By Zephyria 
After that, the memories abruptly ceased, no longer clear.
When Jing Mian’s thoughts returned to the present, he realized he had been sitting on the floor for a long time. The light was still soft, and the night was silent.
The young man seemed to remember something and quickly stood up, finding his slippers to put on.
A long-ingrained habit made his first instinct not fear Mr. Ren discovering he had opened the study drawer, but rather being caught sitting barefoot on the cold floor.
Jing Mian closed the drawer but kept the bracelet in his hand.
Yet, after he had barged into that stranger’s suite back then—
What exactly had happened afterward?
Jing Mian returned to the bedroom.
He lifted the covers and slipped back into bed, moving quietly so as not to wake his husband.
Or perhaps, he should wake the man and ask for clarity.
But his heart was pounding violently, clearly, even he hadn’t fully processed what had just happened, let alone act on this impulse.
The bracelet had been lost three years ago, and the timing aligned perfectly.
The memories were too distant, and the young man could only vaguely grasp a few fragmented details. For instance, he had just finished his college entrance exams then, the season transitioning into early autumn. Or that it had been the anniversary of his mother’s death, yet Jing Guozhen had still dragged him to some big shot’s birthday banquet, whose name he didn’t even know.
Later, he had a panic attack in a corner and, in his distress, drank alcohol to numb himself.
And then… he seemed to have mistaken someone for his brother.
Looking back now, that person must have been the one he encountered in the penthouse suite.
Even now, Jing Mian cringed at the memory.
Not only had he misidentified the man, but it also appeared he had placed the bracelet on the other’s wrist. Given his state at the time, he might have even been tearful by the end.
Moreover, to an outsider, the bracelet likely seemed incredibly cheap, a child’s handmade trinket, unworthy of even a roadside stall.
Both of them were men. To receive such a childish, clumsy gift, Jing Mian couldn’t imagine how the other must have felt.
He probably thought Jing Mian was insane.
In his hazy recollection, the other had been in a wheelchair, with long hair.
…
Clearly, he had also been disabled.
Jing Mian tossed and turned.
He couldn’t connect this to Mr. Ren.
The past from years ago was impossible to verify, and the secret he had discovered in the study couldn’t definitively prove that the man back then was Mr. Ren.
…
But what if it really was him?
Then it meant his husband had saved him twice.
It had always been him.
He had thought that during those difficult times, they had each licked their wounds alone. Yet fate had already tightly entwined them.
What they believed to be separate paths had actually been a desperate reunion after a long separation.
This was never some business arrangement—
They had been moving toward each other all along.
Perhaps only by asking Mr. Ren directly would the truth come to light.
Jing Mian stared at the ceiling, his chest pressed against a heartbeat so fierce it was nearly uncontrollable.
If he asked, everything between them now would likely change forever.
Undercurrents surged, threatening to overtake the shore in an instant.
Jing Mian wasn’t sure if he was ready.
…
He had thought he wouldn’t sleep at all that night, yet Jing Mian gradually drifted off, sleeping unusually soundly.
Recovering from illness required rest, and Jing Mian only stirred the next morning when someone seemed to approach his bedside and lean down slightly.
He struggled to open his eyes, fighting against drowsiness.
“We’re going to Yancheng today. There’s an event scheduled.”
Yancheng?
Jing Mian was clearly processing Mr. Ren’s words, his lips parting slightly as he spoke with a hint of nasal tone: “…When will you be back?”
“Tomorrow night.”
Mr. Ren said, “I’ve asked Yu Nian to stay in Lincheng, and Aunt Yu will come to cook. Let them know if you need anything.”
Jing Mian’s eyelashes trembled slightly as he gave a soft “Mm.”
“You can also call me.”
Tucking his hands under the blanket, drowsy to the point of haziness, Jing Mian still responded quietly, “I’ll call Husband right away.”
…
Soon after, Jing Mian felt a warm touch land on the bridge of his nose and between his brows. That brief pause and slight daze made his heartbeat suddenly accelerate.
By the time Jing Mian sat up fully, he was the only one left at home.
No—
There was still Li Daoyang downstairs.
Jing Mian was filled with regret.
Mr. Ren would be gone for two days, and he hadn’t even had the chance to ask anything.
Hearing the noise, Li Daoyang looked up from the first floor, toothbrush in mouth and foam everywhere, calling out: “MianMian! Your husband’s away on business, should we order takeout for lunch?”
Jing Mian gripped the railing, gazing at the empty living room before descending with visible disappointment.
