Gu Mingxiao had faced heavenly tribulations without blinking.
He had stood before elders whose pressure could crush mountains and remained unmoved. He had watched his mother's final breath with clenched fists and a straight spine.
So it was deeply unacceptable—utterly unreasonable—that his heart was currently beating like it was trying to escape his ribcage.
He turned around.
Abruptly.
Too abruptly.
His friends, who had been chatting behind him, nearly collided with his back.
"Brother Gu?" one of them asked in confusion. "Aren't we—"
"I'm returning," Gu Mingxiao said.
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
His face was cold.
Too cold.
His ears, however, were faintly red.
He walked away from the bridge with long, decisive strides, as if fleeing from a demonic beast instead of a beautiful ger with blue eyes and a smile that felt like it had reached into his soul and rearranged the furniture.
This is irrational, Gu Mingxiao thought sternly.
He had just met that person.
They had exchanged perhaps five sentences, if one counted the silence generously.
There was no reason for his chest to feel tight.
No reason for his thoughts to feel… tangled.
No reason for the image of lantern light reflected in blue eyes to keep replaying behind his eyelids.
And yet—
His fingers twitched slightly inside his sleeves.
His heart refused to calm down.
"Brother Gu?" another disciple asked carefully. "Are you unwell?"
Gu Mingxiao stopped walking.
He took a slow breath.
"…No," he said after a moment. "I am simply… distracted."
The disciples exchanged looks.
That's new.
Gu Mingxiao resumed walking, his back straight, his steps steady. He did not look back.
He told himself that whatever he had felt was a momentary lapse. A trick of the night. Lanterns and grief and atmosphere conspiring to confuse the heart.
That person—
Li Yanxu.
The name echoed once in his mind before he forcefully shut it down.
Focus, he ordered himself. You came back for your mother.
And yet, even as he rejoined his companions and answered their questions with polite brevity, his heartbeat refused to return to its usual rhythm.
—
Back on the bridge, Li Yanxu remained standing for a moment longer.
He watched Gu Mingxiao's retreating figure disappear into the lantern-lit crowd.
Then he blinked.
Once.
Twice.
"…Eh?" he said aloud.
That was it?
Li Yanxu tilted his head slightly, processing.
He was not inexperienced with feelings. He had lived two lives, after all. He had seen love bloom, fade, crash, burn, and occasionally explode spectacularly. He had always thought himself immune—too lazy, too detached, too content watching from the sidelines.
But that pull—
That moment of recognition—
That hadn't been subtle.
He scratched his cheek. "I wasn't imagining that, right?"
Because the man's eyes had softened.
Because the air had changed.
Because his own heart had reacted before his brain had permission.
That was definitely mutual, Li Yanxu concluded with modern, clinical confidence.
So why had the man turned and left like he'd seen a ghost?
"…Bro really?" Li Yanxu muttered, half-amused, half-baffled.
He let out a quiet laugh.
"Cold handsome type," he mused. "Emotionally constipated."
The lake rippled gently below, utterly uninterested in his commentary.
Li Yanxu stretched his arms above his head, the tension easing out of his shoulders.
"Well," he said to himself, "if that was love at first sight, then that was very rude."
He stepped off the bridge just as a familiar, thunderous voice echoed across the pavilion.
"LI—YAN—XU—!"
Ah.
Reality.
Li Yanxu winced. "That's my cue."
He turned toward the sound and was promptly intercepted by two small figures barreling toward him.
"Third Uncle!"
Song Zhi reached him first, grabbing his sleeve with excitement.
Song An followed, slightly slower, but with far more enthusiasm, arms wide open.
Li Yanxu caught him automatically and lifted him up. "Hey, little menace. Didn't I tell you not to run in public places?"
Song An grinned. "I missed you!"
Li Yanxu sighed dramatically. "Such emotional manipulation at such a young age."
Song Zhi looked up at him. "Uncle, where did you go?"
Li Yanxu smiled, completely relaxed now. "I went to look at the lake."
"Was it pretty?" Song Zhi asked.
"Very," Li Yanxu said honestly.
Li Yanya arrived moments later, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
"You disappear for ten minutes," she said coolly, "and I find you fraternizing with strangers again?"
Li Yanxu raised a brow. "Again?"
Li Yanya narrowed her eyes. "Your face looks suspiciously thoughtful."
"That's just my natural expression."
Song An poked Li Yanxu's cheek. "Uncle smiling."
Li Yanya froze.
She stared.
Li Yanxu was smiling.
Not his usual lazy grin.
