Chapter 58 True Love Conquers All

Chapter 58 True Love Conquers All

He Angxiao made a good shot, the arc clean and crisp, landing exactly where he had intended.

This shot lifted his spirits immensely—it was practically his highlight moment. But when he turned around to call Chi Luoxi over, wanting to show off and get some praise, the smile on his face froze the moment he looked back. Chi Luoxi wasn't paying him any attention at all. He was surrounded by a few young people, clustered around him like a flock of chirping sparrows, notebooks and pens in hand, and some had even pulled out their phones, asking for contact info.

Chi Luoxi stood in the middle, looking helpless and at a loss, saying, "...I can sign autographs, but can we do it one at a time, okay?"

He Angxiao put his club back on the rack and walked over. He didn't put on any heroic rescue act—he just stood next to Chi Luoxi, and the innate pressure of someone in power naturally quieted the little group.

Not sure what was going on, He Angxiao waited until the crowd dispersed before pulling his husband back into his arms.

Once they were alone, Chi Luoxi started complaining in a low voice, sounding aggrieved and frustrated: "It's all your fault! You had to throw me that birthday party, and you made it such a big deal. Now I'm completely famous—people recognize me everywhere I go. See? Those people just now even asked me to start teaching classes! Teach what, exactly..."

This kind of reputation was the last thing Chi Luoxi wanted.

He Angxiao never expected things to turn out like this. When he planned that birthday banquet, he really just wanted to make it lively. His father was so dismissive of them, saying he was just blinded by infatuation, so he had to prove everyone wrong—throw a grand event and show the world that he and Chi Luoxi were truly, unbeatably in love.

And they were, indeed, truly in love. But when that love was put out in broad daylight, surrounded by rows of luxury gifts and walls of flowers, and chewed over and gossiped about by people, it turned into nothing more than a legendary story of a gold-digger making it big.

He Angxiao: "Babe, don't worry about what outsiders think. Let them talk; we'll just live our own lives well."

He Angxiao thought to himself: if he actually let Chi Luoxi start teaching classes, the entire industry would go downhill. Chi Luoxi's so-called gold-digging tactics—none of them were self-taught. They were all painstakingly instilled by He Angxiao himself, day after day, bit by bit.

And Chi Luoxi wasn't a fast learner either. He was a bit slow on the uptake, prone to talking back and being stubborn. If all gold-diggers were like him, the industry would be doomed!

Behind so-called legendary gold-diggers stood a legendary love-struck fool. If you looked at the whole process in hindsight, it was clear that He Angxiao had been the one chasing after Chi Luoxi.

He Angxiao had dressed up his little radish, made him beautiful, and placed him in the most prominent spot by his side.

But there was no need to explain that to outsiders.

Ever since He Deye's last visit, He Angxiao felt it wasn't good enough. When Chi Luoxi was home alone, he had absolutely no commanding presence.

It couldn't be helped—he was fair-skinned and pretty, spoke softly, and was gentle as a marshmallow, easily squished by anyone.

When strangers came over, the one dog and one cat were completely useless. He Angxiao even tried to run emergency drills at home. Chi Luoxi thought he had too much free time. The drill results showed that Tiger was the first to hide; the moment the doorbell rang, he pricked up his ears for half a second, then bolted up the stairs without looking back, his tail disappearing around the corner. Ququ lasted a few seconds longer, standing up and barking twice at the door, but as soon as a stranger entered, he tucked his tail between his legs and hid behind Chi Luoxi's calves.

The security system of their home was so flimsy it could be bribed with a piece of dried meat.

So He Angxiao brought home another dog, saying he would train it himself so that when he was away, it could protect Chi Luoxi.

Chi Luoxi felt that He Angxiao was implying he spoiled the pets too much, and that's why all the animals were silly and timid.

It was a Bernese Mountain Dog, just a few months old, with a tri-colored coat of black, white, and rust-brown. Though a large breed, it had a gentle temperament, even quieter than Ququ. It rarely barked, but liked to follow people around, nudging their hands with its wet nose.

Their yard was big enough, with a lawn laid down, plenty of space for the furry little creatures to play.

At first, Ququ was wary of the new puppy, keeping his distance and observing from behind Chi Luoxi's feet. Later, realizing the newcomer wasn't after his bones, he cautiously approached, nose to nose, sniffing each other over and over.

But the new puppy was too lively. He was curious about everything and wanted to touch everything with his mouth or paw at it. One paw stepped onto the flower bed, and the flowers Chi Luoxi had been planting for weeks snapped in half. Chi Luoxi held the broken flower and said the dog He Angxiao raised was just as much a little troublemaker as his master.

To make it up to Chi Luoxi, He Angxiao said he would lay down the rules himself.

He crouched down in the yard and called the puppy over. The puppy had no idea what he'd done wrong. He looked up at He Angxiao, tail wagging like a flower.

