BL Ch150 – END.

Three days later.

Ji Lin woke up early, washed and styled his hair, and put on the suit Jia Jin had delivered the day before.

The Yu family’s meticulous attention to detail for this engagement banquet was bordering on obsessive. Not only were they providing free food and accommodation for the guests, but they had also tailored suits for everyone. Apparently, Chen Kuan had hired several apprentices and worked overtime to complete the orders before the banquet. Each suit was expensive, a gift from the Yu family to their friends and relatives.

Ji Lin had just finished tying his tie when he heard two car horns from downstairs.

Lu Qing, cupping her hands around her mouth, yelled towards his window, “Hurry up, Captain Ji! We’ll miss the boat!”

Ji Lin grabbed his gift, grumbling as he went downstairs. “What’s the rush? The boat leaves at nine, right? It’s only seven-thirty!”

Lu Qing: “We still have to pick up Officer Mu. I’m worried about rush hour traffic. Mr. Yu is so strange, who holds an engagement party on a weekday?”

“He doesn’t have to go to work like us,” Ji Lin said, getting into the backseat.

They all knew Yu Duqiu had chosen this date simply because it was the earliest possible date, nothing more.

He didn’t care whether the guests had time to attend. As long as everything was prepared, even if it was just him and Bai Zhao, he would make this engagement banquet a grand affair.

Lu Qing stepped on the gas, speeding towards Mu Hao’s apartment before rush hour hit.

The radio played the weather forecast: “Sunny today, high of 25 degrees Celsius, low of 11 degrees Celsius, with southwesterly winds of 4-5…”

The hibiscus flowers on the billboards along the way were almost in full bloom, sparking discussions everywhere. While stopped at a red light, they heard someone on the street ask, “What will happen after the flowers fully bloom?”

Ji Lin was also curious.

Yu Duqiu had extravagantly booked every billboard in the city, yet displayed no message. Was it low-key? He had made the entire city aware of it, even trending nationwide. Was it high-profile? Few knew it was an engagement announcement, and only a few dozen guests were invited.

Such a grand gesture, seemingly just for Bai Zhao.

In ancient times, he would have been a foolish king, lighting beacon fires for a frivolous reason.

Now, the entire city and curious media were waiting for the flowers to fully bloom, eager to see what this mysterious tycoon wanted to reveal.

They picked up Mu Hao, then headed towards Changhe Beach in the suburbs. Lu Qing, glancing at the rearview mirror, teased with a grin, “Captain Ji, Officer Mu, you two are dressed so similarly today.”

She shouldn’t have mentioned it. Ji Lin’s face burned, wishing he could disappear.

Mu Hao’s tailored suit was also dark gray, like his. Their ties, one red and one blue, both striped, were clearly the same style but different colors.

That Yu must have done it on purpose!

Mu Hao, noticing it for the first time, joked, “You’re right! It’s like we’re the ones getting engaged, haha.”

Lu Qing almost choked, her eyes widening as she looked at Ji Lin: You two are already at this stage?

Ji Lin banged his forehead against the front seat: No, he just says whatever comes to mind… I’m used to it…

Carrying a carload of amusement, awkwardness, and surprise, they finally arrived at their destination, fifteen minutes before nine, just in time for the boat.

The other guests, with time to spare, had stayed on the island the night before. Ji Lin and the other public servants, not having such luxury, had taken half a day off to attend. Feng Jinmin and Peng Deyu hadn’t come, expressing disdain for Yu Duqiu’s ostentatious engagement party.

“I’ll go to their wedding. That Yu kid is always fooling around; who knows if they’ll even make it to the altar!” Peng Deyu, having heard of Yu Duqiu’s reputation and his broken engagement with Du Lingya, was highly skeptical of their relationship.

He wasn’t the only one. Many guests present probably wondered if Young Master Yu, having just broken off his engagement with a suitable fiancée a few months ago, was now just playing around with his new bodyguard. Perhaps they would break up the next day.

Ji Lin wasn’t worried about that. If they knew how many drones and resources Yu Duqiu had mobilized for this engagement, they wouldn’t question his sincerity.

For just an engagement party, Yu Duqiu seemed determined to give Bai Zhao the best of everything.

