Chapter 100 Independence Day (End of Main Story)

Chapter 100: Independence Day (End of Main Story)

At some point, the door to the hospital room was pushed open silently.

He felt a faint change in the air behind him. Zhu Shinian, sensing something, turned his head and saw Jiang Huaiyan leaning against the doorframe.

There was no particular expression on the man's face, but the atmosphere in the room changed abruptly.

Why... didn't Jiang Huaiyan make any sound when he walked?

"Mr. Jiang arrived quite quickly," Gu Zhen said. "One might think you came here to catch us in the act."

"Mr. Zhu and I haven't done anything—we've only said a few words. There are cameras in this room. If you're worried, you can check the footage."

Then he lowered his head, whether on purpose or not, glancing at the ring on Zhu Shinian's left ring finger a few times.

"But there's no need to go this far, is there?" Gu Zhen said flatly, looking at the ring on Zhu Shinian's hand. "I recall that Mr. Jiang is only dating him, not keeping him under lock and key."

Jiang Huaiyan said nothing. Following his gaze, he also looked calmly at the ring on Zhu Shinian's hand.

Zhu Shinian realized something and instinctively glanced at the ring on his own finger.

The ring was beautiful and exquisite—a gift from Jiang Huaiyan, given the night before he went to the battlefield, on the eve of the war with the Federation.

Gu Zhen was implying that the ring contained a tracker, which was why Jiang Huaiyan had arrived so quickly.

"If you don't like it, then give it back." Jiang Huaiyan extended his hand toward him, without denying the tracker. "The two of you are so deeply in love, having survived life and death together so many times—if I don't let you be together, I'd look bad."

Zhu Shinian shook his head hard, reaching out to grab his hand, looking like he was begging.

It's okay. I don't mind.

It's okay. You can do whatever you want to me.

He didn't think Jiang Huaiyan had done anything wrong. Even as Jiang Huaiyan tried to pull his hand away, he didn't let go at all.

As the two of them were locked in a standoff, Gu Zhen let out a scoff from the side.

"Mr. Jiang, what's with the whole playing hard to get act? Niannian can't tell, but I can see right through you. All that acting—you put on a hell of a show."

"Do you really think you can keep him all to yourself? If you were truly confident that Zhu Shinian had no room for me in his heart, why would you put a tracker on him?"

"Gu Zhen!" Zhu Shinian snapped at him almost without thinking.

But seeing how pale Gu Zhen was from his long illness, he regretted it the instant the words left his mouth.

"I..."

Just as he was about to apologize to Gu Zhen, he caught Jiang Huaiyan watching him calmly.

"You still love him, don't you?" Jiang Huaiyan asked. His tone carried no anger, yet it made Zhu Shinian feel both miserable and afraid—so much so that his entire body went cold.

He didn't want to hurt Jiang Huaiyan, but he couldn't lie to him either.

"But I... love you too. Right now." After a long pause, Zhu Shinian said softly.

"Is that right?" Jiang Huaiyan replied flatly.

His cold reaction made Zhu Shinian feel even worse. Panicking, he grabbed Jiang Huaiyan's hand and pressed it to his chest. "I... I..."

"I don't know how to prove it," Zhu Shinian said, his words spilling out in a mess. "The tracker—I've always known. You can do this to me. You can do whatever else you want..."

Jiang Huaiyan watched him expressionlessly, and then Zhu Shinian slowly let go of his hand.

"I'm sorry... I did you wrong," he said softly, his gaze dropping. "You could have had someone who never loved anyone before you."

He was the one who had wronged Jiang Huaiyan—the one who hadn't given him a devoted, faithful lover.

He couldn't even make Jiang Huaiyan fully believe that he loved him.

Jiang Huaiyan watched him silently, like he was punishing him.

Only after what felt like an eternity did he reach out and gently wipe away the tears that had somehow fallen from Zhu Shinian's eyes.

"Alright, you did me wrong. So how do you think you're going to make it up to me?"

"You've been so cruel to me, but I still don't want to make you sad or upset."

Zhu Shinian froze, pressing into his palm, staring at him with wide eyes.

"There's no better option. If choosing either one would hurt you, then don't choose at all."

In this world, some people go their whole lives without falling in love, and some people are so tangled up in love they can't let go of anyone.

Zhu Shinian had a heart so full of love it could hold everyone in this world. He'd even remember a young soldier he'd only met once for a long time.

If you love someone gentle and soft-hearted, you have to accept that he can't be cruel to a lot of people.

Zhu Shinian couldn't stand to make either Gu Zhen or Jiang Huaiyan sad—and they should have figured that out a long time ago.

Love is, after all, such an unsolvable thing. It drives people crazy with jealousy, but it also makes them feel like there's something more important than possession.

.......

Grandma didn't know Zhu Shinian was coming home today. When she saw him, she was surprised and happy, and asked if he was going to stay this time and not leave again.

