Chapter 62: Proposal "I do."

It was already mid-December, and Gu Ci glanced at the calendar. Huo Wenyuan's birthday was approaching.

Speaking of reuniting with him, even Gu Ci found it unbelievable, even feeling like this winter wouldn't be too cold.

Who wouldn't? Finding a loved one again, entering a new relationship, is enough to dispel any bitter cold.

"But I'm cold!" Shang Zui said, lying on the sofa at Gu Ci's house, watching TV. "But you, on the other hand, go out on dates with Huo Gou every day, rain or shine, acting like I'm somehow intruding on your relationship."

Despite saying this, Shang Zui's face showed no trace of guilt, but rather an even more assertive air.

"If you were living with me, you'd be knocking down my door." Gu Ci, reading on the sofa, felt somewhat helpless. "Are you really not willing to get back together?"

Shang Zui's dance troupe had a holiday these days, and Gu Ci didn't have classes, so they moved in together again, a perfect opportunity to bond.

"I'm not stupid!" Shang Zui sat up suddenly and said to Gu Ci in the tone of an experienced person, "Little Gu Ci, if a man cheats on you the first time, he will do it again. Qu Zhi could have told me directly that his family was bankrupt, and maybe I could have asked my brother to help him, but he was stubborn and stubborn. I only found out after Shi Fei told me. Is this how he trusts me? As your boyfriend, I should have some right to know!"

Gu Ci couldn't help but explain for Qu Zhi: "What if he just... doesn't want to drag you down?"

"Your career is also on the rise, and the dance troupe has a lot of things to do. Telling you will definitely distract you..."

Shang Zui glared at him angrily: "Why are you starting to speak for him too?"

"Ah, is that so?" Gu Ci turned his head away awkwardly, "I was just saying it casually."

"Well..." He put down the book and got off the sofa, "I remembered that I still have to pick up Wen Yuan's birthday present, and I have to go back to the Huo family for dinner in the evening, so I'm going first!" "

?" Shang Zui questioned behind his back, "You're not taking me with you?"

Gu Ci was concentrating on changing clothes in the bedroom and didn't hear his accusations.

Shang Zui became more and more angry: "I didn't expect that you are also the kind of person who values love over friendship! Little Gu Ci, I'm angry!"

"Don't be angry." Gu Ci picked up his bag, "You can go out for a walk when you have time. The weather forecast says it will snow soon."

He waved to Shang Zui, walked out of the house with a smile, and met the man waiting downstairs face to face.

"Are you still waiting here?" Looking at Qu Zhi who was waiting in the cold wind, Gu Ci suddenly felt a little sympathetic, "He's upstairs, I'm going out first. You...take care of it."

Qu Zhi's eyes lit up: "Thank you, Gu Ci!"

Gu Ci waved his hand, and wanted to say "come on" to him, but after thinking about it, he held it back.

Whether he can win Shang Zui back depends on his performance.

Gu Ci took a taxi and arrived at an inconspicuous-looking courtyard. When he walked in, a heroic-looking girl was waving at him.

"Gu Ci, here!"

Gu Ci walked over with a smile. "Luo Zhen!"

Luo Zhen happily led him inside, saying, "My father, Ruan, knew you wanted custom-made wedding rings, so he asked the master craftsman at Wenyan Pavilion to polish and craft them himself. They happened to be delivered to Yuanjingfang today. Go and see if they meet your requirements."

Gu Ci nodded, greeted the master craftsman, and carefully opened the lid of the pear wood box.

A pair of ice-green, translucent jadeite wedding rings came into view. Although they adopted the simplest round, straight-cut shape, they looked extremely elegant, cold and noble, yet still dignified.

Gu Ci liked it from the bottom of his heart: "It looks good."

The master was also very happy: "I was worried that I couldn't carve the fine material chosen by Young Master Gu, but it turned out to be good. My master did it personally, and finally I can do justice to this piece of jade."

Gu Ci smiled and said, "Thank you, Master."

He turned and looked at the girl: "Luo Zhen, thank you too, you helped me a lot."

