Sunlight streamed through the clean glass windows, casting warm dappled patterns on the softly carpeted wooden floor. The air was filled with the aroma of toasting bread and the rich scent of freshly ground coffee. Outside, the familiar hustle and bustle of the city unfolded: car horns honking, the occasional bark of the neighbor's dog—everything ordinary, mundane, yet brimming with a comforting, everyday warmth.
Su Nian sat at the dining table, holding a cup of hot milk, watching the figure busy in the open kitchen, still feeling somewhat dazed.
Xie Chen.
The ancient god, who once ruled a divine realm and could rewrite the rules with a flick of her finger, was now wearing a light gray loungewear set identical to hers, printed with a cute cartoon fox. Her brows were slightly furrowed as she intently stared at the frying pan in front of her. Inside, two fried eggs sizzled in the hot oil, their edges gradually turning an enticing golden brown.
His movements still carried a subtle, understated elegance befitting someone in a position of power, yet they were also tinged with obvious awkwardness and…cautiousness. It was as if he were dealing not with a simple breakfast, but with some kind of energy core that required precise manipulation.
"The heat... seems a bit too high?" he muttered to himself, raising his hand to adjust the gas stove knob, but his fingertips unconsciously gathered a barely perceptible golden light, as if he intended to use divine power to directly "define" the doneness of the egg.
"No!" Su Nian quickly stopped her, somewhat amused and exasperated. "Just flip it over with a spatula, Mr. Xie."
Xie Chen paused, then readily released the divine power from his fingertips, picked up the wooden spatula beside him, and stiffly flipped the fried egg over. His earnest profile was incredibly gentle in the morning light.
This is their life after "going home." In a modern city that Xie Chen constructed based on her memories, indistinguishable from the real world, they own a cozy apartment and live the most ordinary of lives.
Breakfast was finally completed without major mishaps. Although the edges of the fried egg were slightly burnt and the toast was a little overcooked, Su Nian ate it with relish. To her, this slightly burnt breakfast was more precious than any delicacy from the divine realm.
"What are your plans for today?" Xie Chen watched her finish the last bite before picking up a tissue and casually wiping away non-existent crumbs from the corners of her mouth, his eyes so tender they could melt.
"Hmm... I need to go to the publishing house to discuss the new book contract." Su Nian sipped her milk, thinking to herself, "Then I'll go to the supermarket to buy some ingredients; I want to have hot pot tonight."
“I’ll go with you,” Xie Chen replied immediately, his tone matter-of-fact and brooking no refusal. Although he had suppressed all his imposing aura, his deep-seated possessiveness and protectiveness were still evident in every detail of their lives. He couldn’t bear to see her out of his sight for too long, even in this absolutely safe world protected by his rules.
Su Nian was already used to it, and nodded with a smile: "Okay."
Before leaving, Xie Chen stood in front of the mirror in the entryway, carefully straightening his neatly trimmed collar. The man in the mirror was still tall and handsome, but those eyes, which once held an immense loneliness and obsessive madness, now held only a calm and profound tenderness reflecting the girl beside him. He had learned to wear modern clothes, to use mobile payments, and even begun to understand the rules of human society—all so he could stay by her side more naturally and for longer.
When the publisher's editors saw Xie Chen beside Su Nian, they still couldn't help but blush and their hearts would race, secretly marveling at where the writer Su had found such a charming and handsome "family member." Only Su Nian knew that before coming, this "family member" had secretly used his divine power to scan the entire city's transportation network, planned the safest and fastest route, and silently set up a tiny barrier around her that even dust could not easily get close.
After leaving the publishing house, they went to the largest supermarket in the vicinity.
Xie Chen pushed the shopping cart, Su Nian linked arms with him, as they strolled among the dazzling array of goods. This strikingly good-looking couple attracted a lot of attention, but Xie Chen's focus remained solely on Su Nian.
"You said this brand of hot pot base was delicious last time." He precisely picked up a pack from the shelf and put it in the shopping cart.
"Take two more boxes of beef slices, if you like." He took two more boxes.
"You should choose this kind of green vegetable; it's quite tender."
...
He was like a walking shopping guide, remembering all her preferences perfectly. Occasionally, when a salesperson tried to offer her samples, Xie Chen would silently deter her with a calm, unwavering gaze—a gaze devoid of threat, only a natural, self-deprecating sense of distance.
