Chapter 96: The Wedding - Vegetation flourishes as the frozen spring mountain thaws.

On the day of the wedding, He Guan woke up early. When he was dressing, his uncle-in-law helped him with his tie.

Standing in front of the mirror, looking at himself in the white suit, he rubbed his chin, "If something happens midway, will I need to change outfits multiple times?"

"Don't jinx it," his uncle-in-law said grumpily, "It's such a festive occasion, don’t say such things."

He Guan raised his eyebrows: "I'm not a harbinger of bad luck, what's there to fear?"

"He Guan, can we come in?" From outside the door, Lou Qiu Shou knocked.

"Sister's here."

He Guan opened the door and swiftly scooped Lou Xiao Man into his arms.

He moved so swiftly that Lou Qiushou couldn’t stop him in time. Today's little page boy, with sparkling big eyes, clung to him, exclaiming, "Brother Guan! Where are you taking me to play today?"

He Guan laughed, saying, "Today, we have to return to the main residence. We can't go anywhere else."

"Alright then." Lou Xiao Man, disappointed, tried to wriggle out of He Guan's arms but was caught by Lou Qiu Shou.

Lou Qiu Shou rapped her on the head, saying, "Didn't we just discuss this? What are you supposed to call him?"

Lou Xiao Man pouted, "I don't want to call him 'uncle'; it makes brother sound so old."

"Lou Xiao Man, you're only five. If you call him 'uncle', nobody's going to think he's old, okay? Why don't you call Lou Dongcang that way?"

"That uncle is different from this uncle," Lou Xiao Man's brows knitted in puzzlement.

After the playful banter, Lou Qiu Shou waved her hand, "Everyone else, come on in."

Photographers filed in, makeup artists carrying their kits, and servants brought in a chair, placing He Guan back in front of the mirror.

The makeup artist set up her tools and kindly asked, "Mr. He, would you like to eat something first? Otherwise, you might get hungry later."

"How long will the makeup take?"

"Not long, at most an hour and a half."

"Then, I'll have a bite."

"Alright then."

The room, originally occupied by two, quickly filled with people.

Several photographers took shots, the makeup artist matched foundation shades, bridesmaid Lou Qiu Shou, flower girl Lou Xiao Man, an uncle-in-law, and He Guan, who was eating toast.

Noticing a photographer capturing him eating, He Guan even flashed a smile for the camera.

Weddings are always busy, and given that He Guan hadn't seen Lou Dongcang much before the wedding— they even followed the tradition of not meeting before the ceremony — he was missing him a bit now.

After the makeup was done, He Guan first took photos with his uncle-in-law and then called for Lou Qiu Shou and Lou Xiao Man.

Lou Qiu Shou remarked, "Don't rush; we're missing a few people."

"Hmm? There are other bridesmaids?" He Guan was curious.

"Not bridesmaids, little uncle," Lou Xiao Man corrected, swinging her head, "They're groomsmen! Lots of them. They went to have breakfast, so they'll arrive a bit later."

"Who are they?" He Guan managed to utter the two words before ducking away from a lip brush, then quickly settled back into position.

Groomsmen? He didn't know many people here, so where did all these groomsmen come from?

He Guan was slightly puzzled, but as he began to raise an eyebrow, the makeup artist held his chin, "Mr. He, please keep still. I'm almost done, but if I mess up this contour, we might have to start over."

Obediently, He Guan refocused and closed his eyes.

Only when the makeup artist brushed away the excess powder on his face and said it was okay, did He Guan realize how long "just a moment" truly was.

The sound of several pairs of leather shoes approached, indicating multiple arrivals.

He Guan turned toward the sound, instinctively asking, "Didn’t you all have a schedule today? How can you be here? Didn't the manager stop you?"

Wen Mo was the first to respond, teasingly saying, "Just kidding!"

"Bro!" Tong Jiaqi enthusiastically waved to Wen Mo while holding onto his shoulder, nearly twisting his own waist in the process.

Walking behind, Jin Jie looked somewhat annoyed but still helped him steady.

Gan Qing gave them a resigned glance before nodding in greeting to He Guan.

Chu Li was last, with a warm smile and impeccable posture.

The photographer said, "Let’s take photos. After we're done, we'll drive to the main residence."

Several good-looking celebrities and a former star posed together, keeping the photographer’s shutter busy without much pause.

After all was done, they drove to the Lou family's main residence.

