Thank you, Mom.

The moon is bright tonight, casting a pale light on the dark clouds.

The master bedroom window was not closed. Chen Chi held Chu Sinian as they fell asleep, their foreheads touching and their legs intertwined, the soft blanket covering their entwined hips and legs.

Chu Sinian casually pinched Chen Chi's nose, feeling his warm breath coming and going. Chen Chi was happy to indulge him, and the hand behind his waist gently massaged him.

Chu Sinian played for a while, then suddenly sat up. His handsome face was shrouded in a hazy beauty under the moonlight. He smiled and said, "I have a gift for you."

Chen Chi sat up, leaned against the headboard, and turned to look at him: "What gift?"

Chu Sinian, supporting his aching back and legs, went to the living room to pick up the coat he had worn that day. He then rummaged around downstairs, found a wallet, and took out the cards inside.

He returned to the bedroom, sat on the edge of the bed, smiled sweetly, and handed him the cards with a hint of shyness: "Three cards, the password is your birthday, there's a total of over 52 million in the cards, your dowry is here... You, do you want to marry me?"

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something, retreated behind the bed, knelt on one knee, and presented the three cards with the red and purple marks on his body, promising, "I will treat you well and will never lose my temper with you again."

Chen Chi was stunned for a long time. He got out of bed with heavy steps and hugged Chu Sinian. He knelt down and felt an urge to cry. His eyes were red and he chuckled softly, "Don't your knees hurt? Why are you still kneeling on the ground?"

Chu Sinian pressed his leg against Chen Chi's thigh and asked earnestly, "You still haven't said whether you'll marry me or not."

Chen Chi picked him up and placed him on the bed, holding him tightly. He took the card from his hand and kissed the corner of his eye. "How could I not agree? I'll accept the betrothal gifts, and you have to accept my dowry too."

Chu Sinian didn't take the dowry matter to heart. He abandoned the funds needed for living and scientific research, and gave all the money he had left to Chen Chi, becoming penniless in the blink of an eye.

He also owns two houses that have not yet been converted into cash: one is the wooden house he renovated years ago, and the other is his current apartment.

He won't sell the two houses unless it's an emergency.

Chu Sinian's days of being penniless didn't last a single day. The next morning, he got up as usual, washed up, and opened his bedroom door to find a huge bunch of violets in front of him, so large that it occupied the entire doorway.

Chu Sinian was a little puzzled. He half-squatted down and touched the petals. Just then, someone walked over to him.

Chen Chi knelt down beside him. "Niannian, stand up."

Chu Sinian instinctively obeyed and stood up, his view suddenly widening.

The furniture that I had reluctantly sold has returned to the apartment and is arranged exactly as it was. The living room is decorated with flowers everywhere, including purple roses, purple tulips, lisianthus, gardenias, and white camellias, filling the entire space.

The curtains shimmered with a soft, warm light, casting a soft glow on the pure white gardenia petals, making the entire hall appear pristine and hazy.

Chen Chi knelt on one knee, wearing an extremely expensive and exquisite suit, his hair neatly styled, and his cold and handsome face revealed an unparalleled sincerity.

His fingertips trembled slightly as he opened the small box in his hand, his gaze fixed on Chu Sinian with unwavering determination, his voice low and deep: "Chu Sinian, are you willing to become my partner?"

The moment the box was opened, a flash of light caught Chu Sinian's slightly curved eyes, revealing a ring with its face set with blue diamonds, understated yet luxurious and extremely elegant.

Chu Sinian's smile bloomed like a gardenia, and spring water seemed to well up in his eyes, dripping onto the ring face and leaving watermarks. The English letters Nian on the backlit side were immersed in the water.

He raised his hand and said, "I do."

Chen Chi's legs trembled, and he knelt down, pulling a straight line as he slipped the ring onto Chu Sinian's left ring finger.

Then he lowered his head reverently, his lips gently imprinted on Chu Sinian's ring finger. He rested his head on the back of Chu Sinian's hand, his voice hoarse: "I never thought this day would come."

"I love you, year after year."

—

Fireworks are banned in Dong'an city, so the festive atmosphere of the city always feels a bit lacking on New Year's Day.

Chen Chi drove Chu Sinian to the suburbs. The roadside was sparsely populated, and the snow covered both sides of the road, making it look somewhat desolate.