"What's the big deal." Luo Zhen waved at him indifferently, "We are all friends! Especially my father Ruan, he was so excited when he knew about it. He said he would give you a big gift to congratulate you when you get married!"

"No need for a big gift, and thank you Mr. Cheng for your concern." Gu Ci quickly refused and said in a low voice, "If there is that day... I will definitely invite you."

Luo Zhen clasped his hands together: "Then I wish good things are coming!"

Gu Ci pursed his lips: "...good wishes."

After putting away the small wooden box containing the ring, Gu Ci hailed another taxi: "Master, please go to the Huo Group."

"Okay." The master stepped on the accelerator and drove Gu Ci to the destination. The radio in the car was playing the latest hot songs.

[From one night to the next/leisure time/all about you]

[From one autumn to another/falling leaves flying/writing poems full of longing]

[I don’t care how hurried this world is/nor do I care about illness and pain]

[I only care about you at fourteen/the rain at fourteen/the promise at fourteen]

[Once we part/no mountains can stop us/the sincerity of youth/can withstand any difficulty]

…

The driver quietly looked at Gu Ci through the rearview mirror: “Young man, you look familiar to me, and you have a delicate appearance. Are you also an entertainer?”

“Ah…no, no.” Gu Ci denied in panic, “You’ve made a mistake. I’m just an ordinary student.”

Gu Ci’s busy denial deepened the driver’s suspicion, but he could also understand that Gu Ci didn’t want to reveal his identity, so he didn’t ask any more questions and changed the subject to chat: “I also picked up a top artist before. Guess who it was? Jiang Ran! The original singer of this song!”

"He was wearing a mask at first and didn't want to admit it, but later he took a photo with me. He's so down to earth!"

Gu Ci agreed: "Actually, I like him very much."

They soon arrived at the door of the Huo Group. The driver reminded Gu Ci to take his belongings with him. Looking at the magnificent group headquarters building, he remembered why he felt that Gu Ci looked familiar.

...Isn't this the lover of the Huo CEO who was all over the news before!

Gu Ci walked into the Huo Group and was about to register as a visitor at the door, but the front desk staff stood up immediately after seeing him: "Gu, Mr. Gu!"

Everyone was looking at him, and Gu Ci didn't know why everyone reacted so strongly, so he had to say: "Hello, I'm registering as a visitor."

"Why do you need to register? You are an outsider, and you are different. Wait a minute, I will report to Assistant Su right away." The front desk staff immediately took out the intercom, and soon Su Yan came down in person and led Gu Ci upstairs.

Gu Ci felt that this was a bit of a fuss, but Su Yan saw through his thoughts and said, "Don't be shy. Mr. Huo will be even angrier if I don't come to pick you up."

Gu Ci grasped the key point: "Is he angry?"

Su Yan lowered his eyes and held the elevator door for him. After he walked in, he whispered, "The matter about the illegitimate child and the traitor has been settled."

Gu Ci asked, "Then why is he still angry?"

Su Yan replied, "Someone touched his weak spot."

Gu Ci nodded, not quite understanding, and walked into Huo Wenyuan's office: "Assistant Su, you go ahead and do your work. I'll wait here."

Su Yan brought him a glass of juice and left on his own accord. Gu Ci sat on the sofa, his eyes drawn to the photo frame on Huo Wenyuan's desk.

...Why is it still his photo!

Gu Ci felt helpless about this and took out his phone to send him a message, but remembered that Su Yan said he was angry, so he held back in time.

Forget it, I'll wait for him to come out and ask about the situation.

As a result, after waiting for an entire afternoon, Huo Wenyuan did not come back. In the end, Gu Ci fell asleep hugging the pillow on the sofa, and only woke up when he noticed someone covering him with a quilt.

Gu Ci rubbed his eyes and looked at the man standing in front of him: "...Are you done?"

"Yeah." Huo Wenyuan squatted in front of him, "Why did you fall asleep on the sofa? Are you tired?"

Gu Ci shook his head: "No, I'm energetic now."

