Chapter 24: The Big Happy Day

Chapter 24: The Big Day

The ceremonial music echoed, the lights were like a river of stars, and silent silver serpents watched from the pillars on either side.

In the grand hall, Li Wuya and Qin Shu stood side by side, their white military dress uniforms shimmering silver under the lights.

The ritual officer was an old man with white hair, Li Wuya's uncle-in-law, the only living member of the Li family apart from Li Wuya himself.

"Please exchange rings and vows," he said, his voice aged but resonant.

A servant presented a pair of rings, silver-white bands, one set with a blue gem, the other with a red.

Li Wuya took them calmly, the cool metal against his skin.

He lifted Qin Shu's hand, and his usually cold, indifferent eyes blazed with startling intensity.

A nearly delirious sense of happiness surfaced from the depths of a black sea; everything was so terrifyingly real that he would gladly accept death in that next moment.

Hah, never mind what his life was worth.

He gently slid the ring onto that finger, the delicate silver anemone pattern settling at the base.

"Qin Shu," he said.

A voice only the two of them could hear, not caught by the media's microphones. This wasn't a live broadcast either; all footage would be screened by Li Wuya himself.

...Perhaps some high-ranking Sentinels with keen hearing could also hear it, but who cared anyway?

"Starting from meeting you five years ago, my new life has been graced by you," he slowly spoke the words he had long prepared.

"There's nothing about me worth choosing, but I want to ask you to accept everything I can give you. Please allow me to make this vow, okay?"

How long had he schemed? Through twists of fate and calculated schemes, he had actually wrapped his true heart in countless lies and offered it up.

The blue light on the ring flickered, and his beloved's eyes before him were bright and dazed, so endearing.

Would the ring lock us together? Am I worthy of this desire?

Qin Shu solemnly put the ring on him as well.

"Of course," Qin Shu said. "I'll walk through life with you."

Thump, thump.

A heartbeat...

Static, the sound of fireworks bursting.

Qin Shu had said yes. He thought.

Of course Qin Shu would agree; when had Qin Shu ever refused him anything?

Every step of these past days had been carefully orchestrated by him.

From sending flowers to accidentally revealing his "aversion" to blind dates, from "the hunt" to "the trap."

Until finally, he had revealed his most effective and only trump card, called "deep link."

Qin Shu accepted, Qin Shu helped, Qin Shu let himself be trapped in the capital with grace and openness, Qin Shu's unconditional trust was radiant.

And what was he doing?

Lies, tests, exploiting everything brilliant about Qin Shu.

Li Wuya didn't know where his unease came from; perhaps it had been fated since the year he lied about not liking men.

He simply couldn't be honest, yet he was utterly greedy, having come this far, he still wanted more—

What if it was love?

A Shu, can you be even more mine...

No. A voice whispered in his ear.

No, how vile and dirty are you? You've gotten so much through lies, and now you want to change Qin Shu completely?

You can't. You're disgusting. But.

But...?

The coldness of the ring pulled him back to reality like a shackle, and he met Qin Shu's gaze.

The wedding banquet, the ceremonial music echoing, thousands of eyes upon them.

Stars rose and fell in Qin Shu's eyes.

A few days ago, during the drill, they had staged a kiss.

Qin Shu had been torn between faking it or blocking with his hand.

What had he looked like then?

Probably smiling hypocritically, "We can fake it, use an optical illusion, make them think they saw it."

That's probably what he said.

But now he realized he'd overestimated his self-control.

Can I kiss him? Am I allowed to?

...Can I ever be forgiven?

Suddenly, a stir. Qin Shu's gaze turned sharp.

What?

Li Wuya turned his head, and in his dazed state, he saw several figures emerge from a side door.

The Empress... choosing this time.

On an ordinary day, he would have countless guesses and countless plans, but not now.

Li Wuya looked away, uninterested.

The Empress could die, the capital could explode, the empire could fall—none of it mattered—as long as he could really kiss Qin Shu.

Qin Shu, can I kiss you?

In the dizzying rush of happiness, Li Wuya boldly leaned in.