He Angxiao pointed at the trampled flower and said sternly: "Don't touch the flowers, got it? Otherwise, no canned treats."

The puppy's tail slowed down, gradually drooping. His ears lay flat against his head, and he sat down, whimpering pitifully, looking like a giant plush toy. But he was smart too, occasionally peeking up at He Angxiao.

Chi Luoxi sat on the wicker chair in the yard, cradling Ququ, watching He Angxiao train the dog. Ququ nestled in his lap, ears perked up, knowing the new buddy was being scolded, and didn't even wag his tail, letting out a low, sympathetic grumble.

Finally, He Angxiao decided the puppy had apologized well enough and let him off.

Chi Luoxi named the Bernese Mountain Dog Xiao Bo. When Xiao Bo first arrived, he was about the same size as Ququ. The two dogs often tumbled around the yard together, a tangled ball of fur. Xiao Bo, with his tri-colored coat, looked like a flower-patterned rug. They chased, wrestled, and rolled across the yard from one end to the other.

Chi Luoxi would sometimes sit on the wicker chair and watch them for ages.

He Angxiao also wanted to train Xiao Bo to be more protective, and he used a photo of He Deye as the target.

Chi Luoxi: "..."

But Xiao Bo grew so fast. One day he seemed bigger than the day before, and a week later he looked like a completely different dog. Soon Ququ was no match for him.

Xiao Bo would just extend one front paw, gently press down, and pin Ququ completely underneath. Ququ would squirm underneath him, all four paws paddling the air, whining and protesting, like a turtle on its back with no way to fight back.

Xiao Bo would pin him down without ever biting, just tilting his head to the side, tail sweeping across the ground. Chi Luoxi always had to step in and rescue Ququ, saying that He Angxiao's dog was just as proud and naughty as his owner.

But Xiao Bo had such an endearing personality—lively and adorable, and he would even help Chi Luoxi carry the watering can to water the flowers, hopping and bouncing along the garden path, looking very pleased with himself.

With all these lively creatures, big and small, the home grew warmer and less cold.

Chi Luoxi's grades were neither great nor terrible—not good enough for a scholarship, but never failing either.

In his junior year, He Angxiao's friend Jiang Ran got married. The wedding was held on an island. They took a plane and then a speedboat to get there. The boat's engine roared, splitting the sea into two white wakes. The wind rushed into their collars, messing up their hair.

It was Chi Luoxi's first time on a speedboat. He used one hand to hold down his billowing shirt hem, while the other was firmly held by He Angxiao. He stared at the line where the sea met the sky, unable to tell where one ended and the other began. Growing up inland, he had seen plenty of mountains, but the sea—this vast, endless expanse of indigo stretching as far as the eye could see—was something he had never encountered.

The island was surrounded by sea on three sides.

The paths were paved with white crushed seashells, crunching underfoot. Tall coconut palms lined the roads, their leaves rustling in the sea breeze, flashing silver undersides.

They stayed at a hotel nestled among dense, nameless tropical plants. Pushing open the window revealed the sea, and everything was wonderfully convenient.

Jiang Ran and Su Mu took the wedding very seriously. They deliberately waited until their son was old enough to remember before including him, wanting the child to witness his two fathers standing by the seaside, exchanging rings and vows in front of all their relatives and friends.

Once on the island, Chi Luoxi and He Angxiao only did two things every day: eat and play.

They ate seafood and a local specialty—coconut rice, served in hollowed-out coconut shells. The rice was soaked in coconut milk, soft and sticky, with a hint of sweetness.

For play, there were all kinds of water activities: speedboats, sailboats, deep-sea fishing, and snorkeling.

Chi Luoxi put on a tight wetsuit, a mask, and a snorkel, and was led by He Angxiao slowly into the sea.

The sound of the wind disappeared. The voices of people disappeared. All that remained was his own breathing, exchanging fresh oxygen through the tube. The corals were beautiful—so many colors he couldn't count them. Under the refraction of underwater light, they were all bathed in a shimmering, transparent luster. Tropical fish darted in and out of the coral clusters.

Chi Luoxi almost forgot to breathe. He even saw a sea turtle swimming slowly from a distance, gliding leisurely beneath him.

When he came back, he was still exhilarated. He told He Angxiao about the corals, how they were so beautiful they looked fake. He Angxiao told him that many coral species were already extinct—when the water temperature rises, corals bleach and die off in large numbers.

Chi Luoxi said: "We must protect the environment."

He Angxiao agreed.

The scenery on the island was truly stunning. Wherever you stood, it looked like a postcard. Fluffy clouds piled up at the horizon.

The wedding was held in the evening, on a cape jutting out into the sea. A white flower arch was set up, its petals trembling slightly in the sea breeze. Both sets of parents and relatives were there, sitting in several rows. The ceremony was not long, but it was very solemn.