Even the new yacht they were on, worth hundreds of millions, was one of Yu Duqiu’s gifts to Bai Zhao, even more luxurious than the previous one. It was named “Sunrise,” its meaning clear to anyone who gave it a moment’s thought.

Captain Sun was still at the helm. Apparently, Yu Duqiu, in a good mood, had forgiven his mistake, but also threatened to throw him overboard to feed the fish if he slacked off again. Thus, Captain Sun was now extremely diligent, fully focused on navigating the yacht.

The island where the engagement party was being held was a twenty-minute boat ride away. Before disembarking, Lu Qing changed into her custom-made dress, dazzling Lou Baoguo, who showered her with compliments and thoughtfully offered her a shawl to keep warm.

Zhou Yi dragged his lovestruck teammate aside, leading the other guests onto the island.

The Yu family had arranged a Western-style outdoor engagement party. A winding path paved with white tiles led from the dock, lined with white “Wedding Road” roses, concealing the actual venue. Without a guide, one could easily get lost.

According to Zhou Yi, this was to prevent reporters from sneaking photos. Some of the smaller boats around the island were indeed reporters, hoping to capture some juicy gossip.

Ji Lin couldn’t help but sigh, “Bai Zhao has truly married into wealth.”

At his words, both Zhou Yi and Lou Baoguo’s expressions turned strange.

Ji Lin was confused. “What? Did I say something wrong?”

“N-No.” Zhou Yi brushed it off, saying nothing more.

After walking for about ten minutes, they reached a flower-adorned archway, marking the entrance to the venue.

At first glance, the setup seemed simple and elegant. Dozens of chairs were neatly arranged on both sides, decorated with balloons and flowers. The aisle was covered with a thick layer of pure white petals, soft underfoot.

The flower path led to a stage, displaying the same blooming hibiscus animation as the city billboards.

Ji Lin scanned the area, spotting the two main characters in the photo area.

Yu Duqiu was dressed in white today, a vibrant red poppy pinned to his left lapel. His hair, slightly thinned but the same length, framed his face softly. He leaned against Bai Zhao, smiling faintly at the camera, the usual cunning replaced by a gentle elegance.

Bai Zhao wore a black suit, looking dashing, a white hibiscus pinned to the same spot, revealing the subject of the citywide advertisement campaign.

As Ji Lin and Mu Hao approached, they overheard other guests exclaiming, “So you were the one behind those advertisements? I was wondering who was so extravagant.”

Yu Duqiu replied modestly, “Just a little something to bring a smile to people’s faces.”

“My teeth are rotting from your sweetness.” Ji Lin walked over. “Seeing those ads everywhere, I’m already sick of them. Such extravagance for just an engagement; are you going to announce your wedding to the entire world?”

Yu Duqiu, seeing them, smiled after sending off the other guests. “I actually have that in mind. I’m planning to film a movie next year, starring the two of us, to be released globally before the wedding.”

Both Ji Lin and Mu Hao exclaimed in surprise, and even Bai Zhao asked, “When did you decide this?”

“Just now. An old classmate of mine is a director.” Yu Duqiu said. “Don’t they usually play videos at wedding ceremonies? Our story is too complicated to tell in a few minutes, so why not make a movie? But I’m not familiar with domestic celebrities. Do you have any recommendations?”

Mu Hao shook his head. “Don’t look at me. I rarely watch movies. Ask Xiao Ji.”

“I… I don’t watch them often either!” Ji Lin suddenly remembered someone. “Oh, at Luo Mao’s birthday banquet, I saw a long-haired male celebrity. He was quite handsome, he could play you. But I don’t know his name. His face looked familiar…”

Yu Duqiu raised an eyebrow. “Alright, I’ll have someone look into it. Since you’ve helped me so much, I’ll choose a good actor for you too.”

Ji Lin’s eyes widened. “I have a role too?”

“Of course. Aren’t you touched?”

Having his life story adapted into a movie was certainly novel, but having it as someone’s wedding video felt a bit strange…

“Let Bai Zhao choose the title,” Yu Duqiu said, turning to him with a smile. “Anything you want. It’s just for fun; we’re not expecting to make money.”