Zhu Shinian nodded and said the war was over, so he wouldn't leave again—and if they went anywhere, it would be together as a family to the capital.

Did Grandma prefer the capital or Sector 26? He didn't plan to serve too many terms. If she liked Sector 26 better, he'd come back once things settled down.

Sector 26 was Zhu Shinian's hometown—where his father and mother were buried.

To grow old here with Grandma, watching Tingting grow up—there was nothing more perfect than that.

Grandma laughed until she cried, and Zhu Shinian felt like crying too.

He had waited so long for this day.

Just like the country and its people he loved, the rest of his life with his family would never again be touched by unfinished suffering.

........

Night fell quickly, and the streetlights outside the window came on.

Grandma went to bed early. After his shower, Zhu Shinian hesitated for a moment before carefully lying down next to Jiang Huaiyan like he always did.

The quilt had just been aired out, smelling like sunshine—warm and soft.

He carefully inched closer to Jiang Huaiyan, waiting for him to reach out and pull him close.

The next second, Jiang Huaiyan had him pinned underneath him.

This Jiang Huaiyan felt unfamiliar to him. The pheromones wrapped around Zhu Shinian completely in an instant, leaving no gap untouched.

The scent of cedarwood was cold and felt... a little dangerous.

Zhu Shinian froze for a moment, then after a beat, he tilted his head up and kissed the corner of Jiang Huaiyan's mouth.

Jiang Huaiyan's body stiffened for an instant, his gaze dark and unreadable in the darkness, and then he lowered his head to kiss him.

That kiss was neither slow nor gentle—almost the complete opposite of how he usually kissed.

Zhu Shinian was pressed into the soft down pillow, and after just a moment of kissing, his waist went limp and gave out.

He should be grateful they were in bed now, or else his whole body would have gone weak and collapsed, and he'd have had to cling to Jiang Huaiyan just to barely stand.

Jiang Huaiyan's voice was low, hoarse, and burning, as if it came from somewhere far away, yet also right at his ear.

"I actually really want to lock you up and chain you to the bed."

"You wouldn't see anyone but me. Locked away for so long, when I come back, you'd be so happy you'd whimper like a little puppy."

Zhu Shinian was already burning all over from Jiang Huaiyan's pheromones, his consciousness gradually blurring.

He could hear what Jiang Huaiyan was saying, but had no time to process the meaning, as if listening to a deep foreign language.

"I want..." Zhu Shinian murmured.

The alpha's pheromones pressed down on him overwhelmingly.

Zhu Shinian was wrapped in that surge of pheromones, like a drowning person swept by a giant wave into a vast, deep sea.

"...you."

The moment the last word fell, Zhu Shinian let out a short, breathy gasp.

"Didn't you say you wanted to make it up to me?" Jiang Huaiyan asked calmly, looking at him. "You said you'd make it up to me, so can you... do it yourself?"

Zhu Shinian let out a faint whimper, his wet eyes half-closed, as if he didn't quite understand what he meant.

After a long moment, Jiang Huaiyan let out a regretful sigh.

.......

"You can't?"

Jiang Huaiyan's movements were gentle, yet Zhu Shinian was nearly driven crazy by him.

He was so close to...

Zhu Shinian begged silently with his eyes, but at that moment, Jiang Huaiyan stopped.

Zhu Shinian stared at him blankly, his wet eyes suddenly becoming dazed and lost.

Why... why was he teasing him like this all of a sudden?

But Jiang Huaiyan's deep black eyes were clear and calm, that sober gaze on him making Zhu Shinian's whole body burn even hotter.

As if only he was sinking so deeply, while the other stayed clear-headed and composed the whole time.

Was his brother wanting... him to act cute and beg?

Zhu Shinian thought foggily.

"Help me..." Zhu Shinian whispered in a small voice.

Please, help him.

But this time, Jiang Huaiyan didn't give in.

Zhu Shinian looked at him, confused, wanting to do it himself...

But like a punishment, the next second Jiang Huaiyan pinned his hand above his head.

"Mm." Zhu Shinian felt wronged and miserable, his hazy eyes looking at Jiang Huaiyan, as if he didn't understand what he had done wrong.

"...Baby." Jiang Huaiyan called him softly.

"From now on, every time you think of him, you have to think of me too."

"For every bit you like him, you have to like me a little more."

"I like you," tears streaming down from the physical sensation, "I'll think of you... many, many times."

At that moment, Zhu Shinian arched his neck, like a dying swan.

"Ahh..."

...He passed out completely.

It felt like a very, very long time had passed.

In a daze, Zhu Shinian felt Jiang Huaiyan lifting him up.

"No, I don't want to take a shower."

He was so, so tired now, and didn't want to shower at all.

"Just a little longer, five minutes," Zhu Shinian murmured, "...ten minutes."