It was early May, with pleasant temperatures and a gentle breeze.

He Guan sat in the lead car's back seat, followed by an impressive procession of luxury vehicles.

Even the wedding procession route was meticulously planned. After descending the mountain, they took the coastal route for a stretch, then entered the city, taking the elevated highway past Xingyu, almost circling half of Huaiyin City.

Anyone with the slightest connections knew that today was the wedding day of the Lou family's head.

He Guan took a different route to the mansion than the guests, to avoid running into them. Upon reaching the castle, he sneaked off to Lou Dongzang's room, intending to rest for a bit.

Unexpectedly, before he could fall asleep, he heard voices conversing outside the door.

"Mr. Lou, hasn't Mr. He arrived? The ceremony is about to start, this...”

“You carry on with your duties. I'll find him. You’re not sure where he is.”

Then the door opened. He Guan, with half-lidded eyes, waited until it closed before saying, “I’m here.”

The entrant didn't respond immediately, but quickly approached and said, "You really are..."

"What about me?"

He Guan settled comfortably into the couch, eyes closed. The sunlight streaming in from the window bathed him in a radiant glow, making him appear dazzlingly white.

"You look so good, it makes me thankful that I’m the groom today."

He Guan chuckled, "That's great. I was thinking the same."

With makeup applied, they refrained from kissing or touching faces. The man simply sat beside him, interlocking fingers.

When they emerged later, it was a bustling scene filled with fragrant aromas.

The two newlyweds descended hand in hand down the grand staircase, leaving some spectators gasping in surprise.

He Guan, with a smile, whispered into Lou Dongzang’s ear, “Their expressions are as if they’ve seen the dead come back to life.”

Lou Dongzang, usually stoic in public, grasped his hand and finally let a smile grace his features.

When it came to the bouquet presentation, He Guan was even quicker on the draw than Lou Dongzang. He had already spotted Lou Xiaoman holding the bouquet and naturally assumed it was his responsibility to present it.

Unexpectedly, Lou Xiaoman reacted swiftly, clearly exclaiming, "Uncle, this isn't yours!"

Lou Dongzang reached out from behind and took the bouquet.

He Guan returned to the emcee, "I thought I was the one to hand over the bouquet?"

"All the bridesmaids are on your side," Lou Dongzang, bouquet in hand, elegantly knelt before him, "What do you think?"

Lou Qiushou, standing to the side, shrugged at He Guan, as if saying, "See? That's what you get for marrying my brother. I did warn you."

The surrounding crowd burst into good-natured laughter.

Flushed from the amusement, He Guan could only shoot Lou Dongzang a glare and accept the lilies he offered.

However, any hint of embarrassment quickly faded.

As he took the bouquet, the kneeling man looked up at him with the gentlest smile.

After accepting the bouquet and greeting guests, He Guan couldn’t recall all he said, but when he finally got a chance to rest, he felt the need to moisten his parched tongue, yet he couldn't and gave up on the idea.

He didn’t mention this to Lou Dongzang, knowing full well the latter would probably jestingly offer to do it for him.

As the guests settled, the wedding ceremony officially began.

Here, another little surprise awaited.

Prior to the wedding ceremony, both had seen each other's speech drafts. He Guan thought he knew what Lou Dongzang would say, but Lou Dongzang had given him a decoy.

When it was time for the vows, the emcee even turned off the microphone, so as not to record his own voice!

Lou Dongzang looked at him with a playful grin.

He Guan took a step back, flustered, "Doing this..."

It made He Guan, sticking to the script, seem rather dull in contrast.

Lou Dongzang held onto his fingertips, preventing him from stepping back, laughing as he said, "Groom, don’t run away."

He smiled more today than He Guan had ever seen him smile since they met.

He Guan didn’t really intend to run away. He just sighed and said, “Right now, I feel like I’m the most clueless person in the room, completely kept in the dark.”

The audience laughed again.

Waiting for the laughter to subside, Lou Dongzang gently said, “He Guan.”

He Guan looked at him, not responding.

Lou Dongzang didn't require an answer.

“Our timing when we first met wasn’t ideal. I had a bad temper then and made many mistakes. I know I might have hurt you with some of my actions, but you were magnanimous enough to let them go.”

“Occasionally, I would wonder, 'Can I really marry you? Can someone like me truly be with you?'”

“It was you who provided the answer.”

