Part 2
He never expected to hear such words from Gu Lin. Gu Lin protected the country and its people for the sake of those very multitudes. He… could he really give up his lifelong convictions for him?
Seeing that the person in front of him seemed doubtful, Gu Lin pulled him closer, his palm stroking his lover’s waterfall-like black hair. “If you don’t believe me, just wait and see.”
Hearing this, Lin Zheng said, “I believe, I believe, I believe you.” He quickly covered Gu Lin’s mouth. “I believe you now; I don’t need to wait and see.”
He hoped that future would never come.
Gu Lin removed his hand. “Lin Zheng, what I’m about to say, you may not dare to believe, but you ought to know.”
Lin Zheng was puzzled.
Gu Lin gazed at the person before him, his slender, knobby fingers stroking the young man’s cheek. His eyes softened, and his tone was gentle. “The people are my responsibility, but you are irreplaceable to me. In the future, regardless of whether the multitudes abandon me or not, having you alone is enough for me.”
Word by word, the love confession struck Lin Zheng’s heart. At no other moment had Lin Zheng felt his life was so complete.
He hugged his lover tightly, tears squeezing out of his eyes. “Me too.”
Since that night, Lin Zheng suddenly noticed that General Gu spent significantly more time at home than before. His mouth was sweeter than ever, as if smeared with honey.
He effortlessly tugged at Lin Zheng’s heartstrings at every moment.
But good times don’t last long. Soon, news came that Gu Lin had to lead the army on an expedition.
In the past, whenever he sent Gu Lin off, Lin Zheng would feel proud because he knew his Great General would surely return with news of victory. But this time, Lin Zheng couldn’t muster any happiness.
For some reason, he inexplicably didn’t want Gu Lin to leave. It felt as if this departure would be a separation by life and death. Gu Lin told him not to overthink it, and Lin Zheng knew the enemy was just a small country, so there was certainly no need to worry so much.
But he just didn’t want Gu Lin to go.
“Can’t you just not go? You’re not the only general; can’t someone else go?”
Gu Lin held Lin Zheng’s hand. “Someone else taking the risk is still taking a risk. It’s the same whoever goes. Don’t worry too much; haven’t I always returned safely?”
Lin Zheng tugged at the person beside him, clutching his chest with his other hand, deliberately complaining, “Oh, I don’t know why, but my chest has been hurting these past few days. It’s always uncomfortable.”
Gu Lin watched his performance with interest.
Seeing that his trick wasn’t working, Lin Zheng emphasized his tone. “If something really happens to me, what will you do if you come back from victory and can’t find me?”
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Gu Lin said, his tone no longer relaxed but serious.
“I’m not talking nonsense, I mean it… Mmph.”
Before Lin Zheng could finish, his mouth was blocked.
The familiar lips and tongue rendered him speechless.
But he still didn’t want Gu Lin to go.
When the kiss ended, Lin Zheng said spitefully, “Gu Lin, I’m putting it out there: if you dare to go, I’ll leave this place and go back to my hometown.”
Gu Lin said, “Stop fussing.”
“I’m not fussing with you.”
Once he decided, he didn’t hesitate. That very night, Lin Zheng packed his bags.
But until he took his luggage and sat in the carriage heading back to his hometown, Gu Lin didn’t relent. He even came to see him off.
On the way back, Young Master Lin cried and complained to Xiao Xingzi, telling him not to trust men so easily in the future. Xiao Xingzi said it didn’t matter because his future wife would definitely be a woman, only to get a smack from his young master right after saying it.
Gu Lin watched the carriage go further away. The subordinate beside him asked, “General, is it appropriate to let the Young Master go back just like that?”
Gu Lin lowered his eyes and let out a sigh of relief. “This trip is indeed dangerous, but I didn’t want him to know. I don’t know how long it will take. People in the court are eyeing us greedily. I wouldn’t be at ease leaving him alone in the manor. Regardless of the reason, it’s better for him to be with his family.”
As soon as Young Master Lin returned home, he went back to lying around, eating and drinking well.
Not long after he settled in, his family started nagging him.
His two older brothers were already married, leaving him the only single one.
Lin Zheng didn’t want to listen to the nagging, so he started running out. He went to the house Gu Lin lived in five years ago. It had been empty all this time. He remembered there was a field of bellflowers (platycodon) planted inside. Because they were beautiful, he had even asked Gu Lin for some.
What surprised him now was that even though no one lived in the house, the bellflowers were still growing very well.
Just as he walked in, he heard two voices behind him.
Upon asking, he learned they were flower farmers specifically hired to tend to these flowers.
One farmer said, “The owner of this house said his beloved likes these flowers, so he hired us to take care of them. It must be five years now. During that time, some were even taken out, supposedly to be planted elsewhere.”
Speaking of which, Lin Zheng suddenly remembered that the residence he and Gu Lin lived in also had a field of bellflowers. They appeared only after he moved in. Were they… taken from here?
The farmer sighed with emotion. “The owner of this house is not only talented and handsome but seems to be a deeply devoted lover.”
Lin Zheng blushed listening to this.
Returning home, he heard his father wanted to commission porcelain. He suddenly remembered that Gu Lin’s home had many similar collections. So Lin Zheng secretly contacted a craftsman, took out a portrait, and asked the craftsman to subtly incorporate the image into a pattern on the porcelain. “Make it subtle, not too easily discernable. In short, make the vase look luxurious while including the pattern.”
Thinking of the bellflowers, Lin Zheng decided to use this porcelain as a return gift for Gu Lin. Of course, Young Master Lin thought, this porcelain must have some significance.
He wanted to permanently treasure the image of himself and Gu Lin together.
The man took the money and did the job, keeping his mouth shut tight, repeatedly saying yes.
Young Master Lin stayed at home day after day. Initially, he had ways to pass the time, but as time went on, he began to miss his lover whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.
He looked at the bright moon, wondering if that person on the battlefield was looking at the same moon, missing his beloved just as he was.
Young Master Lin leaned back on the stone bench, touched his heart, and sighed. “Longing makes one bitter; longing makes the heart ache.”
Recalling their parting, Lin Zheng suddenly thought, If I had known, if I had known, I should have hugged him before leaving.
Young Master Lin waited for news of his general day after day. Finally, one evening, news came.
“Have you heard? The Great General of the North has returned in triumph! But I heard the small country was treacherous this time, and our army suffered heavy losses. The Great General was also injured.”
The object in Lin Zheng’s hand fell to the ground.
Didn’t he say it wasn’t dangerous? Didn’t he say he would come back safe and sound?
…He knew it. He knew something would happen!
Lin Zheng cried as he dropped everything. Without leaving any explanation to his family, and without even taking Xiao Xingzi, he galloped away on a horse.
Traveling through the night, before he even returned to the General’s Manor, he saw the soldiers returning from the battlefield. The sight made his heart ache.
He rode straight into the manor; no one dared to stop him.
After being apart for so long, seeing the person who said he would definitely return to him again, he only saw that person lying on the bed. The blood-seeping wound on his chest was clearly visible, and there was a wound on his head too.
Lin Zheng’s heart hurt terribly.
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