Not his teasing smirk.
A soft, absent smile, like he'd just remembered something warm.
"…What did you do?" Li Yanya demanded.
Li Yanxu blinked and laughed. "Nothing."
Li Yanya did not believe him for a second.
She opened her mouth to interrogate further when Xu Yichen and Li Yanli approached, walking side by side.
Xu Yichen's expression was gentle, his cheeks faintly pink.
Li Yanli looked composed, but his eyes were softer than usual.
Li Yanxu looked at them and grinned knowingly.
"Oh," he said. "I see."
Xu Yichen flushed. "Yanxu—"
Li Yanxu waved a hand. "No need to explain. Your body language already did."
Li Yanli coughed lightly. "We should return home."
Li Yanya nodded. "Yes. It's late."
As they walked back through the lantern-lit streets, Li Yanxu lagged slightly behind, Song An perched comfortably on his hip.
His mind drifted back to the bridge.
To cold eyes that had warmed.
To a heartbeat he'd felt even from a distance.
If there's fate, Li Yanxu thought lightly, it'll sort itself out.
He wasn't the type to chase.
He also wasn't the type to panic.
Two lives had taught him that rushing things only led to unnecessary drama—and he had enough of that courtesy of Li Yanya.
He glanced up at the night sky.
"Besides," he murmured, "I live right here."
—
Across the city, Gu Mingxiao stood alone in his room.
The incense burned steadily.
His mother's memorial tablet rested on the table.
He knelt, back straight, head bowed.
"Mother," he said quietly, "I encountered… someone today."
The silence did not answer.
Gu Mingxiao clenched his jaw.
"I do not understand it," he admitted. "But my heart would not listen to reason."
He closed his eyes.
Blue eyes surfaced unbidden in his mind.
A voice—light, amused, unafraid.
A presence that felt like warmth after a long winter.
Gu Mingxiao exhaled slowly.
"…If this is a test," he said to the quiet room, "it is unfair."
The incense crackled softly.
Outside, lanterns swayed in the breeze.
Two people lay under the same night sky, pretending calm, pretending indifference, each convinced—whether lightly or reluctantly—that if fate truly existed…
They would meet again.
-
The news that Li Yanli and Xu Yichen were to be wed in two months spread through Qihan County faster than a spiritual pigeon on caffeine.
By the third day, even the aunties who sold steamed buns at the outer gate knew the exact wedding date, the auspicious hour, and—most importantly—that the Li family was ridiculously rich.
Which was, frankly, news to the Li family themselves.
"This is still the least important batch," Li Yanxu said lazily, sitting cross-legged on a crate while flipping through a ledger. "The really flashy stuff is still sleeping in the space."
Li Yanya's eye twitched.
In front of her, the courtyard was filled to the brim with boxes—jade chests, sandalwood trunks, silk-wrapped bundles glowing faintly with spiritual light. Servants moved back and forth, sweating as they carried items that were labeled, very innocently, as 'minor ceremonial accessories'.
"Least important?" Li Yanya repeated, her voice dangerously calm. "Yanxu, that 'least important' box contains a Spirit Vein Jade Bed."
Li Yanxu shrugged. "Beds are practical."
"That bed can nourish cultivation while sleeping!"
"Exactly. See? Practical."
Li Yanya pressed her fingers to her temple. "You are not allowed to speak during negotiations with the Xu family."
Li Yanxu smiled sweetly. "Too late."
Across the courtyard, Li Yanli stood stiffly while a tailor adjusted his robes for the third time that morning. His face was calm, but his ears were red—bright red, like someone had dipped them in rouge and forgotten to wipe it off.
"Brother," Li Yanxu called out, dragging his tone. "Smile a little. You're getting married, not going to your execution."
Li Yanli replied flatly, "If you say one more word, I will spar with you."
Li Yanxu's eyes lit up. "Before or after the wedding?"
Li Yanli: "…"
The servants nearby pretended very hard not to laugh.
Li Yanya clapped her hands sharply. "Enough. Yanli, go rest. You still have fittings later. Yanxu—"
"Yes?"
"Do not harass the groom."
Li Yanxu placed a hand over his heart. "Me? Harass? I am a pillar of moral support."
Li Yanya stared at him.
"…I'm going to check the dowry inventory at the Xu residence," she said decisively. "You are coming with me."
Li Yanxu blinked. "Oh? Going to see Sister-in-law already?"
"She's not—"
Li Yanya stopped herself, coughed once, and straightened her sleeves. "…Soon."
She was smiling.
Very openly.