“I can promise to always wait for you and trust that you'll always keep your word. In the subtlest ways, you give me the courage to love you and the strength to commit to you for a lifetime.”

“Starting today, I will always be by your side, loving you without reserve. I'll forever respect, cherish, support, and protect you. I'll comfort you in times of sorrow and stand by you always. I promise never to part from you. In every dimension, in any world, you are my only one.”

“I will gaze upon you with these eyes until the end of my days.”

“I deeply, profoundly love you.”

“Will you marry me?”

As he was being adorned with the ring by Lou Dongzang, He Guan, with a tremor in his voice, managed to say, “I more than willingly do.”

If one listened closely, it seemed he was on the verge of tears, but Lou Dongzang, stepping closer and placing a timely kiss on his lips, interrupted that emotional moment.

“On any other day, I might let you continue crying, but there’s so much to do today. Can we hold back the tears?”

With a gaze both intense and captivating, seeing He Guan relax, Lou Dongzang rewarded him with a gentle squeeze of his fingers.

"...Alright."

Once the ceremony concluded, the couple went to toast the guests. He Guan was especially jubilant, having had a bit too much to drink.

Lou Dongzang didn't stop him. He loved watching.

However, finding He Gu later on proved challenging.

It was the first time Lou Dongcang learned that He Gu would wander when drunk.

By the time they found He Gu, he was standing next to the dessert table in the kitchen, devouring the cherry cake in his hand, bite after bite.

Lou Dongcang waved away the chefs who had finished cleaning the kitchen.

As someone approached, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he reflexively grabbed the person's hand, asking, "Who is it?"

"Gu Gu, it's me. You've had too much to drink."

He Gu's voice faded upon recognizing the visitor.

He glanced around bewilderingly, inquiring, "Have most people left?"

"Yes, they've all gone."

Lou Dongcang stared at him for a moment, extending two fingers, "How many fingers?"

"Five!" He Gu responded with certainty.

The man lowered his eyelashes, wrapping his arm around He Gu's waist affectionately. With his other hand, he caressed the couple's ring on He Gu's ring finger.

Perhaps because of He Gu's inebriated state, Lou Dongcang's voice was especially soft and deep, wrapping around one's heart like a cloud.

If you listened closely, there was a hint of grievance.

"Aren't I your wife? Why are you avoiding me? Darling, last night— weren't you a bit excessive?"

The suggestive tone in his voice was unmistakable, making even the drunk understand his insinuation.

Flushing, He Gu picked up a piece of cake and stuffed it into Lou Dongcang's mouth.

His fingers trembled as Lou Dongcang took them, bringing them to his lips, his mesmerizing peach blossom eyes gazing with a hint of amusement, kissing over the knuckles.

"Can you not talk like that? And about last night..."

"You were drunk."

"But I remember... I didn't do anything..."

"What else do you remember?"

He Gu knew he had something to say but couldn't quite grasp what it was. Consequently, he allowed himself to be led by the wrist into the room.

The palm holding him was unexpectedly warm, devoid of its usual coldness.

Once inside the room, He Gu surprisingly remembered the direction to the restroom, saying, "I need to use the bathroom..."

"Alright."

When he returned, Lou Dongcang was nowhere in sight. He Gu lay down on the sofa, slowly closing his eyes, feeling drowsy.

Someone entered the room, the noise causing him to frown in his drowsy state.

A hand touched his face, holding a damp makeup-removing pad.

"Gu Gu, wake up."

"...Hmm?"

"Time to remove your makeup."

He Gu, dazed and sleepy, obediently tilted his face into the hand. The occasional gentle wipe evoked soft hums of comfort from him.

Once his makeup was off, the person asked, "Do you remember what I asked you earlier?"

After a moment's thought, He Gu, relaxed and unbothered, stretched lazily, reaching for the remote control that was poking into his side, nonchalantly saying, "Then reclaim it. Just don't overdo it..."

His words trailed off as he found himself pinned beneath a passionate weight, his wrists gripped with intense possessiveness.

The person then leaned down, the heat of their breath mingling with the sensuous caress of their tongue as it glided over He Gu's Adam's apple.

Instinctively arching his back in response, He Gu occasionally lifted his leg for easier access and then released his grip.

The remote he had been holding fell to the ground.

With a soft clatter.

*

In their married life, their interactions hadn't really changed much.

For three months every year, He Gu would teach music to children on the island. During this time, Lou Dongcang would take time off from work to accompany him. For the remainder of the year, He Gu would return to Huaiyin, spending his time with Lou Dongcang.