-

Qin Shu had only one thought in his mind: We're screwed.

Holy shit, how did the Empress come through that door?

Doesn't that mean the camera-angle trick is completely useless now?

Blocking one side leaves the other exposed—between the guests' view and the Empress's view, there's bound to be a slip-up somewhere!

Bro, think of something fast!

He tried to signal Li Wuya with his eyes, but Li Wuya's expression was distant, lost in thought.

Why does he have to choke now of all times!

Qin Shu was freaking out.

What now? Do I have to, to actually kiss him?

But that's not what "going through thick and thin" means, right? Even if I'm willing, my bro might not be. We're both straight guys—actually kissing would be way too weird!

But after all the acting he and Li Wuya had done, were they really going to fail just because of this one missing kiss?

Their virtue was on the line!

Qin Shu's face stiffened as he felt a kind of tension he'd never experienced even in battle.

Then, suddenly, a warm breath.

Li Wuya actually leaned in.

His face was as expressionless as ever, but there was a strange, inexplicable feeling about it.

Solemn, yet chaotic and subtle—what?

His good buddy's lips pressed against his own.

No, wait. That was that technical term—what's it called? Kissing.

Uh, holy crap, we're kissing!

Li Wuya, how did you get so ahead of the script before me!?

In that critical flash, Qin Shu caught up with Li Wuya's train of thought.

He understood.

His bro had gone all in—staked everything, sacrificed everything to see this through!

Then I can't lose either!

Gritting his teeth and steeling himself as if facing death, Qin Shu cupped Li Wuya's face.

He actually kissed him back.

The audience below was dead silent.

The Empress's smile went stiff, and the same confusion showed in all the officials' eyes.

The officers stood up, pulling out guns and swords. Yu Huaicheng trembled with rage, aiming a polished pistol at Li Wuya's temple.

Zuo Chou also stood up, coldly taking the gun from Yu Huaicheng.

-

"Zuo Chou, you traitor!" Yu Huaicheng shouted at him, and Zuo Chou could see the tears shining in his eyes.

"Don't interfere with Qin Shu," Zuo Chou said quietly. "He initiated it... he, ini-ti-a-ted it."

"That son of a bitch definitely tricked him into it, definitely!"

"But he still initiated it—are you questioning Qin Shu's decision?!"

Similar conversations erupted among the corps commanders.

The blond guard on duty froze for a couple of seconds, then elbowed Little Fang beside him: "That camera trick is amazing, I couldn't see any flaw..."

Little Fang was losing it: "Huang Sanqi, you moron, that's a real kiss!"

"Huh???"

Li Wuya felt his mental state hanging by a thread.

But he didn't care anymore. Dreamlike colors filled his vision.

Qin Shu cupped his face and leaned forward. Li Wuya stepped back half a step, adjusting to Qin Shu's angle, and wrapped an arm around his waist.

It was euphoria, madness, colorful stars.

-

What did Qin Shu mean?

Did he mean he accepted him? Did he mean he wanted to marry him?

...Did he mean he liked him?

The kiss went on.

Their breaths tangled intimately, soft and delicate, like Jell-O, like clouds and candy.

The cool minty scent spread between his lips and teeth. Qin Shu's eyes were closed, his eyelashes like butterflies, so beautiful.

A moment that felt both long and short at once.

The dreamlike kiss came to an end.

Qin Shu pulled away, his eyes bright and alive when he opened them, his ears flushed red, and he awkwardly turned his head aside.

It felt as if they were the only two people in the world. Li Wuya heard his own voice trembling, "Why?"

How could he ask that right on stage!

Qin Shu was mortified.

He figured this part of the vow exchange was over—if it wasn't, it had to end here. Qin Shu grabbed Li Wuya's hand and pulled him off stage.

He was incredibly embarrassed, fighting the urge to wipe his mouth, and whispered to Li Wuya, "I did it 'cause I wanted to."

"Seeing how serious you were, I... I tried too."

My ride-or-die brain's taken over for now; I'm throwing my rep under the bus, so bro, don't sweat it!