"I heard from Assistant Su that your problem has been resolved? Why are you still angry?"

Huo Wenyuan was speechless: "Did Su Yan say that?"

Gu Ci was afraid that he would blame Su Yan, so he quickly pulled the corner of his suit: "Don't blame him, I asked."

He sat down next to him and patted the sofa beside him: "Come, sit down and tell me."

Huo Wenyuan sat next to Gu Ci, put his arm around his shoulders, and said slowly: "We have found out the identity. There were more than a hundred people involved in the car accident ten years ago, big and small. Huo Xiao had taken care of it all back then, but he still missed an apprentice who was the mastermind, and that was him." "

To exact revenge, he colluded with those who coveted the Huo family, pretending to be your grandfather's illegitimate son. He even tried to use this tactic to target you, but thankfully, it didn't work."

Gu Ci suddenly responded, "That guy... have I seen him before?"

It was the man in the blue suit that night at the Equinox bar.

"Yes," Huo Wenyuan confirmed his suspicion. "Even with death imminent and the perpetrator caught red-handed, he's still so brazen."

In the conference room, the man laughed wildly, first greeting Huo Xiao, then actually coveting Gu Ci.

"Tsk tsk, Huo Wenyuan, you're truly blessed... Fucking that little beauty must be thrilling, right? Since you like men, how come you didn't piss Huo Xiao off to death?"

"That little beauty is incredible. We even have video evidence. Why doesn't she believe it was Huo Xiao who did it to his father? Meaningless. If only she had called me, hahahahaha. I would have loved him dearly..."

Huo Wenyuan twisted his wrist and pumped his fist.

He hadn't told Gu Ci about this experience; there were certain processes Gu Ci didn't need to know.

"So... this matter is over?" Gu Ci leaned against Huo Wenyuan's shoulder. "Are you free lately? For example... can we celebrate tomorrow's birthday together?"

"Ci Ci," Huo Wenyuan called him affectionately. "I'm available lately, including... taking you home and meeting your parents."

Gu Ci smiled. "Let me take you back to the Huo family first! Uncle Huo and Uncle Feng should be urging us to come."

Returning to the Huo family again, Gu Ci suddenly felt trance-like. How should I put it... When he was fourteen, he had come here alone, filled with fear and anxiety, fearing that the Huo family would kick him out. But now... they hadn't kicked him out, and he had truly become part of their family.

"Xiao Ci, Young Master, come quickly!" Butler Feng was still waiting for them at the door. Nothing had changed. As soon as Gu Ci got out of the car, Huo Wenyuan took his hand.

Gu Ci quietly reminded him, "Uncle Feng's still here."

Huo Wenyuan said as if it was a matter of course, "It's okay if Huo Xiao's here."

Gu Ci: "..."

Walking into the hall, Huo Xiao was sitting on the sofa, intently watching TV. It was a new historical drama about political intrigue. This scene completely changed Gu Ci's perception of Huo Xiao.

...Is this the same Huo Xiao that appeared on the news earlier on TV?

He actually still watches TV?

"Xiao Ci, come here quickly," Huo Xiao greeted him. "These two male actors are good actors. Come and watch it together."

Gu Ci and Huo Wenyuan looked at each other and just as he was about to go over, Huo Wenyuan stopped him, "It's so annoying that you have to drag others along to watch TV by yourself."

"Don't be like that," Gu Ci whispered to stop him. "I haven't watched TV in a long time either. I'll watch it with Uncle Huo."

He sat down on the sofa next to Huo Xiao, but heard Huo Xiao suddenly ask, "When are you getting married?"

Gu Ci almost jumped up from the sofa.

"Ah? Uncle Huo, what did you say?"

"Get married." Huo Xiao said, "Get married while I'm still here."

"Although I'm not in power anymore, I still have some property. When you get married, I will give them all to you as a wedding gift."

Gu Ci looked panicked: "Uncle Huo, I'm afraid this won't work. I don't need them..."

"If you don't need them, just leave them here, but I must give them to you." Huo Xiao's tone became serious, "You are the child of A Li and Que Ci, and Wen Yuan's lover. You have to treat each other well."