Bai Zhao nodded. “Okay, I’ll think about it.”

“We’ll discuss that later. Accept our gift first.” Ji Lin handed him a gift bag. “Here!”

Yu Duqiu took it, not looking inside immediately. “I told you not to bother. Your meager salary, and you’re buying me a gift? I feel bad.”

Ji Lin gritted his teeth. “You little–”

“Xiao Ji and I prepared it together,” Mu Hao interrupted, preventing an argument. “It might not be expensive, but Xiao Ji put a lot of thought into choosing it. Don’t be picky.”

Ji Lin blushed. “It didn’t take that long…”

Yu Duqiu stuck out his tongue. “I know you care about him. Just kidding. Let me see what you two bought… Hm? Isn’t this what I gave you…”

Inside the heavy gift bag was a familiar bottle of Buckland’s Finest and a bouquet of yellow roses.

“Xiao Ji said this was the wine you shared with him at your ‘grave,’ wishing us a triumphant return,” Mu Hao explained. “Perhaps it was because of your well wishes that I was able to come back safely. So this is a toast to you, wishing you both health and happiness in the future.”

Ji Lin coughed, then continued, “You gave me a rose that day, saying it represented happiness, glory, and hope. Then you gave me ‘hope’… Now I have plenty of hope, so I’m returning it to you. And glory and happiness too, all to you. Stop fighting and causing trouble; just be a pampered king.”

Yu Duqiu stared at the gifts, speechless.

Bai Zhao pulled him into a hug, covering his face. “He’s about to cry. Don’t look at him; he’ll be embarrassed.”

Yu Duqiu pulled away, slightly annoyed. “Hey, who said I’m crying?”

Bai Zhao kissed his eyelids. “Your eyes are red.”

Ji Lin shuddered. “Alright, alright, we gave our gifts. We’ll go find a seat now. You two carry on–”

“Captain Ji.” Yu Duqiu interrupted, looking at him seriously. “Thank you for your hard work these past six months.”

Ji Lin froze, trying to maintain his composure, but his gaze darted around nervously. “It’s nothing, just doing my job. I’m not used to you being so polite…”

Yu Duqiu turned to Mu Hao. “Don’t let such a good partner get away, you hear… Hey! Captain Ji, why are you hitting me? I’m speaking on your behalf… Ouch! Bai Zhao!”

Mu Hao pulled the exasperated Ji Lin away, and Bai Zhao shielded Yu Duqiu, who was dodging blows. The two men exchanged a look, amused smiles on their faces.

Yu Duqiu had to continue taking photos with other guests. Zhou Yi temporarily stored the gifts aside. Ji Lin noticed a pair of handmade dolls among them, a silver-haired one holding a bouquet, its head tilted against the shoulder of a black-haired one.

“My daughter made those,” Zhou Yi said proudly. “Not bad, right?”

The dolls’ craftsmanship wasn’t particularly refined, with many visible stitches, but Ji Lin felt that if he voiced his true opinion, Zhou Yi wouldn’t let him leave the island in one piece.

“Mm… they’re good.” He couldn’t bring himself to say more, quickly changing the subject, pointing at the silver-haired doll. “Why is Yu the one holding the bouquet? Shouldn’t it be Bai Zhao?”

Zhou Yi’s expression turned strange again, shaking his head repeatedly. “I can’t say, I can’t say.”

Ji Lin: “?” What was so unspeakable about a doll?

Mu Hao was also puzzled. Wanting to understand, he noticed Zhou Yangguo nearby and suggested to Ji Lin, “Let’s ask her?”

Ji Lin was about to agree when he saw Yu Duqiu, posing for a photo with the next guest, naturally resting his head on Bai Zhao’s shoulder, just like the dolls. And Bai Zhao, equally naturally, wrapped an arm around his waist.

“…”

…Wait, marrying into wealth… marrying into wealth…

“Wait! Brother Mu!” Ji Lin quickly grabbed Mu Hao’s arm. “Don’t ask. I understand now.”

Mu Hao turned back, surprised. “You figured it out already? That’s amazing, Xiao Ji. Deduction without any clues. So, why?”

