"Fengxi, let's get back together. If you still feel insecure, then let's take it slow—secretly. We won't tell anyone for now. Once you fully trust my sincerity and are certain of my love for you, then we'll let the world know. Just consider it, would you?"
Long Fengxi stared at the message, reading it over and over again.
He called her his girlfriend, but deep down he knew the truth as clear as crystal—until she truly said yes, he would remain uneasy.
As long as she didn't reply, Shen Congmo's eyes remained glued to his phone.
The ever-composed man only ever showed such unease when it came to her.
Seconds ticked by like hours. After approximately forty-three minutes, her reply finally came.
It was brief and to the point.
"We can try again. But just as you said, without my explicit permission, you are not to tell anyone we've reconciled. If you do…"
Shen Congmo read the line, and elation surged through him so fiercely it felt as though wings might sprout from his back and lift him straight into the sky.
He stood frozen in joy, unable to contain the wild delight blooming in his chest.
When Long Yubei returned home around noon, his car hadn't yet reached the front gate when he caught sight of Shen Congmo pacing restlessly at the entrance.
Rolling down his window as he approached, he asked, "What are you doing, loitering here like a lost soul?"
Shen Congmo looked up with a grin, eyes sparkling like stars. "Beibei…"
Long Yubei's skin prickled. "Call me that again and I'll kill you."
Shen Congmo followed him inside, all the way to the garage.
The moment Long Yubei stepped out of the car, he was swept into a sudden embrace.
Stunned, Long Yubei stared at him, then promptly kicked him aside. "Have you lost your damn mind? If you want to hug a man, go find Lianghe. He's still single—my wife is home!"
"I'm just really happy."
"Happy? What, did you finally realize you're into men?"
"Get lost." With hands stuffed in his pockets and a smirk on his lips, Shen Congmo announced, "I think I want to get married."
Long Yubei paused mid-step, his expression stunned. "You've started dating someone?"
"Do I have to be dating someone to want that?"
"Well, you could, but without a woman in your life, who exactly are you marrying?" He narrowed his eyes. "Finally given up on Fengxi?"
"Long Fengxi? Please." He gave a dismissive snort. "Women who want to date me could form a line around the globe. Why should I waste my time on someone who won't have me? I'm ready to welcome a new spring in my life."
Long Yubei patted his shoulder, amusement flickering in his gaze. "What sparked this sudden enlightenment?"
"Seeing you married. Thought it might not be so bad to find someone pleasant to live with."
"I don't believe for a second you're the kind of man who'd settle for just anyone." He looked at Shen Congmo with quiet intensity. "I know you too well."
"What, you think only you get to settle and I don't?" Shen Congmo shot back. "I always thought you'd wait for true love before tying the knot. And yet, didn't you rush into a marriage with Lili in no time?"
"To be honest, I didn't think it would last. I wasn't sure how long a marriage without love could endure."
"Uh—" Shen Congmo glanced past him and caught sight of Gu Lili standing not far behind, expression unreadable. He hastily tried to smooth things over. "Well—no couple ever truly knows how long their marriage will last, right? Even those deeply in love could fall apart in a blink. Lili, don't take what he said the wrong way."
Startled, Long Yubei turned around—only then did he see Gu Lili standing quietly in the distance, watching them with calm, steady eyes.