Chapter 58.3

TW: homophobia, mentions of suicide

Editor: yummers

Chen Zeyu went to Mi Lang’s house.

He saw the blood that had dried on the ground.

And the passersby who whispered incessantly.

He didn’t believe it.

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

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

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

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

Chen Zeyu stared at them dumbly.

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

He stood there for a long, long time.

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

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

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

He just kept walking and thinking.

How did this happen?

Why did this happen to them?

Their only crime was their feelings for each other.

Mi 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?

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

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

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

He said he wanted Mi Lang back.

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

Yeah. That’s right. They couldn’t.

Those 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.

The dead couldn’t come back.

Mi Lang would never come back.

Their future together would never come either.

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

“Thank you.”

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

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

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

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

“Now sign.”

***

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chen Zeyu looked fixedly at Mi Lang.

“I do.”

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

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

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

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

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

Without the shackles of pain, he was able to focus all his attention on his happiness today.

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

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

It 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.

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

They were almost out of time.

But the atmosphere surrounding the two was very calm.

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

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

Chen 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.”

“Me neither.”

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

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

Mi Lang laughed, “Not school uniforms though.”

“No one can look good in that.”

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

A long silence fell between them.

They 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.

Above the chapel, there was a huge clock running.

Tick, tok, tick, tok.

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

No matter how much they cherished each moment, the time for their separation inevitably arrived.

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

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

Chen 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.”

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

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

“I’m sorry.”

“Thank you.”

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

“Mi Lang! Mi Lang!”

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

But some things couldn’t be changed.

Seeing 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.

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

Meng 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.”

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

The 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.

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

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

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

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

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

The 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.

Shi 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.”

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

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

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

A day of hand holding for a year of lifespan.

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

Meng Qing hesitantly stretched out his hand.

And gently took the demon king’s tender palm.