It was the coldest time of winter, and Chu Sinian was unusually wearing a cotton-padded coat. His hands were wrapped in rabbit-shaped furry gloves, which looked rather cruel compared to his hands, which were bony and had prominent veins, gripping the steering wheel in the driver's seat.

It took two hours to drive before we finally stopped.

A few houses are scattered across the suburbs, with firework debris lying in front of them. The occasional clinking of children's laughter adds a touch of festive spirit to the otherwise quiet scene.

As soon as Chu Sinian got out of the car, Chen Chi walked up to him and tied his scarf around his neck. After tying it, he took Chu Sinian's hand and led him forward.

Why aren't you wearing gloves?

"It's not cold."

"Then I'm not cold."

Chen Chi stretched out his index finger, parted the furry covering, and reached inside the glove. The temperature under his skin was slightly cool, even lower than the temperature he felt despite the bone-chilling wind.

He glanced sideways at Chu Sinian: "Aren't you cold?"

Caught red-handed, Chu Sinian shrugged, not caring much: "It's not that I'm cold, I just have a low body temperature. You've wrapped me up like a dumpling."

Chen Chi quickened his pace, put his arm around his waist, and felt the fabric stretch his waist a size larger. His tone was a little amused, "Very cute."

Chu Sinian walked much faster under his guidance, and they arrived at their destination a few minutes later.

Before me stood a detached wooden cabin, and about ten kilometers behind it lay a forest. Winter had turned the forest cold and desolate, the branches bare and covered in frost and snow.

A sense of nostalgia washed over Chu Sinian. He stepped forward and touched the railing by the door. It was very clean, except for being a little cold.

He stepped onto the wooden railing and entered the house. The furnishings inside were the same as before, and a light dust floated in the warm light, like speckled halos in the air.

Chen Chi said, "We had someone come and clean it, but it's been so long since anyone lived here that the dust couldn't be swept away."

Chu Sinian smiled and said, "This place is not really suitable for living anyway, but I'll keep it as a memento."

Chen Chi closed the door and led Chu Sinian to sit on the tatami mat in the hall.

Chu Sinian untied the scarf and gloves that were binding him, rubbed his nose, and said, "I didn't expect there would be anyone here during the New Year."

Chen Chi stuffed the gloves he had dropped into his pocket and folded up the scarf. "Fireworks aren't allowed in the city center, but there aren't as many restrictions here."

"But since it's close to the grave, there's pretty much no taboo about it."

Chen Chi pinched the soft flesh on his cheek and asked, "Do you want to go see your mother?"

Chu Sinian opened his eyes wide and smiled, saying, "You call me Mom?"

Chen Chi couldn't resist kissing the corner of his lips. "What, you've already put the ring on and you're trying to back out?"

Chu Sinian shrugged, indicating that he didn't mean that.

The people he had called earlier had only given the house a simple cleaning. Chen Chi hadn't wanted anyone else to come in, but he was with Chu Sinian and couldn't leave. It still looked rather shabby. Chen Chi had anticipated this, as he had packed a lot of things in his car before coming.

He went outside and brought the things back inside.

Chu Sinian wanted to go up and help, so Chen Chi picked out a flower from the bouquet he had brought and handed it to him, asking Chu Sinian to take good care of it.

Chu Sinian was so fooled that he almost laughed, but he didn't persist and rested in the hall watching Chen Chi busy himself.

After the two boxes of belongings were unpacked and arranged, the house was completely transformed. Scattered red lucky charms hung in the living room, newly purchased tableware was placed in the kitchen, the bedding in the rooms had been changed, and red roses that had been brought with them hung on the walls.

Even the outside of the wooden house is planted with gardenias in a ceremonial way.

After finishing all this, Chen Chi went to the bathroom to shower and change clothes. Once he was clean, he went to the living room and hugged Chu Sinian.

Chu Sinian was used to being held, so he nestled in a comfortable angle and let his head rest on Chen Chi's chest. Chen Chi's palm covered his waist, measuring him unintentionally, "You've gained a little weight."

Chu Sinian replied to Kong Bo's message, saying, "How can I not gain weight when you're constantly urging me to eat? I don't like exercising anyway."

Chen Chi lowered his head and kissed his forehead. "What message did you reply with?"