“It’s… it’s nothing important! Don’t worry about it!” Ji Lin couldn’t bear to explain, pulling him away. “I’ll tell you another time. Let’s find a seat…”

Fortunately, Mu Hao didn’t press the issue, simply reminding him with curiosity, “Remember to tell me later!”

Once all the guests had arrived, it was time for the engagement ceremony to officially begin. Everyone took their seats, awaiting the couple’s entrance.

Most of the guests were familiar faces associated with the Yu family. A few unfamiliar faces were apparently relatives from Bai Zhao’s side, including his grandparents, whom he hadn’t seen in years. The elderly couple, upon learning their grandson was still alive, were overjoyed, insisting on traveling from afar despite their wheelchairs and canes.

In the face of life and death, their grandson choosing a man as his partner seemed less significant.

As the music started, the two protagonists appeared at the archway. Everyone turned to look. Yu Jiangyue, seeing the scene, couldn’t help but facepalm. “This kid… always has to be different.”

Yu Youhai burst out laughing. “Not bad, very creative.”

Yu Duqiu, holding the reins, leaned against Bai Zhao, who embraced him from behind, also holding the reins, ensuring his safety.

Little Bai, entrusted with an important task today, carried his two masters with his head held high, walking gracefully along the flower path.

The two Dobermans, wearing black bow ties, escorted them on either side, obediently and proudly following the horse.

Leading the way was Zhou Yangguo, acting as the flower girl, scattering petals from her basket.

The scene was both strange and amusing, fitting Yu Duqiu’s personality.

Yu Jiangyue, despite her exasperation, started the applause, which quickly spread, even accompanied by a few whistles.

Yu Duqiu, like a king reviewing his troops, sat tall on his horse, waving to the crowd.

Bai Zhao whispered in his ear, “Let’s go a little faster. Little Bai is getting tired.”

“It’s not that far. Little Bai is strong.” Yu Duqiu leaned down and stroked the horse’s mane. Little Bai immediately raised his head, accepting his master’s affection and praise.

The path was only fifty meters long, but they took their time, finally reaching the stage five minutes later.

Bai Zhao dismounted first, then helped Yu Duqiu down. The two dogs and the horse, having completed their task, trotted to the side, making way for their masters.

The next step in the engagement ceremony should have been introducing their families to each other, but Bai Zhao had no parents. To avoid upsetting him, Yu Duqiu had arranged for the two families to meet the night before, and they had visited the cemetery a few days ago. This step was skipped.

Zhao Feihua, acting as the emcee, took the microphone and began his opening remarks. “Thank you all for coming to the engagement ceremony of our two newlyweds!”

Lou Baoguo leaned towards Zhou Yi, whispering, “Why did they choose him as the emcee? Won’t this go on till next year?”

Zhou Yi: “Well, occasions like these need someone who can give a proper speech. If the young master were to speak, he’d probably say something like ‘Just send us straight to the bridal chamber!’ That would be terrifying.”

Lou Baoguo considered it, convinced. “Very true, the young master is capable of that.”

Zhao Feihua’s eloquence was put to good use, his monologue carrying the ceremony for a full ten minutes before finally getting to the point. “Now, let’s invite the happy couple to exchange engagement tokens!”

Lou Baoguo, holding his phone, diligently recorded every step in his notes.

Zhou Yi: “What are you doing?”

Lou Baoguo: “I need to remember this for my own engagement.”

Zhou Yi chuckled. “You haven’t even found a partner yet. Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself?”

Lou Baoguo retorted, “Think about it. Five months ago, could you have imagined the young master getting engaged again? Three months ago, could you have imagined Big Brother successfully… um, succeeding? Three days ago, could you have imagined the young master being the… ahem, bottom? Anything is possible!”

Zhou Yi, listening, felt there was some truth to it, but then realized a major flaw in his logic. “No, no, you’re a normal person; you can’t compare yourself to the young master… I’m not saying the young master is abnormal, but you can’t replicate their way of doing things.”

“Why not? I’ll dye my hair silver tomorrow!”

“Oh, look in the mirror first. Not everyone can pull off that hair color. You might end up looking like Miss Lu’s grandfather.”

