Chapter 20: Marriage is about us

Xu Lin stood there for a long time before finally coming back to his senses. The weight of Ji Jixuan’s squeeze still lingered on his shoulder, as if it had seeped through his skin into his bones, leaving a tingling numbness.

He was still annoyed, but somehow, not as much anymore.

He had a lot more he wanted to say to Ji Jixuan, but seeing him busy with what seemed like a long phone call, he held back. Interrupting someone focused on work never felt quite right. Besides, what Ji Jixuan had just said had struck him like a pebble to the chest.

Since Ji Jixuan was occupied, Xu Lin could only leave.

He glanced out the floor-to-ceiling window. A group of people were packing up in the courtyard, preparing to leave. After a moment’s thought, he slipped out while Ji Jixuan wasn’t looking.

He found the man who had helped him try on the rings earlier, still carrying a ring case. Xu Lin asked, “Do you have any other styles?”

The man replied, “The ones we showed you earlier are all styles Mr. Ji approved.”

“And what about these? Aren’t they rings too?”

Xu Lin noticed several transparent ring cases on the car seat, filled with beautiful matching rings.

The man said, “These are a batch we custom-made for retail sale. They’re more affordable compared to the ones Mr. Ji chose. Mr. Ji doesn’t care for them.” In other words, these were cheaper options that Ji Jixuan had dismissed.

Ji Jixuan might not have liked them, but Xu Lin certainly did.

“Can I take a look?”

The man naturally obliged. He opened the case. Xu Lin rummaged through and selected a pair. The bands were slender, designed with a feather motif—heads and tails linked together—with a blue sapphire set on each band. Most importantly, both rings were men’s styles.

Xu Lin tried one on. It fit perfectly.

“This is our new collection, designed by the renowned Mr. Jeff. He drew inspiration from the story of wild geese. Since ancient times, geese mate for life. If one dies, the other never seeks a new partner. The sapphire matches this symbolism, so this pair represents loyalty, devotion, and eternal love.”

Xu Lin’s grip on the ring tightened.

After Ji Jixuan finished his call, Xu Lin was just walking back in. His face no longer showed the disappointment from earlier—he seemed to have recovered from his low mood. Seeing Ji Jixuan looking at him, he even smiled brightly.

Whatever he was smiling about, he had cheered himself up on his own.

Their wedding was set for noon the next day.

After all the preparations, night fell quickly.

This was the first night Xu Lin and Ji Jixuan spent in their new home.

The refrigerator was empty of ingredients—probably not yet stocked. It was too late to go shopping now, and Xu Lin didn’t even know where to buy anything. Ji Jixuan had gone into the study in the afternoon and hadn’t come out since. Xu Lin couldn’t very well ask him to take him out.

After rummaging through every cupboard, Xu Lin found only a bag of dried noodles. He simply boiled two bowls.

Two sets of bowls and chopsticks sat on the dining table. Xu Lin stared at them and grinned stupidly for a long time, then excitedly went to the study to call Ji Jixuan.

The study door was open. Ji Jixuan sat at the desk with a laptop, wearing a single earbud, reviewing something on the screen.

Xu Lin knocked lightly twice. Ji Jixuan looked up.

“Time to eat.”

“I’m not hungry. You go ahead.”

“You haven’t eaten all day. That won’t do.” Xu Lin asked, “Should I bring it up for you?”

In the end, Ji Jixuan sat at the same dining table with Xu Lin.

The air was filled with the aroma of noodles.

They sat across from each other.

Xu Lin didn’t need to cover his face with gauze in front of Ji Jixuan. His scarred features were softened by the steam rising from the noodles. Only his eyes remained—bright as stars, unmistakable in any light.

He ate with focus, head down. When he looked up, he found Ji Jixuan staring at him, chopsticks untouched.

“Why aren’t you eating?” Xu Lin said. “The noodles will get mushy.”

Only after that did Ji Jixuan look away from his face, pick up his chopsticks, take a small bite, then a few spoonfuls of soup, and stopped.

Xu Lin had already eaten most of his bowl. Seeing Ji Jixuan eat so little, he asked, “You don’t like noodles?”

Ji Jixuan said, “Not very hungry.”

A plain bowl of noodles without even a fried egg—Xu Lin could eat it easily, but a picky young master like Ji Jixuan wouldn’t. It probably wasn’t hunger; he just didn’t like it.

Xu Lin understood. For a moment, it felt like they were back at the river embankment. Remembering the past, he couldn’t help but smile.

“If you don’t like it, don’t force yourself. It’s fine.”

“The house, cough—” The word “home” felt intimate, especially “their home.” Xu Lin still wasn’t used to it and stumbled over his words, but he pushed through. “The house isn’t stocked yet. Tomorrow, let’s go out and buy fresh groceries. I’ll cook something you like.”