Jiang Ran and Su Mu stood under the arch to read their vows.

Their son, Xiao He, was over three years old—at that age, kids are at their cutest and most unpredictable. Xiao He was carried onto the stage, and a microphone was stuffed into his hands. It was too big for him; he needed both hands to hold it to speak. Xiao He said he wanted to sing a song for his dads.

But the song library was limited, and apparently no one had thought to teach him a wedding song in advance. So, holding the microphone, Xiao He sang "Happy Birthday" in his baby voice. The adults below were stunned for a second, then burst out laughing, applauding, and recording with their phones, absolutely delighted.

Chi Luoxi thought it was adorable too. When Xiao He couldn't walk yet, He Angxiao brought him over to play. Chi Luoxi carefully held him in his arms; the child was as soft as a squishy mochi.

He Angxiao was Xiao He's godfather and doted on his godson immensely, often bringing him over under the pretense of keeping Chi Luoxi company.

And Chi Luoxi genuinely liked the child.

He was so cute and polite, obediently calling Chi Luoxi "big brother." Xiao He loved their pets; every time he came, he would chase after Ququ and Xiao Bo. Ququ would flee in panic around the house, while Xiao Bo enjoyed rolling over for him to rub his belly. It was said that Jiang Ran was prone to allergies, so they never kept cats or dogs at home.

When Xiao He kept nagging about the pets at home, Jiang Ran would pack him off to He Angxiao's place, letting him pet them to his heart's content, then wash off all the dog hair and pick him up again.

After the wedding, it was completely dark.

Lights on the headland lit up, strung along the winding path like a Milky Way falling to Earth.

The sea reflected the lamplight and moonlight, shattered by waves and pieced back together.

A distant band began to play a soothing melody, the sound of violins carried by the sea breeze, intermittent and faint.

When reciting the vows, Jiang Ran raised his head, his hands trembling like Parkinson's, his eyes red and on the verge of tears. Su Mu on the other side was even more nervous.

It was a perfect wedding; everyone gathered together, familiar faces and strangers alike, raising glasses, hugging, kissing.

He Angxiao held a glass of champagne, clinked it against Chi Luoxi's, and said his buddy was supposedly allergic to tears. To avoid embarrassment, he had taken allergy medicine beforehand.

Chi Luoxi had never heard of such a condition before. What would happen if he cried? Would his face break out in a rash? He asked He Angxiao, who thought for a moment and said it would make him swell and red, looking bad on camera—his buddy was very image-conscious.

He Angxiao: "Darling, what do you think of this wedding?"

Chi Luoxi said honestly, "It's not bad. Scenic, pleasant climate, just too many mosquitoes."

He Angxiao agreed. The mosquitoes on this island had probably summoned all their relatives from the entire tropical rainforest. They swarmed out at dusk. Aside from that, there were really no flaws.

"When we have ours, we'll find a place without mosquitoes," He Angxiao thought, then his eyes lit up. "How about a snow house?"

He Angxiao loved skiing and went to Switzerland every year. On one of his ski trips, he had taken Chi Luoxi along to visit his mother.

He Angxiao's mother, Yan Jiu, now lived in a small house on the outskirts of Zurich. She was younger and gentler than Chi Luoxi had imagined.

Ms. Yan received them warmly, made coffee. Her new husband was an artist, hanging his paintings along the entire hallway wall. It was clear Ms. Yan lived happily.

Her relationship with He Angxiao was neither close nor distant.

But mosquitoes really didn't seem to like sucking Chi Luoxi's blood. During their days on the island, when Chi Luoxi and He Angxiao stood side by side, the mosquitoes always bypassed Chi Luoxi and headed for He Angxiao.

He Angxiao had sprayed mosquito repellent and wore the same mosquito-repellent bracelet as Xiao He. In the past few days, He Angxiao didn't even dare to wear short-sleeved shirts. While other guests were in shorts and flip-flops, he wore long sleeves and trousers.

On the night before their departure, He Angxiao and Chi Luoxi went a bit wild; they went overboard, both completely exhausted, wrapped around each other in a deep sleep.

He Angxiao, that guy who loved sleeping naked, slept without pants, the blanket only covered half his body. So when he woke up the next morning, he was bitten by some insect.

Chi Luoxi bent down to carefully examine the bite mark, concluded it was an insect. The trouble was, the bite was in an embarrassing place—not somewhere he could just show anyone.

He Angxiao's expression was complicated. Chi Luoxi bought some ointment and applied it for him.

Perhaps the island's insects were truly venomous. The ointment didn't help; instead, the area became red, swollen, hot, and painful.

He Angxiao spoke up with a look of despair, saying he had a very serious question.

Chi Luoxi looked up and asked what it was.

He Angxiao said with utmost gravity, "Baby, this isn't going to affect my ability, is it?"