Noticing his expression, Li Daoyang asked, “What’s wrong?”
…
“So, that stranger who comforted you during your episode back then… is actually your husband now?”
Jing Mian nodded from the couch.
“There was never a second person. It’s always only been your husband.”
Li Daoyang was even more excited than him: “He’s the Brother who saved you!!”
Though equally exhilarated internally, Jing Mian had to be cautious: “…We’re not sure yet.”
Li Daoyang was Jing Mian’s closest friend. He knew this was monumental, almost unimaginable. It wasn’t just about that time-worn, possibly rusted gift. He said, “The key point is, he still kept the bracelet all this time, carefully preserving your little star. Professor Ren truly loves you deeply.”
A gift he’d thought unworthy had been kept perfectly intact by the other all these years.
Hidden behind it were twelve years, silent yet profound.
Powerful enough to remain unshaken.
After a moment of thought, Li Daoyang grew quiet, speaking apologetically:
“MianMian, to be honest, you were in a really bad state back then. That day happened to be the anniversary of your mother’s passing. I thought…”
The young man froze: “?”
“I thought that person was someone you imagined, MianMian.”
Li Daoyang’s tone was serious, more solemn than usual, as he murmured, “Later, you told me you’d contemplated suicide that night. I know PTSD can cause hallucinations, and I wasn’t there with you then.”
“I thought your descriptions, the disability, someone who resembled your Brother… were just figments, a lifeline your subconscious created to save yourself when you tried to end your life that night.
After all, most people in that situation would call security, an ambulance… or the police. They wouldn’t spend the whole night comforting a stranger.”
“But if it was your Brother, your husband now, then everything you said makes sense.”
Jing Mian held his breath.
For some reason, a lump rose in his throat, rendering him speechless.
It wasn’t just Li Daoyang.
Even he himself had doubted it before.
Li Daoyang scratched his head: “Sorry for misunderstanding.”
Jing Mian’s voice was slightly hoarse: “It’s fine.”
“Then what are you waiting for? Ask him now!”
Li Daoyang said, “Ask your husband if he’s really that person, but chances are he is. The star bracelet is with him.”
Jing Mian’s throat felt dry, a hint of nervousness creeping in as he asked, “And after I ask?”
Li Daoyang: “Huh?”
“If I ask him and he says yes, is that enough?”
Li Daoyang looked puzzled, clearly not understanding. “Isn’t it? I know it means a lot to you… The person you’ve been searching for all these years, the one you wanted to thank, turns out to be your husband. Isn’t that an incredible stroke of luck?”
Jing Mian pressed his lips together, unable to refute.
Because it was indeed the truth.
But gratitude wasn’t what his husband wanted to hear.
And what he wanted to say went far beyond thanks.
Li Daoyang mused, “Remember the day you won Ash’s Shadow Guard? It seemed like the happiest day of your life, but you looked so lost. Probably because the real Ash had already quit the game, what you got was just a shadow.
I wanted to be happy for you, but the one who pulled you out of the abyss was a shadow that didn’t exist.”
Jing Mian froze, the fading sunlight from the floor to ceiling windows gradually illuminating his gaze.
But his husband wasn’t a shadow.
He was more real than anything.
That shadow, the one who pulled him from the depths, had led him back to the dawn he hadn’t seen in years.
He was his light.
Li Daoyang said, “But now, I’m genuinely happy for you.”
Before Jing Mian could respond, Li Daoyang’s lips curled uncontrollably. “Though, what makes me even happier is that I’m going to a concert tonight.”
Jing Mian hugged his knees. “?”
He asked, “Isn’t it tomorrow night?”
Li Daoyang said, “Of course not. If it were tomorrow, tickets to Lincheng wouldn’t be selling out like this.”
After a pause, he added, “But the train tickets to Yancheng are completely sold out.”
Jing Mian: “Why?”
“Because of your husband, obviously.” Li Daoyang shrugged. “Isn’t Mr. Ren’s birthday tomorrow? And he just happens to be in Yancheng for his latest schedule. Fans would be crazy not to go celebrate.”
…
?
Birthday!!
The young man froze for a few seconds before his pupils constricted sharply.
Tomorrow… was October 12th.
He had completely forgotten that tomorrow was Mr. Ren’s birthday!!
Even this morning, when the man had bid him farewell by his bedside before leaving home, he hadn’t mentioned a word about it.
This time last year, they had held their engagement banquet, and the first snow had fallen that night.