[Host, host! Look at the snack section! The new chocolate-flavored potato chips are on sale!] 088's voice rang excitedly in Su Nian's mind. Although the main god had been "transformed," it seemed that Xie Chen had preserved and "optimized" it as the core of the auxiliary system, making it a true "partner." Its functions remained the same, but it was no longer subject to any rules and could freely use the "pocket money" (a kind of pure energy crystal) given to it by Xie Chen to exchange for various data snacks.
Su Nian smiled helplessly and pulled Xie Chen toward the snack section. Xie Chen watched her and 088 "arguing" over which flavor to choose, a indulgent smile appearing in his eyes. He silently swept all the snacks that she stared at for more than three seconds into the shopping cart.
As evening fell, the apartment was filled with the rich aroma of hot pot. The divided hot pot on the induction cooker bubbled and steamed, the red chili oil and the milky white bone broth bubbling away.
Su Nian ate until her nose was sweating and her lips were bright red from the spiciness. Xie Chen sat opposite her, eating very little, spending most of his time helping her cook vegetables and pick up meat, then putting the food, cooled to just the right temperature, into her bowl. He watched her eat with satisfaction, his eyes as soft as a lake in spring.
"Oh, right," Su Nian swallowed a mouthful of beef, then suddenly remembered something and looked at Xie Chen, "You said before that your power hasn't fully recovered?"
"Hmm." Xie Chen nodded, blanching a piece of tripe and placing it on her plate. "Reconstructing the rules and transforming the core of the main god consumes a lot of energy. But it's okay, it will recover slowly. It's enough to protect you and enough to maintain the stable operation of this world."
He paused, looked at her, and spoke in a strangely casual tone, as if they were discussing what to eat for dinner: "If you want, once your strength has recovered more, we can travel to other worlds. The worlds you've written about, or anywhere you want to go."
Su Nian imagined traveling through countless worlds with a god who had regained all his power... The scene was too beautiful for her to bear.
"Let's stay here for a while." She smiled and shook her head, placing a shrimp paste, one of Xie Chen's favorites, on her plate. "I think this place is great. It's lively and welcoming, there are readers urging me to update, there's a supermarket to shop at, and..." She looked at him, her eyes sparkling, "...you."
Xie Chen's heart felt as if it had been gently tickled by the softest feather. He held her hand holding the chopsticks, her fingertips warm.
"Okay," he replied softly. "Wherever you are, I will be there."
For him, having endless life and world-destroying power was far less real and blissful than watching her worry about royalties, agonize over choosing snacks, and stick out her tongue from the spiciness of hot pot in this small world.
After dinner, the two sat side by side on the sofa on the balcony, watching the city lights twinkle like a galaxy spread across the ground. A gentle evening breeze carried the warmth unique to early summer nights.
Su Nian leaned against Xie Chen's chest, playing with his slender fingers, and suddenly asked softly, "Xie Chen, do you regret it?"
"Regret what?"
"Regret... for me, he gave up the divine realm and stayed in this ordinary human world."
Xie Chen chuckled softly, a pleasant vibration emanating from his chest. He pulled her closer, holding her tightly, his chin gently resting on the top of her head.
"Never." His voice sounded particularly deep and sincere in the night. "Su Nian, don't you understand?"
"To find you, to hold onto you, to stay with you—this is the only and most important 'divine message' that I have received after traversing countless times and spaces, experiencing shattering and reunion."
"With you, I am truly myself."
He lowered his head and kissed her hair, his tone carrying a sense of ultimate satisfaction and tranquility, as if the dust had settled.
"So, it's not about giving up, it's about returning."
"Returning to my only and final resting place in life—by your side."
Su Nian's heart was filled with immense happiness and emotion. She turned around, hugged him back, buried her face in his warm chest, and listened to his strong and steady heartbeat.
This was her ending. She didn't return to so-called "reality," nor did she undergo a lonely resurrection. She chose to remain in this world that she and Xie Chen had chosen and built together. She abandoned the escape route of the mission and embraced a real future with him.
In the distance, the city lights still flicker. Closer by, the embrace of a loved one is warm and firm.
[Ding—Host's vital signs are stable, emotional module peak is maintained, and environmental safety factor is 100%. The storyline 'Quick Transmigration: The Yandere Male Lead Always Wants to Eat Me' has been recorded as complete. Do you wish to begin a new chapter in your life?] 088's announcement carried a touch of warmth and blessing.
Su Nian raised her head in Xie Chen's arms, met his gentle and deep eyes, and smiled a smile that was even brighter than the lights outside the window.
"certainly."
"Our story has only just begun."
—(The End)—
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