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nTW: homophobia, mentions of suicide

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nEditor: yummers

nChen Zeyu went to Mi Lang’s house.

nHe saw the blood that had dried on the ground.

nAnd the passersby who whispered incessantly.

nHe didn’t believe it.

nHe stood there for a while until he saw Mi Lang’s parents return.

nThe couple held each other up, crying to the point of being unable to stand. Their relatives around them kept comforting them.

nOne of them said, “How could this boy be so impulsive? This was all for his own good.”

nOthers said, “There’s no need to cry anymore. Didn’t the doctor say that he didn’t suffer when he left?”

nChen Zeyu stared at them dumbly.

nHe was obviously surrounded by people, so why did he feel so alone?

nHe stood there for a long, long time.

nUntil he felt like he shouldn’t be standing so still.

nMi Lang liked him the most when he was moving around.

nSo Chen Zeyu started walking. He didn’t know for how long or even where he was going.

nHe just kept walking and thinking.

nHow did this happen?

nWhy did this happen to them?

nTheir only crime was their feelings for each other.

nMi Lang was a gentle person who wouldn’t even step on an ant. He’s never hurt anyone or caused anyone to cry, so why was he forced to go through so much?

nHow did someone as sensitive and shy as him endure those long days and nights?

nHe kept walking and walking, until he finally came to a large hall.

nThe person inside asked him what he wanted the most in the world.

nHe said he wanted Mi Lang back.

nThen, that person said the dead couldn’t come back to life.

nYeah. That’s right. They couldn’t.

nThose words seemed to completely break Chen Zeyu who had been completely numb until now. He covered his face with his hands as he finally sobbed.

nThe dead couldn’t come back.

nMi Lang would never come back.

nTheir future together would never come either.

nAs Chen Zeyu cried, Shi Qing stood by his side and handed him tissues.

n“Thank you.”

nAfter Chen Zeyu dried his tears, he straightened up. His eyes were still red and swollen, but their determination was clear.

n“I want to trade for a wedding. Is that possible?”

nShi Qing nodded and reached out. A paper contract materialized into his palm.

n“The tears you leave here, for a wedding.”

n“Now sign.”

n***

nWhite jade paved the way as flower petals fell from above.

nThe couple entered shoulder to shoulder. Their eyes were filled with joy as they looked at each other.

nMi Lang was still so very pale. He committed suicide, and this world was constantly attempting to reject him.

nHe was like the little mermaid who had just gotten legs. Every step he took was like walking on the edge of a knife.

nWhen he was a kid, he didn’t understand why the little mermaid would still dance if she was like this.

nBut now, as he looked at Chen Zeyu, he gained the strength to endure any pain.

nStanding at the very top, Meng Qing watched the two slowly enter. He glanced at Shi Qing somewhat nervously before asking.

n“Mr. Chen Zeyu, do you take Mr. Mi Lang to be your companion?”

nChen Zeyu looked fixedly at Mi Lang.

n“I do.”

n“Mr. Mi Lang, do you take Mr. Chen Zeyu to be your companion?”

nAn ashen smile appeared on Mi Lang’s face. He whispered, “I do.”

n“Then for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, to love…”

nShi Qing looked at Mi Lang, who was having trouble even standing up, and blew a small breath in his direction.

nMi Lang, who was constantly wracked by pain, found that the agony he was feeling had suddenly completely disappeared.

nWithout the shackles of pain, he was able to focus all his attention on his happiness today.

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nWhen those words found on the internet were said, Meng Qing finally added a phrase of his own.

n“I now pronounce Mr. Chen Zeyu and Mr. Mi Lang to be lifelong companions.”

nIt was the first time he’d ever done such a thing, and he felt a little guilty about not knowing what to do afterwards. So the demon king simply took charge and led him away by his hand.

nThe newlywed couple were the only ones left on the stage.

nThey were almost out of time.

nBut the atmosphere surrounding the two was very calm.

nMi Lang even smiled lightly and straightened his boyfriend’s collar.

n“You’re so handsome in your suit today.”

nChen Zeyu also tried to smile and shook his head like he always did. “They prepared it for me. I’ve never worn a suit before.”

n“Me neither.”

nMi Lang looked down at the suit he was wearing. “I didn’t think I’d look good in a suit.”

nChen Zeyu, “You would look good in anything.”

nMi Lang laughed, “Not school uniforms though.”

n“No one can look good in that.”

n“It’s a shame I’ll never wear it again.”

nA long silence fell between them.

nThey agreed without words to speak no more. They just held hands while sitting down on stage, snuggling together like little animals warming each other up.

nAbove the chapel, there was a huge clock running.

nTick, tok, tick, tok.

nThe second hand pushed the minute hand, the minute hand pushed the hour hand.

nNo matter how much they cherished each moment, the time for their separation inevitably arrived.

nMi Lang could feel himself being rejected from the world, and he tried to smile and act carefree in his last moments.

n“I’ve wronged you. Be…happy in the future.”

nChen Zeyu firmly held his boyfriend’s hand and sobbed silently. He shook his head vigorously as he objected, “It’s not your fault. I know it’s not your fault.”

n“You’re not in the wrong. You felt like you had no other choice then…”

nStartled, Mi Lang stared at his boyfriend and gently rested a hand on his cheek.

n“I’m sorry.”

n“Thank you.”

nHe slowly dissipated, and was carried away by the wind to another world without Chen Zeyu.

n“Mi Lang! Mi Lang!”

nEven though he already knew, at the moment of the actual separation Chen Zeyu still couldn’t help but get up and chase his boyfriend.

nBut some things couldn’t be changed.

nSeeing Meng Qing blankly staring at the scene, Shi Qing waved his hand and sent Chen Zeyu back home. He reached for the young cultivator’s hand and drew on his palm with his fingertips.

n“Does this cultivator have any insights into the pain of losing a loved one?”

nMeng Qing was stunned for a few seconds before he reacted and pulled back his hand with a red face. “Don’t always be so quick to touch people with your hands and feet.”

nThe demon king raised his eyebrows. “I haven’t moved my feet yet, but if you want to I can.”

nThe young cultivator never could beat him in a battle of words, so he could only hide his hand behind his back with a flushed face.

nHe definitely wouldn’t give the demon king another chance to lay his hands on him.

nShi Qing stretched out his hand upon seeing this and withdrew the contract once again.

nThe demon king folded it slowly and carefully. “Tut tut tut. Another year of lifespan in my hand.”

nMeng Qing was stunned. “You really took a year from Chen Zeyu?”

nShi Qing raised his eyes. “Do you have a problem with that?”

nThe young cultivator was reduced to stutters. He wanted to say that it was immoral to kick people when they were down, but Cheng Zeyu was fully willing. It was like Shi Qing said before, it was a transaction with willing parties. Meng Qing had no real foot to stand on.

nShi Qing “kindly” suggested after watching him stammer for a while, “Since you have a problem with it, little cultivator, why don’t you trade something for my contract with Chen Zeyu? Then you can destroy it and Chen Zeyu’s lifespan would naturally return to him.”

nMeng Qing’s eyes lit up as he looked up and asked, “What do you want?”

nShi Qing bared a wicked smile and held out his hand to the little priest.

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n“Hold hands with me for a full day and I’ll give you the contract.”

nA day of hand holding for a year of lifespan.

nThis wasn’t a bad deal for him from any angle.

nMeng Qing hesitantly stretched out his hand.

nAnd gently took the demon king’s tender palm.

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