Never one for idleness, He Gu decided to revive his previous "blind box" workshop, gradually establishing his own music brand.

This time around, he wasn’t in a rush. Everything progressed methodically, moving forward in the direction he envisioned.

As another spring began, an album He Gu produced became a hit.

At that moment, near a creek by the northern sea behind Cangdong Garden, he sat on a newly installed swing beneath a willow tree, gently rocking as he made a phone call.

Lou Dongcang rolled up his trouser legs and walked over the stepping stones in the flowing creek, moving toward He Gu with the intention of taking away his phone.

"Come on, big brother, let me finish this last call, just one more—I'm asking you not to disturb me—don’t come closer, got it—"

"Try yelling like that tonight, will you?"

Blushing, He Gu reflexively lifted his leg to kick, not expecting Lou Dongcang to remain unmoving. Consequently, he ended up knocking him into the creek.

Lou Dongcang sat in the creek for a couple of seconds, then slowly stood up, wiping water from his face, his eyes devoid of any trace of anger.

He never lost his temper with He Gu.

"I didn't mean to do that, love you."

Covering the mouthpiece of the phone, He Gu quickly offered an explanation, before continuing his call.

He still needed to finalize distribution channels with Ning Zhihe; this was rather urgent.

"He Gu, come play in the water and stop with that damn phone," Lou Dongcang called out, slicking his wet bangs back, "I told you to work, not to kill yourself over it."

"No can do, I've got tons to handle right now, don’t mess around... Ah! It's freezing!"

"Who did you marry? The phone or me? Get down, or I'll splash you again."

"Lou Si, you... If you dare! Don’t get my phone wet!"

"Then get off the swing."

"I won’t. If you can, come get me."

"Challenge accepted."

"Wait, wait! Don't come over! I admit my mistake... I really do! What are you doing? It's cold! Freezing! ... I beg for mercy, okay? ... Ah! You splashed me again!"

"Begging won’t help today."

"Don't crawl over me with those icy hands! ... Ha-ha, that tickles... don't bite..."

Laughter echoed throughout the garden. The sparrows perched on the eaves tilted their heads, puzzled by the antics of the two drenched humans in the creek.

A distant breeze was blowing.

Vegetation was lush, and the frost on the spring mountain had melted.

Author's note:

To my readers who've made it this far, greetings.

This book has been on hiatus for a long time, probably seven or eight months, though I haven’t counted. The reason is simple: I reached a point where I couldn’t continue. I found the upcoming chapters daunting and lacked the confidence to articulate them, and so, fear held me back for months.

After stopping updates, I dared not read the comments. I anticipated plenty of negative feedback, as readers don't pay for unfinished stories. Some readers reached out via Weibo, but I avoided opening their messages and eventually deactivated my account.

Over the past 200 or so days leading up to my return, not a day went by that I didn’t think about this book. But I genuinely felt uncertain about completing it. I understand myself well.

I knew that if I started a new project, I’d keep avoiding this one, perpetually reassuring myself that I'd come back to it "later." And perhaps that "later" would never arrive. I detest that kind of procrastination. Hence, I didn't start anything new. I’m well aware of my tendency to flee.

I won’t delve into specifics. Much has transpired in the past year, and sharing every detail might come off as seeking pity, which I'd rather avoid.

Nor am I seeking your sympathy. I acknowledge that I’m the one at fault here.

The best way for quitters to redeem themselves is to pick up where they left off and see things through. Hence, I’ve returned to complete this book.

To my eyes, the current ending is satisfying and the best I could muster. I hope you all enjoy it.

Revenue from this book was less than 10,000 yuan before I stopped updating. Numerous unauthorized copies reduced its earning potential. After writing for four months, I netted a mere 4,000 yuan or so. But one day, after months without updating, I logged into Jinjiang and was pleasantly surprised to find several hundred yuan in my account, reminiscent of finding money in an old coat pocket. That unexpected joy was shadowed by guilt.

Thankfully, the book is now complete. I've finally mustered the courage to meet your expectations, and I hope it's not too late.

I deeply apologize for making you wait so long.

I’m sorry.

Thank you all.

Thank you for your hard work.

I deeply appreciate the understanding and patience of every genuine reader who has reached this point. It's your subscriptions, support, and generous contributions that have sustained me until now, enabling me to complete this book.