Ji Jixuan poked at the noodles with his chopsticks, saying nothing.

“Give it to me.”

Xu Lin finished his own bowl, then pulled Ji Jixuan’s over and continued eating.

Ji Jixuan watched him, a flicker of surprise crossing his face, his brow furrowing slightly. Xu Lin caught it out of the corner of his eye, startled. He looked more closely, but Ji Jixuan’s expression was calm and unreadable again—as if it had been his imagination.

Xu Lin slurped the noodles. “Back in my hometown, no one wastes food. Since you don’t want it, I’ll eat it. It’s nothing. Don’t worry, I have a good appetite—two bowls of noodles are nothing.”

Until Xu Lin had finished both bowls, soup and all, Ji Jixuan remained silent.

After the meal, Ji Jixuan returned to the study. Xu Lin washed the dishes and cleaned up. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was 9 PM.

A bit early… but maybe it was time to wash up and sleep?

Xu Lin rubbed his earlobes, suddenly nervous.

He shuffled slowly, like a snail, to the study door. With deliberate naivety, he asked Ji Jixuan, “Which room am I sleeping in?”

“The master bedroom.” Ji Jixuan didn’t look up.

And you? When are you coming to bed? He wanted to ask, but the words caught in his throat. He worried it might seem too forward, that Ji Jixuan might misunderstand.

So he said nothing.

“I want to take a shower.” He suddenly changed the subject.

The air froze for two seconds. Ji Jixuan looked up from across the room and stared at him without speaking.

His gaze seemed to say something rather provocative, as if Xu Lin was deliberately hinting at something.

Xu Lin really didn’t mean it that way. He continued, “I don’t have any clothes to change into…”

Some of the clothes he’d accumulated over four years at school had been taken back to District Thirteen; the rest he’d packed in his backpack and given to Ji Jixuan. Even worn-out clothes were bought with money, and Xu Lin couldn’t bring himself to throw them away.

He’d intended for Ji Jixuan to keep them safe for him until he returned, but his backpack had disappeared. Nowhere to be found. Probably lost by accident.

“There are clothes in the wardrobe,” Ji Jixuan said.

“…Oh.”

Xu Lin turned and left, padding away in his slippers to the master bedroom, feeling as though he had a fever—burning from head to toe.

He showered, then opened the wardrobe. It was filled with brand-new clothes of all styles, far better than the ones he’d lost.

Xu Lin ran his fingers over the smooth fabrics for a long time before finally picking out pajamas to change into.

They fit perfectly.

Xu Lin climbed into the double bed and lay flat for two minutes, then suddenly sprang up like a fish and soundlessly squealed, rolling around under the covers.

The blanket was a tangled mess.

Xu Lin poked his head out, got up, and went back to the study.

As soon as he entered, Ji Jixuan looked at him. Xu Lin was fresh from the shower, still radiating damp steam. His short hair was wet, not dried.

He walked to the desk and asked quietly, “Ji Jixuan, how much longer will you be busy?”

Ji Jixuan said, “You go to sleep first.”

“I can’t sleep.” Xu Lin pointed to the sofa nearby. “Can I keep you company here?”

Ji Jixuan refused. “Tomorrow will be busy. Get some rest, or you’ll be exhausted.”

“…Alright.”

Steamed by the water vapor, the scars on Xu Lin’s face seemed more prominent than during the day.

Under the light, Ji Jixuan’s gaze darkened. His lips curved downward, and his tone turned cold. “Did you apply your medication?”

“Ah,” Xu Lin remembered. “I forgot. I put it with my clothes in the backpack I gave you.”

And the backpack was gone. So were the medicines.

Those were all provided by Ji Jixuan—they must have cost a lot of time and money. Xu Lin expected him to be angry about losing them, but Ji Jixuan’s expression didn’t change. He simply said, “It’s fine. I’ll have more sent over tomorrow.”

“From now on, don’t forget to apply it even for one day, understand?”

Xu Lin smiled. “Got it.”

He remembered something he’d forgotten to ask earlier. “What’s that room on the third floor for? I saw a lot of medical equipment.”

Ji Jixuan said, “It’s for you.”

“For me?”

“Everything in there is for treating your injuries.”

For the scars on his face, Ji Jixuan had specially arranged a treatment room and brought in expensive machines—some that even hospitals might not have.

Xu Lin felt a bit guilty. “You didn’t have to go to all that trouble. It’s fine to have scars…”

Before he could finish, Ji Jixuan cut him off sharply. “It’s not fine.”

Xu Lin paused.

“Take good care of it.” Ji Jixuan seemed to realize his tone was too harsh, and softened it. “I want to see you the way you used to be.”

Xu Lin touched his own face and sighed in resignation. “Alright.” He suddenly raised his hand, curled a knuckle, and gently flicked Ji Jixuan on the forehead.

Very light.