Jiang Huaiyan didn't answer, only a warm, broad palm gently stroking his lower belly.

"It's bulging," he said, "as if... you were carrying a baby."

At that, Zhu Shinian's whole body trembled.

His eyes suddenly stung, and even though he knew it was just... a tease, he still couldn't help but feel so sad he wanted to cry.

He would never have his own baby again, and Jiang Huaiyan knew that full well.

He knew how sad he felt.

"Don't," he choked out, "don't talk about that anymore."

"That child is already... gone, and I... I'll never have my own baby again."

The tears were getting a bit out of control, and he seemed to want to cry more and more. Zhu Shinian regretted saying those words, making Jiang Huaiyan's careless remark hard to take back.

"No, no, I'm not blaming you... I'm not angry at you," like a turtle retreating into its shell, Zhu Shinian buried himself under the blanket, "I'll, I'll rest for a bit first, not going to shower yet."

Jiang Huaiyan didn't answer right away. After a moment, he gently hugged Zhu Shinian through the blanket turtle shell.

"That child didn't die."

Zhu Shinian was still crying, as if he hadn't heard him, mechanically repeating that he didn't want to shower. Jiang Huaiyan patted his back and softly repeated himself.

"That child didn't die. I know you couldn't bear to let him go. I kept him and raised him well in an incubation chamber."

"You named him—Zhu Tingjia."

.......

In the capital, on Republic Day, the sky was a clear, flawless blue, without a single cloud in sight.

Bathed in sunlight and the eyes of countless citizens, Zhu Shinian took the microphone and formally gave his inaugural address.

He calmly spoke of how, at age five, his father died in a mining accident, yet was falsely accused—along with the other miners—of going down into the mine illegally, and the family received not a single cent in compensation.

He spoke of his mother serving as a maid in the Second District, worn down by illness from the oppression and mistreatment of the family she served.

He spoke of serving the Empire in his youth, believing it would bring a better life for himself and his family—until he finally fled in defiance.

He was just an ordinary man—this was simply a life swept along by the currents of his era.

The Republic was a republic built by all the people of the Resistance Zone. Past, present, and future—maybe the people listening to this speech right now would lead lives far more legendary than his.

The square went silent for a moment, then applause surged like a tide, swelling into a roaring wave of sound.

From the crowd below came the cry of a child. People figured the little one was bored, and on such a joyous day, no one minded—instead, someone handed the pretty child a piece of candy.

"Say thank you to the sister," the alpha holding him said gently.

He was a handsome alpha, probably the kid's dad, and passersby couldn't help thinking it was no wonder he'd fathered such an adorable child.

"Thank you, sister..."

The kid's voice still wobbled with a sob as he thanked her, and the father patted his shoulder helplessly, trying to soothe him.

"Daddy... Daddy doesn't have... doesn't have a mommy or daddy... Daddy's so pitiful..."

Tingting's words were a jumbled mess, but Jiang Huaiyan understood what he meant.

He must have realized that Zhu Shinian had lost his parents at around Tingting's age, and his heart ached for him.

The kid didn't have the comprehension yet to grasp what Zhu Shinian was saying—he only knew that Daddy had lost his own parents, and that Daddy was pitiful.

"Then Tingting has to be good to Daddy from now on. Daddy has you now, a new family—he won't be so sad anymore."

"I'll be really good to Daddy!" Tingting nodded with all his might.

Beside them, Gu Zhen grabbed a tissue and gently wiped his tears away.

At the end of the speech, in the center of the square, the statue of the Empire's first monarch came crashing down.

At the same time, fighter jets in Republic colors sliced across the sky above the square, leaving trails of brilliant colored smoke.

*What is past is prologue.*

"From this day on, there will be no one left to oppress us," Zhu Shinian said.

"This is our new era."

He smiled and bowed to the audience, and thunderous applause erupted again.

Then, through the dense sea of people, his gaze landed unerringly on where his beloved and his child stood.

He smiled softly in their direction and stepped down from the stage.

As Zhu Shinian had said in his speech, he lost his parents as a child, strayed down the wrong path in his youth, and drifted through life's ups and downs.

Yet his love had always been sincere and passionate—and for that very reason, it had broken his heart.

But in the end, the ones he loved loved him back.

And in this life, he had no regrets left.

Author's note:

"What is past is prologue." — from Shakespeare's *The Tempest*

I'm sorry that during the serialization, due to health and personal reasons, I couldn't keep up with the daily updates I promised. I apologize to everyone here. During this time, my anemia has been especially bad—I'd get tired easily without doing much, and I'd often get heart palpitations and headaches. I'm really sorry for not giving you the reading experience you deserved. Special thanks to the readers who stuck with me through it all—I'll be dropping red envelopes in the comments. If there are any side stories you'd like to see, leave your requests in the comments for this chapter, and I'll write them if they fit. The original character art is up on Weibo, and you're free to use it for non-commercial purposes.