“Hey, you…”

Lu Qing patted his shoulder. Lou Baoguo immediately turned around, beaming. “Hey, hey, what’s up?”

“Shh! Be quiet, they’re exchanging rings!”

Zhou Yi, stifling a laugh, consoled his dejected partner. “It’s fine. Just observe what kind of rings they exchange and learn from them.”

Lou Baoguo: “You think too highly of me. Can I even afford their rings?”

Both of them had their rings with them. Yu Duqiu presented his first.

The ruby ring Bai Zhao had returned lay in its box, modified, the blade removed, now a harmless gemstone.

Just like himself, letting go of all defenses, offering his true self to his lover.

Yu Duqiu took Bai Zhao’s hand and placed the ring back on his finger, smiling amidst the cheers. “Returned to its rightful owner. Next time you want to take it off, you’ll need my permission.”

Bai Zhao raised his hand, admiring the ruby, shimmering like a blooming red rose.

“The next time I take it off will be to put on our wedding rings.”

Yu Duqiu smiled. “Already talking about marriage? Put yours on me first. You’ve been hiding it so mysteriously. Let me see what you prepared for me.”

Bai Zhao took out his own ring box. As the dark blue box opened, Yu Duqiu’s eyes lit up –

Before the engagement, he had checked his supplementary card’s transaction history. There were no purchases over ten thousand yuan, meaning Bai Zhao hadn’t bought any expensive jewelry. It didn’t matter; even if Bai Zhao had given him a soda can tab, he would have worn it gladly.

But he hadn’t expected him to prepare a genuine gemstone ring:

A sapphire, its deep, velvety blue as pure as the ocean, its cut identical to the ruby on his own hand.

“If love is the ocean that flows between the shores of our souls,” Bai Zhao said, placing the ring on his left middle finger, the clear blue accentuating his fair skin, like a white cloud reflected in the sea, “then I want to give you the entire ocean.”

Yu Duqiu stared at it, mesmerized.

“It’s beautiful, completely unexpected.” He thought for a moment, then understood the gem’s origin. “As far as I know, Kashmir sapphires haven’t been mined for years, and there haven’t been any recent jewelry auctions. How did you get this in such a short time? Let me guess… you visited Pei Ming to get it, right?”

Bai Zhao smiled. “Correct. A little trickery, and I got one.”

Yu Duqiu smiled too. “And for free?”

“Indeed.”

“Impressive, worthy of my baby. You surprised me and angered my enemy at the same time. Perfect.”

Ji Lin, looking suspiciously at the two smiling at each other on stage, whispered to Mu Hao, “Brother Mu, can you hear what they’re saying? Why do their smiles seem so sinister?”

Mu Hao chuckled. “It’s fine, Duqiu is always like this. Let’s applaud.”

The guests applauded the newly engaged couple. Next, it was the parents’ turn to offer their blessings. Yu Youhai represented Yu Duqiu’s side, Zhao Feihua respectfully handing him the microphone.

Ji Lin glanced at his watch. 10:50 AM. Ten minutes left.

He looked up at the sky, seemingly hearing a faint buzzing sound in the distance.

Mu Hao followed his gaze. “Xiao Ji, what are you looking at?”

“Ah, you’ll see soon.” Ji Lin remembered Yu Duqiu’s instructions, or rather, his threat:

“If you dare tell anyone beforehand, I’ll make Mu Hao’s life hell.”

Yu Duqiu knew how to threaten him, knew his weaknesses. But even without the threat, he wouldn’t have revealed it.

A surprise like this only happened once in a lifetime. Who would have the heart to ruin it?

Yu Youhai offered his blessings to the couple, speaking of a bright future, omitting the hardships of the past twenty years, clearly in agreement with his grandson, not wanting Bai Zhao to relive any unpleasant memories.

After his speech, Zhao Feihua took back the microphone and continued, “Now, let’s invite Bai Zhao’s family… uh? Ah, okay.”

Bai Zhao suddenly gestured to Zhao Feihua, asking for the microphone.

This was clearly not part of the plan. Both Zhao Feihua and Yu Duqiu were taken aback.