Very happily.
For the first time since their family had fallen into poverty years ago, Li Yanya felt something she hadn't dared to indulge in before—relief. Contentment. Pride.
Their family would have a proper head.
And Xu Yichen… Xu Yichen would be the perfect counterpart.
—
The Xu residence was in controlled chaos.
Red silk hung from the eaves. Lanterns were being tested, taken down, and tested again. The sound of abacuses clicking blended with laughter and shouted instructions.
The dowry prepared by the Xu family was… overwhelming.
Li Yanya stood frozen for a full ten seconds.
Rows upon rows of chests lined the courtyard, each opened just enough to show a glimpse of what lay inside—spiritual herbs over a thousand years old, refined jade ornaments, cultivation manuals copied by hand, even a pair of twin spirit swords wrapped in silk.
Xu Mother smiled gently. "These are only the visible items. The rest are stored."
Li Yanya swallowed. "This is… generous."
Xu Mother waved a hand. "Our Yichen is marrying into the Li family. Naturally, we must show sincerity."
Li Yanxu leaned closer to one chest and peered inside. "Wow. Brother Yanli is really marrying up."
Li Yanya elbowed him sharply.
"Ow," Li Yanxu said, unfazed. "Truth hurts."
Xu Aunt glanced and laughed, clearly amused by him. "Yanxu, is it? Yichen mentioned you often."
Li Yanxu brightened. "Oh? All good things, I hope."
Xu Aunt-Xu Yichen's Aunt from father side smiled mysteriously. "Mostly."
That didn't sound reassuring.
"Yichen is in the back courtyard," Xu Mother said. "You may go see him."
Li Yanya nodded. "I'll stay here."
Li Yanxu raised a brow. "You don't want to see your future—"
"Go," Li Yanya said flatly.
Li Yanxu grinned and turned toward the inner courtyard.
—
Xu Yichen was sitting by the window, hands folded neatly in his lap.
He was dressed in pale robes, his hair half tied, the rest falling softly over his shoulders. Sunlight filtered in, casting a warm glow that made him look unreal—like a painting that had decided to step into the mortal world.
He looked up when he heard footsteps.
"Yanxu?"
Li Yanxu leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Bride."
Xu Yichen froze.
"…I am not yet married."
Li Yanxu clicked his tongue. "Two months is basically tomorrow."
Xu Yichen's cheeks flushed instantly. "You—why are you here?"
"To inspect," Li Yanxu said solemnly, stepping inside. "Make sure my brother isn't marrying a fox spirit in disguise."
Xu Yichen sputtered. "I am not—!"
Li Yanxu circled him slowly, eyes sharp. "Hmm. Gentle temperament. Good posture. Cultivation stable. Face… dangerously pretty."
Xu Yichen hid his face behind his sleeves. "Please stop."
Li Yanxu leaned closer. "So. How's married life treating you?"
"I'm not married!"
"Yet," Li Yanxu corrected. "But you're already blushing like you are."
Xu Yichen peeked at him. "Yanli… he's been very busy."
Li Yanxu smiled knowingly. "He's nervous."
Xu Yichen's eyes softened. "…He doesn't show it."
"He won't," Li Yanxu said lightly. "That's just how he is."
He paused, then added more quietly, "But he's serious. About you. About this family."
Xu Yichen nodded slowly. "I know."
Li Yanxu straightened and clapped his hands. "Good. Then my job here is done."
Xu Yichen blinked. "That's it?"
Li Yanxu grinned. "No. Now comes the embarrassing part."
Before Xu Yichen could react, Li Yanxu leaned in and whispered, "My brother is very bad at expressing affection. You'll have to teach him."
Xu Yichen's entire face turned red.
"I—I—"
Li Yanxu laughed. "Relax. You'll do fine."
He turned to leave, then paused at the door.
"Oh," he added casually, "If he ever bullies you, tell me. I'll beat him."
Xu Yichen smiled despite himself. "Thank you."
Li Yanxu waved. "Welcome to the family."
—
That night, back at the Li residence, Li Yanli cornered his younger brother.
"What did you say to Yichen?"
Li Yanxu looked innocent. "Nothing important."
Li Yanli's eyes narrowed. "He hasn't stopped blushing."
Li Yanxu laughed so hard he nearly fell off the bench.
"Oh, Brother," he said cheerfully. "You're doomed."
Li Yanli sighed.
Li Yanya, watching from afar, smiled.
The Li family was busy.
The Xu family was busy.
And for once, the future looked bright—red lanterns, wedding robes, and all.