Night has fallen.
The children and grandchildren had long since dispersed, and the lively laughter and chatter on the mountaintop gradually faded into silence.
Only Xiao Che and Lin Wanwan remained, the elderly couple still sitting side by side on the blue stone, enjoying this rare moment of peace and quiet for the two of them.
The moonlight, like water, poured down gently, bathing their silver hair in a holy glow.
The atmosphere was tranquil and beautiful.
However, a small, mischievous ripple stirred in Lin Wanwan's heart because of Xiao Che's words, "I will not break this promise."
She suddenly turned her head, looking at Xiao Che's profile, which appeared even more handsome in the moonlight, and spoke softly in a tone that seemed casual but was actually full of mischief:
"Your Majesty, you just said that you would 'not break your promise' to me..."
"Huh?" Xiao Che looked at her, puzzled.
A sly glint flashed in Lin Wanwan's eyes. She paused, then slowly uttered the second half of her sentence: "...But I remember, you almost betrayed me back then."
"..."
Xiao Che's expression froze instantly.
He knew perfectly well what she meant.
That "cold war," which erupted because of his "male chauvinism" and her "disappearance of her golden touch," was arguably the only real "cold war" in their fifty-year marriage.
That memory was hardly a glorious chapter for him.
"Ahem," he cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly, trying to bluff his way out, "Why bring up old news?"
"How can we not mention it?" Lin Wanwan persisted, determined to expose the "dark history" of this retired emperor. "I still remember that a certain emperor sent me 'foxtail grass,' drew 'caterpillar' eyebrows, and made 'dark cuisine.' In the end, not only did he not appease me, he almost made me run away from home in anger."
She vividly recounted his clumsy attempts to please from back then, and with each one she mentioned, Xiao Che's face darkened further.
“And then,” Lin Wanwan’s tone turned resentful, “the worst thing was that ‘you don’t understand’! Do you know how much those three words hurt me back then? I really thought you looked down on me, that I was nothing without that ‘thing’.”
The "thing" she was referring to was naturally the long-lost cheat code.
When Xiao Che recalled that "epic" misunderstanding, a look of lingering fear finally appeared on his face.
His usually arrogant "artificial voice" became unusually sincere and remorseful at this moment, even carrying a hint of lingering fear that he himself was unaware of.
“That was me…” His voice was low and hoarse, “The stupidest thing I ever did in my life was… the last few days I was afraid of.”
He turned around, grasped Lin Wanwan's hand tightly, and his deep eyes were filled with relief.
"Wanwan, I am still grateful. I am grateful that after I rushed into Kunning Palace and heard your 'confession,' my first reaction was 'heartache' rather than 'anger.'"
He knew that if he had been blinded by the emperor's suspicion and anger at being deceived, then there might really have been no future between them.
That would be a regret he could never make up for in his lifetime.
Hearing his belated words of "fear," Lin Wan-wan's little "knot" in her heart was finally completely untied.
She leaned on his shoulder and whispered, as if confessing to him, yet also as if speaking to herself:
"Actually, I was terrified back then."
“What I feared wasn’t your disbelief in me, nor your anger. At that moment, only one thought kept churning in my mind—” She paused, then uttered the “inner demon” that had troubled her for so long, yet had never truly spoken aloud, “—Without ‘emojis,’ what am I supposed to do? Can I still…be a good queen to you?”
yes.
That was the root of all her unease and suspicion.
She was used to that "cheat code," used to taking shortcuts, and used to precisely capturing his every thought through those pixelated animations.
When that "cheat" suddenly disappeared, she was like a soldier who had been stripped of his weapon, instantly falling into immense panic and self-doubt.
She was afraid that she would no longer be able to "understand" him.
She was afraid that she would turn back into the ordinary, incompetent Lin Wanwan.
She feared that he only loved the version of her that could "see through" him, not her as a person.
At this moment, she finally spoke out the fear that had been buried deep in her heart without reservation.
Upon hearing her words, Xiao Che felt as if an invisible hand had gripped his heart tightly.
So that's what she was afraid of.
That fool.
He stretched out his arms and pulled the woman in his arms, who was still like a little girl, revealing her unease, into his embrace tightly.
He gently rested his chin on the top of her head; his full head of silver hair intertwined with hers, and in the moonlight, they were indistinguishable.
At this moment, his "artificial voice package" became incredibly clear and unwavering, like an indelible vow:
"I have said so."
His voice echoed on the silent mountaintop, each word carrying the power of metal and stone, clearly striking Lin Wanwan's heart:
"I am your meme."
"Always."
...
Always.
This final confession, like a warm torrent, instantly broke down the last dam of unease in Lin Wanwan's heart.
Yes, he said that a long time ago.
When she confessed everything, expecting to face trial, he felt no anger, no doubt, only heartache. After finally understanding the root of all her suspicions and anxieties, he clumsily, yet with unwavering determination, began learning how to become her "artificial voice pack."
He began to actively express his emotions, even if it was just a simple and straightforward complaint like "I'm very annoyed".
He began to learn to share his thoughts, even if it was just about the outcome of a single game of chess.
He began to lay bare all his inner thoughts, revealing them to her without reservation.
He has spent decades, every day together, and countless moments, whether clumsy or affectionate, fulfilling this promise.
He had long since become her most unique and irreplaceable, her own personal emoji set, complete with real-life, voice, and tactile feedback.
Lin Wanwan hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest, feeling his familiar and comforting presence. At that moment, the "inner demon" in her heart completely vanished.
It turns out that the so-called "golden touch" was just the beginning of their love story.
He was her greatest and only "cheat code" in this life.
She sniffed, lifted her head from his embrace, her eyes still glistening with tears, yet already beaming with joy.
“You have to keep your word,” she said deliberately, her voice nasal. “If I can’t figure out what you’re thinking in the future, you’ll have to ‘report’ to me.”
"Granted." Looking at her adorable, tearful smile, Xiao Che's heart melted. He lowered his head and placed a deeply sincere kiss on her wrinkled forehead.
Under the moonlight, two white-haired figures embraced tightly.
All the memories, whether the initial thrill or the absurd cold war, have now transformed into a tacit understanding with a knowing smile. Sweet, bitter, sour, and spicy—all the flavors have been refined into the most mellow and sweetest vintage over the course of fifty years.
Lin Wanwan leaned against him again, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat, and felt a sense of security she had never felt before.
She knew that their story had already come to a happy ending.
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