Gu Ci said embarrassedly, "Then you trust me too much..."

"Don't you trust us too?" Huo Xiao asked back, "I also heard about the video incident before. Wen Yuan wanted to confront me and you stopped him. Do you trust me so much?"

"What if it really was me..."

"You won't." Gu Ci interrupted him firmly.

"Dad always said you and Uncle Feng were his best friends. Since he entrusted me to you, it means he trusts you absolutely."

Huo Xiao hadn't expected Gu Ci to be so insightful. Butler Feng, standing nearby, said smugly, "See, Mr. Huo, I told you Xiao Ci has complete trust in us. After all... we're family."

Gu Ci smiled, his eyes curved. After dinner, he and Huo Wenyuan held hands and strolled around the Huo family home, each spot filled with memories of their youth.

"I was planting flowers in this garden back then," Gu Ci pointed to a spot. "I finally succeeded, but I nearly drowned in your nutrient solution."

Huo Wenyuan said, "Luckily you saved me."

"Of course," Gu Ci said after a second thought. "But... we're even."

"You took good care of me, too."

"The night you left... I stood behind the window and watched you walk from this door to the helipad. I was still hoping you'd be back soon. But year after year passed, and you never did." "

You always protected me before, giving me everything I wanted and never letting anyone bully me. Now that I think about it, I've become the spoiled one."

"Stupid." Huo Wenyuan tapped his forehead. "You can't let yourself get carried away."

"So what if you're spoiled? I just want to make you a little spoiled, so that I'm the only one who can afford to support you."

Loving someone is like raising flowers; loving someone is also about personal possession.

He asked Gu Ci for his opinion: "Tomorrow, you'll spend my birthday with me, and I'll accompany you back to the house, right?"

Gu Ci nodded in agreement.

That night, they slept together in Gu Ci's former bedroom.

Perhaps out of some kind of psychological shame, Gu Ci, sitting on top, dared not cry out. He preferred to flush crimson and whimper against Huo Wenyuan rather than let go like he usually did.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Huo Wenyuan teased him deliberately. "Did you remember something, baby?"

"No, no..." Gu Ci lowered his voice deliberately. But somehow... it did feel a little strange.

Huo Wenyuan used to come to him to chat or discuss problems, they were all teenagers. But now that he was grown up, in a familiar place with familiar people doing... something he had only recently become familiar with, he felt a strange sense of shame.

But Huo Wenyuan loved doing this kind of embarrassing thing, especially when he used to study late into the night at his desk, books on the shelf would fall to the ground in a crashing manner, and yet Huo Wenyuan refused to stop.

"Baby, call me brother."

"Hmm..." Gu Ci arched his back impatiently, struggling to stay awake. "Don't you want to be my brother?"

Huo Wenyuan resumed his thick latte. "I want to hear it, baby. Call me brother, okay?"

Gu Ci's "brother" was met with a night of regret, and his plan to say "Happy Birthday" to Huo Wenyuan at midnight was ruined.

When he woke up again, it was almost noon. Panicked, Gu Ci tried to get up, but Huo Wenyuan, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, held him back.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?"

Gu Ci glared at him. "Why didn't you call me at noon?"

Huo Wenyuan said, "You've worked hard all night, you deserve some rest."

Gu Ci: "..."

"It's your birthday!"

Huo Wenyuan raised his lips. "So what? My afternoon... and, of course, my evening, all belong to you."

"Come, let me change you. After lunch, we'll go home and visit."

In the cemetery, Gu Ci stood hand in hand with Huo Wenyuan, holding a white chrysanthemum.

He came to pay his respects to them every year, but the difference was that before, he was alone; now, there were two.

"Mom, Dad, look who's here." Gu Ci's eyes began to redden, "This is Wen Yuan, Uncle Huo's son, and now he's my boyfriend."

"Hello, uncle and aunt, I'm Wen Yuan. Don't worry, I will take good care of Ci Ci. No matter what happens, I will love him and cherish him, do my best, do everything I can, and do everything I can to make Ci Ci happy."

