Chapter 77
The two returned to the bar and, thankfully, found the box from last night.
Back in the car, Lin Zheng opened the box and saw the rings still nestled safely inside. The knot in his stomach instantly loosened.
“That scared me to death,” Lin Zheng said. “I really thought they were gone.”
Seeing how much Lin Zheng treasured the rings, Gu Lin was touched.
He’s right, he thought. After all, the meaning of these rings far surpasses their material value.
Gu Lin didn’t care about their market price; what he cared about was the immeasurable value they contained.
That weighty sentiment.
Lin Zheng held the box up to Gu Lin, his voice full of emotion. “They cost tens of thousands, you know! So expensive. It would have been such a shame to lose them.”
Gu Lin, who had been moved just a second ago: “…”
He let out a helpless sigh. “Is that all?”
Lin Zheng picked up one of the rings, which was clearly a size larger than the other, and asked Gu Lin, “What do you mean?”
Gu Lin let Lin Zheng take his left hand. “The rings.”
Lin Zheng lifted Gu Lin’s hand, holding his middle finger between his thumb and forefinger. Then, with his other hand, he took the ring and, while Gu Lin wasn’t paying attention, slipped it on.
“Ta-da! Done!” Lin Zheng clapped his hands.
Gu Lin looked at the ring on his hand, his expression frozen for half a second.
Lin Zheng looked at Gu Lin’s face and said, “If you’re asking me about the value of the rings, then I can tell you very clearly.” He touched the ring. “Two seconds ago, this was a ring worth tens of thousands. But now…” Lin Zheng looked at the man before him, “it’s something I wouldn’t trade for millions… no, tens of millions.”
A flash of surprise crossed Gu Lin’s face, which then softened. He picked up the other ring from the box and cradled Lin Zheng’s hand in his large palm.
The skin of his wrist felt the warmth of Gu Lin’s fingertips, so hot that Lin Zheng’s face flushed a shade redder. As he watched the silver ring slowly approach his fingertip, his heart pounded. Time seemed to slow down, so much so that he could clearly hear his own breathing, and… Gu Lin’s.
A gentle touch landed on his lips.
Before the ring, came Gu Lin’s kiss, full of cherish and love.
Their breaths intertwined.
Lin Zheng looked at the man before him, so close, letting their breaths mingle in the narrow space between them.
Gu Lin’s gaze lowered slightly as he slipped the silver ring past Lin Zheng’s fingertip and onto his finger.
Lin Zheng looked at the ring, now securely on the base of his finger. His heart felt light, as if it would fly out of his chest at any moment. He didn’t know what words to use to describe his current mood. If he could really leave the ground, this was probably what it felt like to float on a cloud.
Gu Lin took in every detail of Lin Zheng’s smiling face, and all the thoughts in his eyes melted into softness.
Gu Lin straightened up and sat back properly. “Alright, then tonight, we’ll go to my parents’ house.”
Lin Zheng, who had been immersed in happiness a second ago: “Huh? To your parents’ house? Tonight? But I haven’t prepared anything. No, isn’t this too fast? Shouldn’t I mentally prepare myself first?”
“How is it fast? Aren’t we already engaged?” Gu Lin raised his hand, showing off the ring, and said reasonably, “And someone put this on me with their own hands.”
“…Even so, I think…”
“You were the one who proposed. But after winning me over, you want to ignore it and not acknowledge the relationship. Are you just playing with me, is that what you mean?” Gu Lin deliberately played the victim.
“Ah, that… of course… of course not…” Lin Zheng slowly lowered his head.
Even though he knew it was a trap, Lin Zheng still fell right into it.
A satisfied smile appeared on Gu Lin’s face. He patted his head with his large hand, sealing the deal. “Then it’s settled.”
That evening, Lin Zheng stood at the door with his gifts. Although it wasn’t his first time here, his heart couldn’t help but pound in his chest.
Last time, he had come as Gu Lin’s friend and had accidentally become “brothers” with Gu Lin’s father. But this time, he was here as Gu Lin’s boyfriend. Facing Gu Lin’s father, who considered him a brother, what was he supposed to say? My good brother’s son is now my man? He didn’t know how to say it.
And today, he had come alone.
Lin Zheng had expected to face a world-shaking trial. He had prepared for everything, even thinking that if worse came to worst, he would just kneel and beg for Gu Lin’s parents’ forgiveness. But the moment the door opened…
“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…”
Huh? Whose birthday is it?
Gu Lin was the one who opened the door. His hand was still on the doorknob. Seeing Lin Zheng, he smiled. “You’re here?”
Lin Zheng’s eyes slowly took in the scene inside.