Bai Zhao tapped the microphone twice and spoke. “My family and I have been separated for a long time, recently reunited. They don’t know me or Duqiu very well. After discussing it with them, I’ve decided to give this blessing myself. Please forgive me.”

Yu Duqiu was surprised. “Why didn’t you tell me beforehand? I could have removed this part.”

Speaking on behalf of his family, offering himself his own blessings, such a scene might appear pitiful to others, as if he had no family to offer their support. If Bai Zhao didn’t want to, he could have easily avoided this awkwardness.

“It’s okay, I want to say it.” Bai Zhao reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a letter.

Yu Duqiu, facing him, glimpsed the neat handwriting and the lengthy text.

His heart tightened, and he quickly glanced at the sky.

If it took longer than ten minutes, the timing would be off…

As he worried, Bai Zhao unfolded the letter and began to speak:

“My dearest Duqiu.”

This overly affectionate term had never been used between them. Yu Duqiu couldn’t help but smile, his attention drawn back to the man before him. He froze – Bai Zhao wasn’t looking at the letter; he was looking at him as he spoke.

This was a memorized speech.

He suddenly realized that Bai Zhao wasn’t just acting as his spokesperson out of necessity; he genuinely wanted to say these words to him.

Yu Duqiu straightened up, returning his focused gaze, putting everything else out of his mind.

It didn’t matter if the surprise he had spent millions on missed its perfect timing. Nothing was more important than this.

Bai Zhao looked at him, his dark eyes reflecting the light from the sky, the entire world seeming to dim around that halo.

“My dearest Duqiu.”

Bai Zhao repeated, officially beginning to read the long letter:

“I love your name, Duqiu. It always reminds me of that cool autumn night, us by the window, sharing the trivial details of our days.”

“Life is like a dream. How many such autumns can one have in a dream? I once thought that was the last, and the only one.”

“But as long as I keep replaying it in my dreams, it’s as if I’m still there, as if you never left me.”

“All this time, I walked alone, one foot in the mud, the other in the clouds. The mud was so deep, constantly pulling me down, but the clouds were so light, always holding me up, preventing me from sinking.”

“My longing for you was that cloud.”

“The night you finally found me, it had been 6,580 days since we parted. I stood by your bedside, watching your peaceful sleeping face. You glowed under the lamplight, reminding me of ‘An Unequal Marriage.’ You were so pure, and I was covered in sin. I didn’t know if I was worthy of approaching you.”

“But the moment your gaze fell on me again, I knew I wouldn’t leave, I couldn’t bear to leave.”

“In those few seconds, I made a decision. If you could accept my lies, my secrets, my flaws, I would protect you forever. If you couldn’t, then I would cherish you forever in my heart.”

“To make the first scenario possible, I risked my life, desperately trying to prove myself.”

“But truly, I wanted to live a long life, to grow old with you.”

“In my twenty-odd years of life, I had great ambitions, but few desires. Clothes to keep me warm, food to fill my stomach. In my world of few wants, you were my only longing.”

“Thank you for blooming in my barren soil. I have nothing better to offer you, only myself. I hope you will accept.”

He took the white hibiscus from his lapel and offered it to Yu Duqiu.

“I’ve hidden my soul in this flower. I’m giving it to you. You can cherish it, or use it as decoration, but please don’t throw it away, because it can only survive by your side.”

“Perhaps one day, I’ll leave before you. It’s okay, my soul will always be with you. My love for you will never wither.”

“I love you, Duqiu.”

“Now, can you return those words to me?”

Silence fell upon the venue as the last word echoed, no applause, no sound.

The lingering sound of the microphone reverberated through the air, carried back by the wind.

Yu Duqiu wanted to speak, but his throat tightened.

Bai Zhao smiled. “Accept it. So many people are watching. Give me some face.”

Yu Duqiu obediently took the flower, clutching it tightly, but didn’t speak, just staring at him.

The prolonged silence stirred the audience slightly. Zhao Feihua frantically gestured from the side, trying to snap his boss out of his daze.

But Ji Lin knew what Yu Duqiu was waiting for.

He wanted to give Bai Zhao the best possible answer.

The second hand on his watch ticked, finally reaching the top. The appointed time had arrived.