Chi Luoxi wasn't sure either; he wasn't a doctor. He pulled He Angxiao's arm and said, "Honey, you'd better swallow your pride. Let's go to the hospital. If something really goes wrong, what would we do?"

They had to go to the urology department. No other department was appropriate.

In the waiting area, a row of men sat silently, each keeping an empty seat between them, staring at their phones, avoiding eye contact.

He Angxiao had been in countless boardrooms, addressed hundreds of people without fear, but now he wished he could hide behind Chi Luoxi.

The doctor was a man in his fifties. He examined He Angxiao and said to keep it uncovered, go commando at home for a few days, and prescribed two days of IV drips.

He Angxiao had already been trying to keep a low profile, not taking off his mask. But Jiangzhou was too small; there were only a few famous hospitals and doctors.

He had an archrival named Long Lezhi, from a real estate family, who happened to be at the same hospital.

Long Lezhi had indeed come to treat that kind of problem—overindulgence, lack of restraint, leading to early issues. He’d been on Chinese medicine for a while, but it didn’t work, so he came to a Western doctor.

The two's conflict wasn't personal but business.

He Angxiao had acquired a company Long Lezhi used to run, lowballing the price ruthlessly. Long Lezhi had held a grudge ever since, telling everyone He Angxiao was a ruthless predator.

When Long Lezhi saw He Angxiao, He Angxiao didn't see him.

Long Lezhi was overjoyed—finally, an opportunity!

Seeing which department He Angxiao entered, Long Lezhi pulled out his phone and snapped a bunch of photos. He Angxiao, shoulders hunched, head down, half his face hidden behind a mask, was stepping out of the urology clinic behind the shoulder of a handsome young man.

The posture, environment, and context required no words to spark wild speculation.

Long Lezhi sent the photo to a group chat: "Ran into CEO He at the hospital. [Evil Grin]"

This is when people's true colors come out.

Most people—whether true or false—just laughed at He Angxiao.

Those who had been bested by He Angxiao in business and disliked his style passed the news from one small chat group to another.

Eventually, He Angxiao's condition improved. The swelling and heat subsided. After two days of going commando at home and two days of IV drips, he no longer had to sneak around to the hospital.

Just as he was ready to go to work refreshed.

Jiang Ran sent him a message with a photo: Long Lezhi was telling everyone that He Angxiao had visited the urology clinic. "Not to pry, bro, but are you really having issues down there?"

He Angxiao: "…………"

He Angxiao: "Get lost! If it weren't for your wedding and that mosquito bite, would I have been in this mess?"

He claimed he went to the hospital because of an insect bite, never mentioning that it was because he had slept without pants.

Jiang Ran, full of righteous indignation, said, "……That's too much, buddy. I'll set the record straight for you right away."

So Jiang Ran went to clarify that his bro was so strong he could fuck through the universe, and everyone should stop spreading rumors.

Others say that the more you lack something, the more you need to emphasize it.

He Angxiao had built up a reputation over nearly thirty years, only to have it completely destroyed within a few short days.

"I'm going to sue that bastard, Long Lezhi! He's going around saying I'm impotent—I'll kill him!"

He Angxiao had never been so humiliated in his life.

Chi Luoxi soothed him, "Honey, you're a celebrity. If you sue, won't it just blow up even more? Then even more people will know."

"Besides, we live our own lives behind closed doors. Let's stop caring about them."

This sounded awfully familiar to He Angxiao.

He Angxiao thought, True, that bastard, Long Lezhi is indeed cunning. He didn't say you were sick or impotent, didn't say anything—just posted a photo with a flippant caption about meeting President He at the hospital. There was no way to sue.

Chi Luoxi looked at He Angxiao's twisted face lying gloomily on Chi Luoxi's lap, stroked his husband's head, and thought to himself, This President Long is really something—he doesn't even care about his own reputation just to drag He Angxiao down with him.

—What kind of hatred is this?

He Angxiao dejectedly held Chi Luoxi's hand and whined, "baby, I'll listen to you. But you know I'm perfectly capable."

Chi Luoxi nodded. "Mm, perfectly capable."

What surprised Chi Luoxi was that this gossip spread exponentially. Moreover, after it reached a certain point, the story grew legs on its own, being embellished along the way.

And the latest version left Chi Luoxi speechless for a very long time after hearing it.

In their circle, they no longer called him a gold digger.

They started calling him a living Buddha.

It was said that He Angxiao was impotent, but Chi Luoxi refused to abandon him, not only without complaint but also accompanying him to the hospital, holding his hand as they walked out of the clinic, and bustling about with a gentle, generous expression. This was truly a breath of fresh air in the gold-digging world—a pure, moving true love that transcended money and the physical!

Chi Luoxi: "…………"

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Author's note: President He: ...gloomy.

Little Radish: Forget it, true love conquers all.