Chapter 74 Conclusion

Chapter 74: The End

Sheng Yunjuan wasn't wrong; Gu Chuanzhou had become incredibly busy.

In their nightly video calls, the man's backdrop was invariably his austere office, with black coffee and stacks of documents at hand, frequently interrupted by phone calls or knocks on the door.

Yu Xi sat before his phone, head tilted, carefully observing the man's slightly weary expression.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Gu Chuanzhou had just signed a document and handed it to his secretary. Turning back, he saw Yu Xi leaning closer, his entire face filling the screen, his dark eyes wide and round like a curious, observing cat.

Anyone gazed upon like that would find it hard not to feel a flutter in their heart.

"Have you been working overtime lately?" Yu Xi asked.

Gu Chuanzhou pondered for a few seconds before replying, "The company took on several partnerships, and progress has been slow. New projects aren't going smoothly either. Everything piled up, so I've been a little busier than usual."

Gu Chuanzhou didn't mention that several new partners were connected to the Zhang and Sheng families, as well as Lin Shuhuai. While they brought significant benefits to the Gu Corporation, they also deliberately caused delays, forcing him to personally handle each issue.

Gu Chuanzhou had sensed their ill intentions from the start but decided to play along.

After all, shouldn't the vanquished be given an outlet for their frustration?

"I see." Yu Xi nodded, not pressing further, but with Sheng Yunjuan's words in mind, he had his suspicions. "Even if you're busy, make sure to rest. Don't skip sleep, okay?"

Yu Xi rested his head on his arm on the table, speaking softly to avoid disturbing his roommates. His gentle voice, transmitted through the headset microphone, reached Gu Chuanzhou's ears as a soft, rustling murmur.

Gu Chuanzhou's chest swelled with a sweet warmth, which overflowed into his eyes as profound affection: "Okay, baby."

-

Although he couldn't meet Gu Chuanzhou in person for the time being, Yu Xi didn't find life monotonous. He had no spare time to dwell on other things; his friends completely filled his extra hours.

His friends took turns, in various locations, showing him almost everything there was to experience in the capital.

Occasionally, Yu Xi would take photos to share with Gu Chuanzhou, telling him what he had been up to—this was something Gu Chuanzhou had requested, saying he missed him too much and that seeing the photos would motivate him at work.

Yu Xi agreed, but his messages felt like dutiful updates.

"[Image] The blueberry soufflé was delicious."

"[Image] The VR game was fun."

"[Image] The flower sea manor was beautiful."

Or messages like these:

"Going out now."

"Home now."

"Finished eating, about to get a ride."

Even so, Gu Chuanzhou meticulously examined every photo and replied to each message, often writing more words in a single reply than Yu Xi did in a day's worth of updates.

Yu Xi asked curiously, "Don't you find it boring?"

Gu Chuanzhou replied, "No, I enjoy seeing them."

"It would be even more perfect if you could avoid letting people I'd rather not see appear in the shots."

Yu Xi scrolled back to check and found that in one photo of a Western meal, the reflection in a wine glass showed Lin Shuhuai's figure across the table.

"..." Yu Xi was speechless.

"Mhm." Yu Xi put away his phone without looking further, focusing on tasting the red bean paste rice cake Lin Shuhuai had pushed toward him. His eyes curved as he said, "It's delicious."

Lin Shuhuai smiled gently. "I'm glad you like it."

As he ate, Yu Xi noticed that all the dishes on the table suited his taste, recognizing Lin Shuhuai's thoughtfulness. He offered, "Thank you for taking me out. Next time, it's my treat."

"Sure, anything is fine." Lin Shuhuai didn't politely refuse. He paused, then sighed. "Originally, I was a bit worried that after you got together with Chuanzhou, you might gradually grow distant from us."

Yu Xi's eyes widened, his plump cheeks pausing mid-bite. He hurriedly swallowed the rice cake, took a sip of water, and asked, "You already knew?"

Lin Shuhuai chuckled. "We all knew. It wasn't hard to tell—the atmosphere between you two was quite different."