He had no clue how much he stood out at that moment.

Qin Shu rarely looked this embarrassed—his good-looking face was a little red, his normally open eyes kept darting away, and his earlobes were bright red.

But the next second, he made himself look Li Wuya in the eye.

How do you even describe that look?

His usual coldness melted into water, all shimmery, giving off a softness that was almost romantic.

Li Wuya looked even more spaced out.

Qin Shu rubbed his nose. "Wuya, can I go get some air?"

This was too awkward—he couldn't deal with the crowd that just watched him and his bro make out!

A long silence.

"Okay," Li Wuya replied.

-

Li Wuya couldn't remember how he told his adjutant to keep things under control.

Or maybe, you know, he said to clear the room right then?

Didn't matter. None of it did.

Li Wuya grabbed the stunned Qin Shu and dragged him out of the banquet hall.

The night was cool, the breeze soft like love; they left the fancy music behind, and the bright lights and shadows slid off the walls as Qin Shu held his hand tight.

Walls have ears... they've got ears.

The last bit of logic whispered in his ear.

Where's the most private spot? Where's the safest?

Li Wuya took him to his own room.

The secret door swung open, the lights came on, and the huge family vault lit up completely.

Gold, jewels, energy ore, private star maps—all the gold this greedy family hoarded over a thousand years.

Qin Shu was totally lost.

The lights were blazing, and his friend's eyes in front of him were glowing gold too as he sat Qin Shu down on the only chair.

An old antique chair.

A quiet, solid wood table.

Li Wuya grabbed everything and laid it all out on the table, piece by piece.

Resources, power, energy, contracts that made your head spin—and finally, he pulled out the black signet ring resting on silk.

The ouroboros design was carved into the seal, looking super real.

Qin Shu stared blankly as Li Wuya slid the ring onto his pinky.

"It suits you."

A happy, weird tone in Li Wuya's voice.

Qin Shu just felt awkward. "Li Wuya, what's wrong with you?"

Honestly, at this point, the only thing Qin Shu could think of was "he's handing over his kid."

"A Shu, I..."

His friend dropped to one knee, leaning in, his expression still calm, but his eyes had this flushed, desperate look.

"I'm not lying, Qin Shu. From now on, please take charge of my life. Everything I've got that's worth anything is right here. I... I don't know what else to give you. Please..."

A weird pause, a sharp breath.

"I'm sorry. I didn't get it. I thought you just trusted me, that we were just friends."

"I couldn't handle you pulling away, but I was selfish and wanted more. I only pulled dirty tricks, but you gave me back a thousand times more."

"How arrogant, sneaky, and stubborn was I? I actually didn't see your true feelings until just now, until the kiss, when I realized—"

He crawled, and Li Wuya actually knelt on the cushion, his knees spread wide and pressed right up against Qin Shu's thighs.

Leaning forward.

"—that you really saw my love."

What?

Qin Shu's expression slowly went blank.

-

At this moment.

Thoughts reversed, senses in chaos.

Li Wuya breathed in the familiar, reassuring scent, and almost wished to die at this moment.

Souls connected, feelings mutual—a scene he couldn't even imagine in his dreams.

In such a quiet room, the whole world was in his arms. What should he do now? He thought sluggishly.

He didn't know how long had passed—an instant, or many seconds?

Qin Shu actually smiled.

A glacier thawed by spring, the room filled with radiance.

Fingers with thin calluses lifted his chin, a tone impossibly gentle: "Yes, I saw your love. Li Wuya, is there anything else you want to say?"

What did that mean?

Li Wuya did not pause for a moment and answered quickly.

"I'll resign immediately, A Shu. Let's leave, leave here, go anywhere!"

"I've already bought many planets. I've been planning for this moment for so long. I devote everything to you—the future you desire is my life—I—"

The wild confession drew Qin Shu's gaze.

His voice cut off abruptly.

Qin Shu's lips still curved in a smile, yet his cold psychic force bore down.

"Li Wuya, are you out of your mind?"

What he heard sounded like a lover's intimate whisper.