved again...

.......

Wen Qi stared in disbelief at the timeline that stretched from his 18th year, filled with countless words, now running parallel to Ji Yaoming's "tree trunk." Newspaper clippings and handwritten notes intertwined, their branches merging into a dense canopy. And above the "canopy," something had been attached.

Wen Qi read the words beside it and took down the two rings.

Unknown: Get married.

Dazzled by the bright light, he took the slightly smaller ring and slipped it onto his own finger. As he did, he thought to himself, he should have cleared out this room long ago. Now, it was just embarrassing...

The parking lot was silent. Wen Qi looked at the man before him, whose eyes were filled only with him. Trembling, he pulled him closer and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I've made up my mind. I'm willing, Colonel Ji. I told you I would marry you."

"No take-backs," Ji Yaoming's breathing was rapid, his eyes suddenly reddening. "No disappearing. I won't divorce you."

Wen Qi smiled radiantly, resting his forehead against Ji Yaoming's. Tears of happiness slowly fell from the corners of his eyes, sincere and solemn.

"I promise. No take-backs, no disappearing, no divorce."

"Liar, I don't trust you. You have to sign and seal it."

"Alright, I'll sign. How about one with a red leather cover?"

Wen Qi melted into a firm, secure embrace. Finally, in happiness, he kissed his fulfillment, kissed the one he had loved for ten years, through light and shadow.

—End of Main Story—

Author's Note: Dear readers, the main story ends here for now. I plan to take a day or two off before updating the extras—there should be about five or six chapters left. Cheers to the happy couple! I originally wanted to finish by Mid-Autumn Festival, but I ended up spending the day out and couldn't make it in time ([Clown] My dream is to become an octopus one day). Though it's two days late, happy Mid-Autumn Festival to everyone! [Cat paw][Cat paw][Fireworks] Once again, thank you for your companionship. Please leave comments—even a single one from you can make my day! [Fighting!]

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