The house was bustling with people. The once spacious home had been transformed into a party venue, filled with guests in formal attire holding delicate champagne flutes. On closer inspection, my goodness, they were all big shots you usually only see in the news and reports.
Lin Zheng stood at the door with his gifts, completely bewildered.
His appearance attracted the attention of everyone inside.
A woman with an elegant and eye-catching appearance, stood in the middle of the crowd and quickly noticed the person at the door.
She gave a slight smile to the crowd and walked towards the entrance.
Then, she took Lin Zheng’s hand and led him back to the center of the crowd, her arm around his. Her exquisite makeup made her already striking features shine even brighter. Her gentle voice flowed out, “Let me introduce everyone. This is my youngest son’s boyfriend, and also my future son-in-law, Lin Zheng. The first slice of the cake tonight will be cut by him.”
Hearing this, Lin Zheng, still completely bewildered and holding his gifts: “Eh?”
Voices of congratulation rose from the crowd.
Gu Lin leaned against the door with his arms crossed, a smile on his face the entire time.
Lin Zheng had no idea how he got in the door, how he picked up the knife, or how he cut the cake.
He only knew that when he came to his senses, he had been led by Gu Lin to a less crowded corner.
He looked at Gu Lin with a dazed expression.
Gu Lin took the gifts from his hand and laughed at him. “Silly.”
Lin Zheng recalled everything that had just happened, raised a trembling hand, and grabbed Gu Lin’s arm, his face full of disbelief. “Gu-Gu Lin, what just happened?”
Gu Lin crossed his arms. He had wanted to tease the man in front of him, but seeing him already on the verge of foolishness, he gave up the idea and pulled him into an embrace. “What else could have happened? It’s just that my parents have approved of our relationship and announced it to everyone.”
Lin Zheng looked at the scene before him, the realization slowly dawning. He patted Gu Lin’s chest with one hand. “You liar! Didn’t you say yesterday was Auntie’s birthday? It’s clearly today!”
Gu Lin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “That’s what you’re hung up on?”
Lin Zheng’s demeanor softened, and he obediently shrank back into Gu Lin’s embrace. “Not just that. There are just so many people here, it’s embarrassing.”
Gu Lin stroked the back of the person in his arms. “Do you know? I have a habit. Whenever I encounter something I don’t want to face, something that I don’t know how to deal with, I’ll tell people that my mother’s birthday is important, that her birthday is coming up, and use that as an opportunity to escape from those people or things I don’t want to face. Over time, it gradually evolved into a habit. Whenever I don’t want to face something, I instinctively use my mother’s birthday as an excuse.” Gu Lin smiled. “It’s an escape, but I haven’t done it many times since I was a child, you could count them on one hand. And after I grew up, even less so. Only once… the time you said you were leaving.”
Lin Zheng buried his face in Gu Lin’s chest. After a long moment, a muffled voice slipped out, “…Idiot.”
Lin Zheng couldn’t stand the many scorching gazes outside, so he had Gu Lin take him somewhere quiet for a moment. Gu Lin led him upstairs.
No one would come up here.
Lin Zheng lay on a lounge chair, looking at the night sky and feeling the breeze.
Gu Lin sat on a chair beside him and told him, “You know? Last time, my grandfather was sitting in the exact same spot you are now when he told me, ‘Gu Lin, in a few days, bring that child home.'”
Hearing this, Lin Zheng was so startled he almost fell off the lounge chair. He said urgently, “Wh-why did he want you to bring me home! Ouch, my back.”
Lin Zheng’s already injured back was pulled again.
He naturally knew the person in the story was him, otherwise why would Gu Lin tell him?
Gu Lin said, “What are you so anxious about? It’s not like he was going to punish you.”
Lin Zheng pouted. “Good thing he wasn’t.”
Remembering something, he said nervously, “Wait, could grandpa have seen it back then? Our relationship at that time?”
Gu Lin said nothing, just smiled, then extended his hand to him.
Lin Zheng was puzzled.
Gu Lin simply took Lin Zheng’s hand and pulled him over.
He pulled him into his arms, placed his hand on Lin Zheng’s lower back, and began to knead.
The originally sore back now felt incredibly comfortable. Lin Zheng let out a few soft hums.
Through the thick coat, the pressure still felt a little light. Lin Zheng took Gu Lin’s hand and put it inside his own coat, letting Gu Lin’s hand hold his waist with only a layer of sweater in between.
Gu Lin paused, then smiled and began to knead again.
This time the pressure was just right, making Lin Zheng so comfortable he was about to fall asleep.
An unknown amount of time passed. Gu Lin very lightly placed a kiss on the head of the person in his arms. “Let’s go next time. Let’s go see grandpa.”
The person in his arms hummed in response, “Mm~”
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