It was also the first time he had packed his bags and moved into Mr. Ren’s home.
And their first kiss under that snow.
Missing Mr. Ren’s birthday before their marriage was one thing.
But now, as their first anniversary approached, he absolutely couldn’t let it slide, he had to make up for last year and then some.
Seeing his expression, Li Daoyang grinned. “You’re thinking of celebrating your husband’s birthday, aren’t you?”
Jing Mian paused, then after a moment, nodded faintly.
Li Daoyang said, “Great! If we start preparing now, there’s still time. Let’s give him a surprise!”
Jing Mian felt a flutter of nerves. Though his fingers were cold, his thoughts were far calmer than Li Daoyang’s. “I should probably contact Mr. Ren’s assistant first.”
Li Daoyang considered it. “True.”
“The arrangements and schedule details are best known by his assistants.” Li Daoyang crossed his legs and advised the young man: “But remember, keep it secret. Getting dating advice from someone experienced won’t be much of a surprise if Mr. Ren finds out.”
Jing Mian nodded.
Just then, the phone on the sofa rang, buzzing with vibration.
,From “Yu Nian.”
Li Daoyang perked up: “Isn’t he Mr. Ren’s assistant? Hey, perfect timing!”
Jing Mian grew even more nervous under Li Daoyang’s influence.
He picked up the phone and answered: “Brother Yu Nian?”
Yu Nian’s voice came through: “MianMian.”
“Hope you haven’t eaten yet. Weren’t you just recovering from illness these past two days? Brother Ren was worried you might not have an appetite, so I packed some crab roe soup dumplings from that 20-year-old shop in the north of the city. They don’t do deliveries, so I’m bringing them over now.”
“I got a portion for your friend too.”
Jing Mian watched as Li Daoyang made a fist-over-heart gesture, looking deeply moved.
Li Daoyang sounded puzzled: “Why is Mr. Ren’s assistant still in Lincheng?”
This seemed to have been overheard on the other end, as Yu Nian explained: “I’m Brother Ren’s schedule assistant. Normally, I’d be following him to Yancheng for this trip.”
Yu Nian chuckled: “But since I interact more with Mr. Jing and am more familiar with him, I was asked to stay behind to look after MianMian.”
Li Daoyang: “Ah, I see.”
“Thanks for the soup dumplings, Brother Yu Nian!”
“Don’t mention it. Mr. Jing’s friends are my friends too.”
The usually irresistible soup dumplings seemed lackluster now, as the young man’s attention was elsewhere. After thanking him, Jing Mian called out: “Brother Yu Nian.”
Yu Nian: “Hmm?”
“Do you know… how my husband celebrates his birthday?”
The question came out somewhat abruptly.
After all, Husband had already left for another city.
Jing Mian just wasn’t sure what arrangements the man might have, where he’d celebrate, perhaps with fans, or a more business-oriented birthday banquet, or even something casual like a gathering with friends.
Would preparing a birthday surprise for his husband… be unnecessary?
To his surprise, Yu Nian’s steady voice soon came through the receiver: “Brother Ren never celebrates his birthday.”
…
Jing Mian froze for several seconds.
Even Li Daoyang’s expression stiffened.
Jing Mian curled his fingers, hearing his own voice ask: “Why not?”
The answer seemed obvious, but Yu Nian hesitated on the other end. Li Daoyang, as an observer, understood immediately.
Li Daoyang couldn’t help blurting out: “Dummy, it’s because of you!”
“That day is your mother’s death anniversary.”
“How could your husband, who holds you so dear, possibly celebrate his birthday then?”
……
Yu Nian remained silent for a long while, though the call wasn’t disconnected.
As if tacitly agreeing.
On the other end, Yu Nian was driving, and with another call coming in, he apologized before hanging up.
The living room fell silent again.
The young man gripped his phone, his expression frozen, unable to speak for a long time.
This time, Li Daoyang was much calmer. Leaving aside Mr. Ren, Jing Mian had never been in a relationship before marriage. Before this, his world had only consisted of studies, esports, and the scars from his blended family.
He thought to himself, feelings couldn’t be forced.
They had to develop naturally, step by step.
He needed to stay composed. He needed to hold back.
When the time is right, he could gently remind the little one that he might like his Husband more than he thinks.
“Can we still make it if we book the flight now?”
…
Li Daoyang froze in surprise.
Jing Mian lowered his gaze, the screen’s glow reflecting in his eyes as he murmured,
“I’m going to Yancheng.”