Chu Sinian held up his phone to show him.

Kong Bo asked him if he wanted to go to his house to ask for a red envelope to liven things up, as the two hadn't seen each other for a long time.

Chu Sinian told him he wouldn't go.

Chen Chi wrapped his arm around his waist and said in a low voice, "Why aren't you going? Didn't you always love visiting other people's homes?"

Chu Sinian poked his arm, "That's because I was too lonely before, but now I have you. Besides, it's not really appropriate for me to go there now, but Yu Shi can go to Germany."

Chen Chi frowned, understanding his meaning, "Who are you? Do they dare to say a word against you?"

Chu Sinian knew that Chen Chi had been busy for a while to clean up those messy accounts, and had ruthlessly used his power to crack down on the rumors and gossip about him in the industry. When one warning failed, Chen Chi personally intervened, forcing several entrepreneurs to go bankrupt, go to jail, and completely withdraw from the historical stage, causing chaos in Beijing.

The situation in Dong'an was better. After hearing the news from Beijing, no one dared to gossip anymore, and they only dared to chat about it privately when they got home.

The Ning and Kong families, who were acquainted with Chu Sinian, learned that the center of the incident was actually that young Chu Sinian. Considering their long-standing friendship, they secretly exerted pressure on him. Shocked, they asked Ning Zicheng and Kong Bo to contact Chu Sinian and ask for his help.

Chu Sinian was unaware of these things, but Chen Chi knew them perfectly well. Their help earned Chu Sinian's gratitude, which in turn earned Chen Chi's gratitude as well.

This ruthless and shrewd leader of the Si Lian Group had taken good care of him in all the business dealings they had, something Chu Sinian was unaware of.

His life was completely and tightly enveloped by Chen Chi. He could fly wherever he wanted, and he was always safe and sound. Behind him always stood a Yama, the King of Hell, who would protect him from all hardships, bitterness, dirt, and stones. This had become a consensus in the circle.

Chu Sinian touched the end of his eyebrow and said, "I want to go too, but I'm afraid they won't welcome me."

"No." Chen Chi's eyes were straight and sharp, and he naturally had a sharp look in his eyes. In addition, the aura of a person in a position of authority he had acquired had removed some of his fierceness and added a sense of oppression and majesty that he unintentionally revealed.

He rarely lowered his gaze when looking at people. When facing Chu Sinian, he would unconsciously reveal his aggressiveness and look at him calmly. "There were some rumors circulating in Dong'an at first, and they put pressure on him."

Chu Sinian's eyes lit up. "I really didn't know they didn't mind these things."

Chen Chi couldn't resist kissing his eyes. "Baby, no one will ever get to know you and still not like you."

Chu Sinian was secretly delighted. After all, he had seen too many heartless and ungrateful people, and he truly believed that there were few genuine people around him. He had anticipated that Ning Zicheng's family would intervene, and he would have to pay them a visit sooner or later.

He truly hadn't expected things to turn out this way with Kong Bo's family; he thought that self-interest would always outweigh emotions. But it wasn't so bad after all.

Thinking of this, Chu Sinian looked up at Chen Chi again.

Looking up at him, he could only see the other person's sharp jawline, the tip of their nose, and the tender eyes that looked at him intently.

He tilted his head back and kissed his chin. "Since you know all this, you must have dealt with those people before. Did you even help me repay a favor?"

Chen Chi hummed in agreement, not surprised at all; Chu Sinian had always been very clever.

Seeing that he really didn't say anything no matter what he did, Chu Sinian felt a little angry, so he leaned in and kissed the corner of his lips again, "Even such a hard mouth feels soft when kissed."

Chen Chi's temple throbbed a few times before he lowered his head and kissed Chu Sinian deeply and passionately. The kiss was both tender and profound, the sound of their intertwined waters echoing throughout the wooden house, as if love were being transferred to each other's bodies.

For the first ten years or so of his life, Chen Chi grew up safely thanks to the kindness bestowed upon him by Chu Sinian. Now, from this day forward, Chen Chi will take control of Chu Sinian's life, ensuring that he can soar freely across the world like an eagle.

Chu Sinian, slightly out of breath, smiled and pushed him away, "That's enough, you won't be able to see your mother-in-law later."