Ji Jixuan’s fingers on the keyboard curled slightly, and a look of shock appeared in his eyes. Probably no one had ever done that to him before.

Xu Lin enjoyed seeing this side of Ji Jixuan—different from his usual self.

He braced his hands on the desk and leaned in, casting a hazy shadow over Ji Jixuan. “So,” Xu Lin asked, “do you prefer the old me, or the current me?”

Ji Jixuan pressed his lips together. Xu Lin was patient now, waiting for an answer.

He seemed to imply that he wouldn’t leave until Ji Jixuan answered. Finally, after a long pause, Ji Jixuan squeezed out a single word, “Both.”

Just one word, but at least it wasn’t silence.

Progress.

Xu Lin smiled. “That’s good.” His eyes curved into lovely crescents. “Thank you, Xuan-ge.”

At that, Ji Jixuan’s amber pupils contracted slightly.

Xuan-ge.

Usually, people called him “Xiao Lin-ge.”

This was the first time Xu Lin had ever called anyone else by such a name.

Ji Jixuan’s ID card had a string of numbers for his birth date. He and Xu Lin were the same age, but by the exact date, he was a month older.

So calling him “ge” wasn’t out of place.

Judging by Ji Jixuan’s reaction, it was probably the first time anyone had called him that too.

Xu Lin leaned in a little more. The faint scent of body wash drifted from his collar, enveloping Ji Jixuan like a mist.

Ji Jixuan’s eyes flickered slightly.

Xu Lin, oblivious, was delighted by this special nickname between them.

“Do you like it?”

“I’ll call you that from now on.”

“Goodnight.”

After Xu Lin left, Ji Jixuan sat at the desk for a long time without moving.

It took him a while to react. He pulled off his earbud and tossed it onto the desk with a thud. He closed his laptop, leaned back into his chair, and rubbed his brow. As he did, a faint fragrance wafted into his nose.

He paused for a second, then opened his palm and sniffed it.

He hadn’t even touched Xu Lin, so why did his palm smell like him? He touched his forehead where Xu Lin had flicked him, then brought his fingers to his nose—an even stronger scent.

It seemed like his scent was everywhere.

Ji Jixuan felt an unusual irritation. He reached somewhat roughly for the small cabinet under the desk, opened it, and revealed a small refrigerated safe with a lock.

He opened it, took out a tube of liquid, and downed it in one go.

The next morning, at the break of dawn, Xu Lin woke to the sound of birdsong.

His head felt heavy. His first instinct was to check the other side of the bed. It was empty, untouched.

Ji Jixuan hadn’t come to bed.

Dark circles hung under Xu Lin’s eyes. He hadn’t rested well.

He’d been too excited all night, and his unfamiliar surroundings made it hard to sleep. He tossed and turned for hours and only dozed off in the early morning—probably getting less than an hour of deep sleep.

After washing up, he still hadn’t seen Ji Jixuan.

He thought Ji Jixuan might have slept elsewhere and searched around, but found no one. A thought crossed his mind. He went to the study and, sure enough, found Ji Jixuan at the desk.

In the same spot as yesterday.

He hadn’t slept all night.

Work must be that busy, to stay up all night.

Xu Lin was surprised. “You didn’t sleep at all? You can’t neglect rest even if you’re busy.”

Despite staying up, Ji Jixuan looked just as sharp and composed as ever, showing no sign of fatigue. “It’s fine.”

Xu Lin said with concern, “Are you hungry? There’s only noodles at home. I’ll make some. Even if you don’t like it, please have a little to tide you over.”

The mountain morning was misty. Xu Lin opened a window and took a deep breath. The fresh scent of plants mixed with water vapor was quite pleasant.

Today was likely to be a good day.

A good day for a wedding.

In high spirits, Xu Lin hummed a tune as he went to the kitchen to boil the remaining noodles for breakfast.

After cooking, Ji Jixuan came down from the study.

As before, he only ate a few bites before stopping, and Xu Lin finished the rest.

“Time to go.”

After Xu Lin finished eating, Ji Jixuan glanced at the clock and stood to leave.

Xu Lin quickly followed.

“Oh, what should we wear later?”

Xu Lin knew nothing about the wedding ceremony; Ji Jixuan had arranged everything. But his curiosity got the better of him. “Where are we having the ceremony?”

“You’ll see soon enough.”

The car was parked in the villa’s garage. Ji Jixuan hadn’t called for a driver today—he drove himself.

Once in the car, he noticed something unusual.

Two paper dragonflies, one large and one small, hung from the rearview mirror.

They weren’t there yesterday. Clearly, Xu Lin had put them up.

Xu Lin climbed into the passenger seat and was buckling his seatbelt when Ji Jixuan asked, “What’s this?”

Xu Lin smiled mysteriously. “Paper dragonflies I folded. Pretty, aren’t they?”