The buzzing sound in the sky grew louder, attracting everyone’s attention. They all looked up–

Countless drones filled the southwestern sky, neatly arranged a few hundred meters from the island to minimize the noise of their rotors.

Almost the moment they were spotted, the drones released their hooks. The baskets below tilted, their contents spilling out, carried by the southwestern wind towards them, a vast, countless shower of–

Mu Hao reached up and caught one, bringing it before his eyes. It was a poppy.

Its petals, as thin as silk and smooth as satin, fluttered even in his grasp, like a butterfly yearning for freedom.

“Beautiful.” Mu Hao offered the flower to Ji Lin. “Here, Xiao Ji.”

Ji Lin, startled, took it hesitantly. “Why are you giving it to me?”

“I thought it was beautiful, so I wanted to give it to you.”

“Why would you give it to me just because it’s beautiful…” Ji Lin was still confused. “Shouldn’t you give it to Lu Qing? Girls like flowers…”

“I didn’t think that much about it.” Mu Hao twirled the stem, Ji Lin’s reflection visible in his clear eyes. “I just wanted to share something beautiful with you. If you don’t like it, then it’s fine.”

Ji Lin quickly snatched the flower, protectively holding it against his chest, his face as red as the poppy. “I want it… I like it very much, thank you…”

“Good.” Mu Hao ruffled his hair, then looked back at the sky. “But wow, that’s a lot…”

The colorful poppies, carried by the wind, filled the sky, blanketing the entire venue. The guests gasped, capturing the breathtaking scene with their phones.

The most vibrant flower among them was being placed by Yu Duqiu himself into Bai Zhao’s lapel.

“Returning it to you–” He opened his arms and embraced the man before him. “I love you too.”

“All the poppies in the world, I give them to you. Including myself.”

He covered his face, saying reluctantly, “You’re too cunning, preparing so many sweet words in secret. I can’t think of anything to top that.”

Bai Zhao hugged him, chuckling. “That was my intention.”

Yu Duqiu lowered the microphone, whispering in his ear, “Don’t get too smug. I have another surprise for you… want to see my new tattoo?”

Bai Zhao’s breath hitched. “What is it?”

“I already told you.” Yu Duqiu turned his head. “It’s right there.”

On the giant screen behind them, the white hibiscus finally bloomed fully, its petals unfurled in their most unrestrained form, complementing the shower of poppies.

At that moment, a line of text appeared on screens across the city. Passersby stopped, curious about the message this hibiscus, which had been blooming for three days and nights, finally wanted to convey–

Just three words, like dewdrops on a flower at dawn, slowly forming.

“F…” Inside Changhe Detention Center, a few inmates out for exercise saw the English words on a distant building’s screen. Lacking education, they couldn’t understand the first word, so they turned to the most educated among them. “Hey, Boss Pei, what’s that long word starting with F mean?”

The sullen man glanced at the screen and spat, “Fuck. It means shameless.”

The same image appeared on a screen inside Xinjin Detention Center. In a certain room, an elderly man, peering through the window at the clear “Fall” on the Grand Hyatt Hotel’s exterior screen, smiled silently, a look of relief on his face.

On the other side of the city, inside the city bureau’s conference room, Feng Jinmin, addressing Peng Deyu and the other task force members, pointed at a stack of documents, outlining the final stage of their operation. “Just one person left. Once we catch him, we can close the case. I’m planning to send Mu Hao; it’s time for him to return to the force. Old Peng, can your bureau spare some manpower? Old Peng?”

Peng Deyu squinted, staring at a billboard outside. “What’s that Yu kid up to again? What does that English mean?”

Xu Sheng glanced over, reading each word aloud, “Fall In… Oh! The next word must be–”

“In Love.”

Amidst the sea of flowers, Bai Zhao heard his poppy whisper in his ear, “Tattooed in the same spot as yours, representing us, a match made in heaven, falling in love…”

The last words were lost in a lingering kiss.

Their breaths mingled, the cheers and applause echoing around them, their exchanged boutonnieres pressed against their chests, their hearts beating as one, their hands intertwined, red and blue rings gleaming.

They closed their eyes, lost in this autumn dream, reaching for the clouds, reaching for eternity.