"Oh..." Yu Xi had been troubled about how to break the news, never expecting his friends had already figured it out. He bit his lip shyly. "I didn't mean to hide it from you; I just didn't find the right time to say it... Also, I would never grow distant from you because of this."

Lin Shuhuai offered a reassuring expression. "That's good to hear."

Yu Xi carefully studied Lin Shuhuai, seeing that he seemed genuinely without any negative feelings, and relaxed.

This slight concern was quickly noticed by Lin Shuhuai, who smiled and asked, "Were you worried we would oppose your relationship?"

Yu Xi nodded.

"We won't. Although... it's inevitable to feel a little disappointed and sad, if you're happy, that's enough for us." Lin Shuhuai rubbed the handle of his teacup, his semi-long hair falling over one shoulder. When his long eyes lost focus, he exuded a melancholic, artistic aura.

Yu Xi was reminded of the day Lin Shuhuai had revealed his scars and spoken of his illness. His heart skipped a beat, his lips parting as he struggled to find words of comfort.

"I'm fine." Lin Shuhuai came back to himself, offering a faint smile to reassure him. "I respect and support your choice, Xiaoxi, but I have a selfish request. Could you hear me out?"

Yu Xi straightened up, sitting attentively. "Of course."

Lin Shuhuai spoke slowly and gently. "I know that for many people, love is the most important part of life, and they might prioritize their partner above all other relationships. I can understand that—a lover is likely to be the person who accompanies you the longest in life, so it's natural to think that way."

"But... Xiaoxi, I don't think I, or the rest of us, will necessarily spend less time with you than Gu Chuanzhou. Besides, love isn't always rock-solid; the world is full of couples who break up or have falling-outs. Sometimes friendship and family ties last longer. I believe that as long as you're willing, all of us want to accompany you for life."

"From the very beginning, Gu Chuanzhou wasn't the first to appear by your side. It was Xiao Juan and Xingkuo who found you, wasn't it?"

Yu Xi nodded.

Lin Shuhuai continued, "So I selfishly hope you can place a little more importance on friendship in your heart. I don't expect it to equal love, but at least... don't let the gap be too wide."

"Xingkuo, Xiaoshu, Xiao Juan, Shen... and me, we all love you deeply, no less than Gu Chuanzhou."

"You're very important to us. Please, pay a bit more attention to us, okay?"

...

When Yu Xi was driven home, Lin Shuhuai's words still echoed in his mind.

He lay on the bed, holding Yu Xiaohe, an unaware, incredibly happy smile on his face.

He asked his friend, "Xiaohe, how did I end up with so much love?"

Yu Xiaohe remained quiet, but the painted-on smile on his face seemed to respond to Yu Xi.

Yu Xi said many things to himself, sleepiness slowly taking over. He turned over, pressed Yu Xiaohe against his chest, closed his eyes, and let himself sink into sleep.

That night, he had an incredibly beautiful dream.

The family's breakdown and upheaval had not occurred, and there was no twelve-year separation between him and the others. They reunited during every winter and summer break, spending one happy summer and winter after another.

Just like that, they carefreely ended their childhood, and then in high school, he was admitted to a top high school in the capital.

His classmates Meng Shen and Zhang Xingkuo would appear outside his house every morning, waiting to go to school together. After class, the upperclassmen Sheng Yunshu and Sheng Yunjuan often came to find him to grab food and hang out.

During holidays, whenever they were free, Lin Shuhuai and Gu Chuanzhou would gather with them, playing and laughing.

Sometimes they did nothing at all, just lay on the soft grass, tilting their faces to catch the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves, or stayed in the study, each doing their own thing without bothering each other.

What they did wasn't important; what mattered was that they were together, able to be together forever, without worrying about whether they would ever separate.

Their connections and feelings bound them tightly together, enough to walk side by side through the long journey of life.

They were all indispensable companions in each other's lives, spending the rest of their lives together like this.

The dream was long and vivid, as if he had lived through a new life, so real it felt uncanny.

And so beautiful it almost made him tear up.

When Yu Xi woke up, he had a smile on his face, his long eyelashes slightly damp. His emotions were still immersed in the dream, and he could clearly recall every detail. His heart remained unsettled for a long time, its aftershocks lingering.