The cemetery was only two or three kilometers away from the wooden house, and snow was falling softly outside.

The wind blew through the woods, and Chen Chi blocked the oncoming wind. Chu Sinian, wearing a scarf, walked beside him. Snowflakes landed on his eyebrows and eyes, covering them with a thin layer of frost, making him look somewhat serene.

Chen Chi held his hand while rubbing snowflakes off his skin with his fingertips. "We should have driven here."

Chu Sinian shook his head, his voice slightly nasal, "I've been sitting in the car for too long, I want to walk around."

The bouquet of fresh flowers he was holding was all white and withered. Chu Sinian brushed the petals aside through his gloves and said, "I have to go to Kong Jianing's house in a couple of days. In what capacity will you come with me?"

Visiting elders is a very serious matter for him. He wonders if those old fogies would be terrified if they knew he had a boyfriend.

"fiancé."

Chu Sinian looked at him, somewhat incredulous, "Fiancé?"

Chen Chi showed him the ring on his hand, "Well, we're missing a wedding ceremony and a marriage certificate."

Chu Sinian smiled helplessly, "I mean, how should I address my elders? It doesn't seem quite appropriate to do it as a friend."

"Don't worry about that, they know," Chen Chi said casually.

Chu Sinian was reluctant to believe it, but everything Chen Chi had said was true. "How did they know?"

"When they repay a favor, they should understand your place in my heart."

Chu Sinian was still a little embarrassed about making their relationship public on a large scale. He couldn't help but rub his forehead, "Looks like only my mom doesn't know."

The two arrived at the cemetery shortly afterward.

During the Spring Festival, this place was deserted, desolate and quiet.

Chu Sinian walked familiarly to the tombstone with the flowers in his arms. He put down the bouquet and knelt down, but Chen Chi was one step ahead of him, pulling off his scarf and placing it on the hard snow. "Kneel down."

Without waiting for Chu Sinian's reply, he decisively knelt down on one knee, waiting for Chu Sinian to speak.

Chu Sinian felt inexplicably flustered. He coughed lightly and said to the tombstone, "Mom, he is the person I told you about last time. We are together now."

As he spoke, he took off his gloves, revealing a diamond ring on his long, slender, white fingers, the tips of which were tinged with red. "We're... engaged too."

Chu Sinian's mind was in a mess, and he didn't know what to say for a moment.

Chen Chi lowered his dark eyes, took the cold hand in his hand to warm it, and knelt up straight: "Auntie, hello. My name is Chen Chi. I am Si Nian's fiancé. We will be getting married at the beginning of this year. I hope you can give us your blessing."

"As you can see, I am a man. I hope you will not blame Si Nian for marrying me. From now on, I will cherish him a hundred times more than my own life. If I break my promise in the slightest, I wish to suffer for all eternity..."

Chu Sinian quickly grabbed his hand as he swore, and whispered a reproach, "What are you doing? Why are you swearing an oath? Don't do this."

Chen Chi looked at him with incredibly deep and calm eyes. He reassured Chu Sinian and continued to say to Zhong Lin, "If I break my promise in the slightest, I wish to suffer a terrible death for all eternity."

Chen Chi bent down, his forehead almost touching the base of the monument.

Then, he knelt upright again and said, "If you have pity on the hardships that Si Nian has gone through, I hope you will bless him with a peaceful and prosperous life. Of course, I will also fulfill all his wishes."

"Thank you for bringing Si Nian to me."

Chu Sinian felt a lump in his throat, his hands, which were wrapped around his neck, clenched slightly, and he smiled as he said, "Mom, I'm not staying in the past anymore, you should go too."

The wind blew gently, and the sun was as warm as it had been that day, its bright halo shining over Chu Sinian's head, as if a divine blessing had been bestowed upon his face.

The young man kneeling before the tomb seemed to sense something; his dark eyes showed a hint of confusion. Then a snowflake landed on his eyelashes, turning into a teardrop that flowed down his cheek.

Chu Sinian touched it with his fingertips; it was wet.

He paused, his gaze trembling slightly, and whispered in his heart: Mom, is that you?

No one responded. The wind gently caressed his soft hair, lifting a few strands that brushed against his eyebrows and eyes.

Chu Sinian no longer doubted, and a very innocent smile appeared on his face.