Gu Ci couldn't help laughing and said, "You say it so formally, like a wedding declaration."

However, just as he turned around and put the flowers on and was about to take out the birthday present for Huo Wenyuan, he turned around and saw Huo Wenyuan kneeling on one knee on the ground.

Gu Ci exclaimed, "Wen Yuan?"

Huo Wenyuan opened the velvet box in his hand: "Ci Ci, today in front of my uncle and aunt, I want to propose to you."

"I love you. I've loved you since ten years ago."

"Although we've been separated and wasted eight years, I miss you all the time. In this life, I want nothing but you."

"Are you willing..."

"I do!" Gu Ci wiped her tears. "Wen Yuan, I do..."

A cool breeze blew, shaking the pine branches and white chrysanthemums. Small white ice crystals began to fall from the sky. On this day of the first snow, Gu Ci put on Huo Wenyuan's engagement ring in the presence of her parents.

Huo Wenyuan deliberately joked, "You've agreed to marry me, why are you crying?"

Gu Ci couldn't help sobbing softly: "You proposed, can't I be moved a little..."

Who would have thought that she would actually marry her brother who was so cold in their youth... Besides, why did she do it so quickly? He hasn't given the ring away yet...

Huo Wenyuan smiled brightly, tucked Gu Ci's hand into his coat pocket, held up his umbrella, and leaned toward him. The two of them walked back, close together.

After crossing the familiar streets, Gu Ci paused in front of his courtyard, hesitant.

Huo Wenyuan asked, "Want to go in?"

Gu Ci prepared himself and nodded, "Let's go."

The moment he stepped into the courtyard, he paused in surprise. He had expected the courtyard to be dilapidated after years of absence, but he was surprised to find that everything, from the plants to the furniture, from the bedrooms to the outer courtyard, was meticulously cared for and maintained, giving no sign of long-term vacancy.

Gu Ci looked at Huo Wenyuan: "Why is it so clean?"

Huo Wenyuan said, "I have it cleaned regularly every week, and the facilities inside have been updated. From now on, you can come back and stay anytime you want." Gu

Ci choked up a little: "Thank you, Wenyuan, thank you so much."

The sycamore tree in the courtyard remained as tall and majestic as ever.

Gu Ci, having obtained a small hoe from somewhere, dug noisily under Huo Wenyuan's watchful gaze. "Butler Feng said my dad buried a jar of wine in a tree. We'll dig it up when I get married. Do you want to see it?"

Huo Wenyuan asked, "Daughter's wine?"

"It's almost the same. Even though I'm a man, it doesn't make any difference."

A daughter's wine under the sycamore tree, a token of her love for her son.

"My mother also left me something... I only remembered it after Aunt Lan 'reminded' me." Gu Ci removed the wine and began to dig nervously from his bag.

He had crafted two jade rings from the jadeite plaque his mother had left him.

Gu Ci opened the ring box and tried to imitate Huo Wenyuan by kneeling on one knee, but before he could even bend, Huo Wenyuan grabbed him.

Stopped from kneeling, Gu Ci felt a little aggrieved: "I, I have a ring for you too."

Huo Wenyuan said, "Cici, no need to kneel. It's the same if you just put it on me."

"...Okay." Gu Ci took out the ring and placed it on Huo Wenyuan's index finger with exceptional care.

…Now everyone has two rings on their hands.

“Happy birthday, Wenyuan. I wish you happiness, not just a birthday.”

Under the branches of the sycamore tree that was beginning to accumulate snow, Gu Ci stood on tiptoe and kissed Huo Wenyuan on the lips.

Huo Wenyuan pecked his lips again and again, his eyes full of love: “With you, I am happy every day.”

They don’t care how fast the world is, nor are they trapped in illness and pain. They only care about each other when they were fourteen years old, the rains that fell, and the promises they made.

Fortunately, they did not get separated.

Once separated, no mountain can stop them. The sincerity of youth can withstand all difficulties.

[End of text]