If only everything could really be like in the dream—his mother wouldn't have suffered so much and could have continued shining in her beloved scientific research; he could have mended things with Xingxing and his family earlier, accompanied Brother Shuhuai to see the doctor, kept Meng Shen from being lonely, seen more scenery with Xiao Juan and Xiao Shu... and gotten to know Gu Chuanzhou sooner.

Although it wasn't too late now and everything was getting better, Yu Xi still felt a pang of sadness.

Clearly, everyone could have been happier... those twelve years in between remained an irreparable regret.

Yu Xi sighed very, very softly, feeling the letdown after leaving the beautiful dream and facing reality. He buried his face in the pillow and stayed still for a long while.

He rarely felt like staying in bed, wanting to just lie there, trying to return to the dream and experience it again.

"Ding dong."

His phone on the bedside table chimed at an inopportune moment; a new message had arrived from someone.

Yu Xi lazily reached out, found his phone, and turned on the screen.

Gu Chuanzhou's profile picture popped up.

"Xi Xi, would you like to go on a date with me?"

"[Image]"

When he opened the image, the phone screen was filled with a vibrant, gorgeous bouquet, brightening Yu Xi's eyes.

Yu Xi couldn't help but break into a smile.

"Are you not busy today?"

Gu Chuanzhou:

"Very busy, but I missed Xi Xi too much, so I left my employees and skipped work."

"So, baby, today we need to make every second count."

"Come downstairs quickly, I'm waiting for you."

After reading it, Yu Xi left the bed without a second thought, pulled open the curtains, pushed open the balcony door, leaned against the Roman column, and leaned out halfway, spotting Gu Chuanzhou standing outside the Pei family's gate through the gaps in the foliage of the large banyan tree.

The man was wearing the same suit he had on when he visited after their reunion, holding the flowers he had shown Yu Xi in the picture. He looked up, his deep eyes twinkling with amusement, his thin lips moving.

Even from a distance, Yu Xi seemed to hear Gu Chuanzhou calling his name in his usual gentle voice.

"Xi Xi."

Three minutes later, Aunt Pei, who hadn't left yet, heard hurried footsteps on the stairs and admonished without looking up, "Xiao Wang, how many times have I told you to slow down on the stairs... Oh, it's Xiao Xi, why are you in such a hurry?"

The youth had changed into a set of light yellow clothes, his untamed hair bouncing, his dark eyes bright, with a lively smile.

"Good morning, Aunt Pei! I'm eating out today, goodbye!"

Yu Xi hurried off in a rush. Aunt Pei was stunned for a moment, then shook her head and smiled, saying to Aunt Wan, "This child must be going out to play with friends."

Aunt Wan nodded: "He's so much more lively than when he first arrived."

"Yes..." Aunt Pei couldn't help but recall how cautious and restrained the youth had been when he arrived over half a year ago. "Now Xiao Xi is a bit like he was as a child—uninhibited and free, like a little bird. It's really wonderful."

Outside.

The youth walked with eager steps, passing through the shade of the banyan tree, and flung himself into Gu Chuanzhou's arms, along with the bouquet of flowers.

Yu Xi's nose touched the soft petals, and he laughed softly.

"Are you in a good mood today?" Gu Chuanzhou smoothed down Yu Xi's messy hair.

Yu Xi nodded: "I had a very good dream."

Gu Chuanzhou held Yu Xi's hand: "Really? How good? Tell me about it."

"Well... really, really wonderful."

Yu Xi held Gu Chuanzhou's hand in return, gently shaking it, looked up and squinted against the sunlight, then turned and said, "It's about the same as now."

The two stood bathed in the warm spring sunlight, smiling at each other.

Today the sky was clear, the sunlight warm, and a soft breeze whispered.

It was a great day for a date.

-----------------------

Author's note: Although this book isn't as action-packed as what I've written before, I still feel very satisfied after finishing it.

Updates continue tomorrow. The bonus chapter is a what-if scenario without separation, probably including all the major moments from the description but with different developments, ending in a one-versus-many storyline! Hehe, I believe there will be parts everyone wants to see!

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