He flicked the smaller one hanging below, and it swayed gently.

Ji Jixuan didn’t pay it much mind.

Ji Jixuan drove steadily, winding through mountain roads for some time. Xu Lin stared out at the nearly identical scenery until his eyes grew tired.

He rubbed his sore eyes.

Ji Jixuan said, “It’ll be a while. If you’re tired, sleep.”

“It’s fine. I’ll keep you company.”

Though he said that, Ji Jixuan didn’t have much to say. Xu Lin chatted aimlessly for a few minutes before his eyelids grew heavy. Eventually, his head tilted to the side and he fell asleep.

When he woke, the car had stopped.

Mountains still surrounded them.

The car was parked in front of a small building resembling a castle—small, like something from an old movie. A bit worn, but very clean.

“Are we here?” His voice was raspy from sleep.

No one answered. He turned to look at the driver’s seat—Ji Jixuan was gone.

Where was he?

Xu Lin got out and looked around. He spotted Ji Jixuan walking toward him from a short distance away. It was Ji Jixuan, but in a different set of clothes.

Ji Jixuan was wearing a white suit. He walked closer and closer, and Xu Lin’s heartbeat grew louder with each step.

When he reached Xu Lin, Xu Lin was still staring, as if transfixed.

After a moment, Xu Lin couldn’t help but praise him. “It really suits you.”

Ji Jixuan handed him a paper bag. Xu Lin asked, “What’s this?”

Inside was a white suit.

Xu Lin instantly understood.

Ears reddening, he took out his own set. “I’ll go change.”

“Mm.”

There was no changing room nearby, so Xu Lin got back into the car to change.

It was identical to Ji Jixuan’s.

Unfortunately, there was no mirror. He wished he could see what they looked like standing together.

The small building stood amid the mountains. On the open ground before it, there were only the two of them.

“Are we getting married here?” Xu Lin looked at the building. “Is this a church? It doesn’t look like the ones in movies.”

“Yes. This is a church in Danshi. The priest will arrive soon.”

“Oh, okay.”

Xu Lin studied the church. Though small, every detail was exquisite. The reliefs and murals on the eaves and pillars were lifelike, and the dome was adorned with beautiful frescoes glowing with a faint golden hue under the sun.

The most striking feature was the enormous stained-glass window inside.

It looked like it was made of countless colorful gems, refracting a dazzling, brilliant light.

“Like a rainbow,” Xu Lin murmured softly.

He walked up to the window. Patches of brilliant color fell on his face and body, as if he could touch the rainbow itself, drape it over himself.

He reached out, made a fist, opened and closed it repeatedly—grasping handful after handful of rainbow light.

Smiling, Xu Lin turned to Ji Jixuan. “I love this place.”

Ji Jixuan looked at him, silent for a long time, then said, “I’m glad you like it.”

About twenty minutes later, a man in priestly attire arrived.

Xu Lin had been wondering: they’d been here so long, yet no guests had arrived.

His family and friends couldn’t come, but what about Ji Jixuan’s?

So he asked.

Ji Jixuan replied, “Xu Lin, no one is coming.”

“What?”

Xu Lin was stunned for a few seconds. No one is coming—what did that mean? “Your family… your friends aren’t coming either? You’re getting married today.”

For the first time, Ji Jixuan spoke of his family. “My parents died early. My older brother can’t make it for certain reasons. My grandfather is busy with research and rarely has free time. So today, none of my family will be here.”

“I told you before—I don’t want too many people knowing about our wedding. It’s not safe for me, and I worry about you. The fewer people who know, the better.”

“There won’t be any guests today.”

To Ji Jixuan’s surprise, Xu Lin didn’t react with strong emotion. He listened quietly and didn’t argue.

“Do you blame me?” Ji Jixuan asked.

Xu Lin laughed at the question and shook his head. “No.”

No flowers, no witnesses, no applause—none of that mattered.

“Marriage is about the two of us. As long as we’re together, as long as you’re here with me, that’s enough. Guests or no guests, it doesn’t matter.

“We’re getting married in such a beautiful place. I’m overjoyed.

He stepped forward and hugged Ji Jixuan, resting his face on his chest. “Your parents must be proud of you. I’m an orphan—I don’t know who my parents are. I never had a home growing up. Then I met my teacher. He took me in. He was my first family. So I really wanted him to come to my wedding and see us unite. Of course, it’s a shame he can’t, but there’s nothing to be done about it. I don’t blame you.

“I used to think my teacher would be my only family. But after today, I’ll have one more.”

He looked up and met Ji Jixuan’s gaze.

Seriously, he said, “Ji Jixuan, from now on, no matter what you do, as long as you want me there, I’ll be by your side. Whenever you need me, no matter what happens, I’ll come to you.

“I’ll hold your hand and walk with you to the very end.

“I’ll become your family.

“We’ll be together forever.”