Guo Longtong was awakened to the voices and footsteps of Brightness Inn guests. He slowly walked to the bed, and he felt the room was spinning upside down, so he put his heavy, dizzy head on the table for a while before he managed to change his clothes, wash his face, brush his teeth, and walked down to the main dining hall.
He found Guo Baiyu sitting at the table and walked to him. Still feeling the hangover from the previous night, he put his head down on the table again. He still felt nauseous, and his sore neck did not get better. He wanted to know what happened last night.
Guo Baiyu poured him a cup of tea and handed it to him.
"I know why you don't like drinking," Guo Longtong mumbled.
"Just a little bit of wine is good enough; you drank too much last night," Guo Baiyu replied.
"Did I do something stupid last night?" Guo Longtong asked, wincing.
"You challenged Fang Yaoting to a duel," Guo Baiyu informed him.
"Did he accept it?"
"No."
"I know he will not accept it because he is afraid," Guo Longtong scoffed.
Zhao Renshu walked over to Guo Baiyu and sat down, and said with a smile, "He is afraid of hurting you."
Guo Longtong raised his head to look at Zhao Renshu. He asked, "Why are you not like me?"
"Like a dying dog?" Zhao Renshu laughed. "Never, my dear friend." He reached his left hand over and patted twice on Guo Longtong's back.
"Not fair, you drank more than me last night," Guo Longtong complained.
"Life is not fair, my good friend," Zhao Renshu laughed.
Huang Hongse sat beside him. "I hope you won't drink too much in the future."
"I will never drink anymore," Guo Longtong whined.
"Good, because I will hit you harder next time," Huang Hongse said, a cold glint in her eye.
"My neck hurts because you hit me?" Guo Longtong whined.
Huang Hongse didn't react, staring at him coldly.
Lim Peizhi and Huang Yueliang walked to the table with a waiter. The group ordered their food. Guo Longtong stared at Lim Peizhi.
"Why are you not like me? You drank more than me last night?" Guo Longtong asked.
"How can you compare with me? I'm not drunk with so little alcohol," Lim Peizhi retorted with a smirk.
Guo Longtong buried his head on the table, defeated.
Entering the main entrance were Ping'an, Lee Dachin, and Fang Yaoting.
"Green tea helps hangovers," Ping'an offered.
Guo Longtong raised his head, his eyes fixed on Fang Yaoting. His anger replaced his headache and dizziness.
"You still have the audacity to show yourself!" Guo Longtong frantically said. "Hongse, kill him!" He stood up frantically and clenched his fists.
"Longtong, it's been one year. Don't be like that," Lee Dachin said, trying to calm him.
"Dachin, why are you so calm?" Guo Longtong demanded.
"Yeah, why are you so calm?" Zhao Renshu echoed.
Ping'an, Fang Yaoting, and Lee Dachin walked towards the table, the murmur of their friends' voices drawing them in, and settled into their seats, joining the familiar circle.
"Yaoting, you better explain it," Lim Peizhi urged.
"We are here to explain," Lee Dachin confirmed.
"Dachin, we don't want your explanation." Guo Longtong pointed to Fang Yaoting. "I want his explanation and it better be a good one!"
"Longtong, the only person I love is Dachin," Fang Yaoting stated. "Dachin and my father forced me to marry Wang Shuchun. You are from a wealthy family; you should understand why my father wants me to have children."
"Longtong, I understand Yaoting," Guo Baiyu added softly.
"Marrying Wang Shuchun is the least I can do, which is to make my parents happy, so that I can openly marry Dachin," Fang Yaoting explained. He held Lee Dachin's hand. "We promise to love each other until death does us part."
"You don't love Wang Shuchun?" Guo Longtong asked, still struggling to comprehend.
Fang Yaoting shook his head. "The only person I love, and will continue to love, is Dachin."
"Longtong, don't think too much," Zhao Renshu advised. "Love happens between two people; we outsiders can only stand by and watch and support."
"Time will tell," Guo Baiyu concluded.
Wang Shuchun was waiting for Fang Yaoting to return. It was past nine o'clock in the evening, and Fang Yaoting hadn't returned yet.
"Where is the young master?" Wang Shuchun inquired, growing impatient.
The two maids hesitated to answer Wang Shuchun.
"Speak up, where's the young master?" Wang Shuchun demanded, her voice sharp.
One of the maids said, "Maybe the young master went out with his friends?"
"Really?" She looked at the two maids coldly, sensing their deception. "Let me ask you. Who is Dachin?"
The two maids' faces sank, revealing their discomfort.
"Speak!" Wang Shuchun shouted, her voice rising. "Let me remind you, who is the master and who is the servant here!" She looked at the two maids very angrily. "Who is Dachin?"
The second maid stammered, "Dachin is..."
"Speak!" Wang Shuchun shouted again.
"Young Master Fang's lover," the second maid finally confessed, trembling.
"Where is Dachin now?" Wang Shuchun pressed.
"Young Master Fang's bedroom chamber."
Wang Shuchun was taken aback. "Isn't this Young Master Fang's bedroom chamber?"
"No, my lady," the second maid replied.
"Take me to Young Master Fang's bedroom chamber," Wang Shuchun commanded, her voice dangerously calm.
The second maid hesitated. "But..."
"Now," Wang Shuchun demanded.
The two maids had no choice but to take their young mistress to their young master's true bedroom chamber.
Fang Yaoting lay on the wooden recliner by the window, staring at Lee Dachin preparing his textbooks for the children, a scene of domestic peace.
"I was thinking of going back with Ping'an," Lee Dachin mused.
"Why?" Fang Yaoting asked.
Lee Dachin closed the textbook and walked to Fang Yaoting. "Because school is about to start soon," he explained. He sat next to Fang Yaoting.
Fang Yaoting pulled Lee Dachin to lie down beside him. "I will accompany you," he offered.
"No, you can stay here to complete your task," Lee Dachin gently refused, "then later, you can come. You know where I am. I promised you that I won't run away from you."
Fang Yaoting hugged him tightly and kissed him on the head. "Then you stay here with me," he pleaded.
"I can't. I have a responsibility to go home," Lee Dachin insisted softly. He turned around and kissed Fang Yaoting. "Go to bed."
"You promised that you will never leave me," Fang Yaoting murmured, clinging to his words.
"I'm going back home to do my job as a teacher. I'm not leaving you," Lee Dachin clarified.
"I like to hold you like this. Let's stay like this for a while," Fang Yaoting sighed, savoring the moment.
"I might fall asleep," Lee Dachin warned gently.
"If you are asleep, I will hold you all night," Fang Yaoting promised.
Then the front door was pushed open hard, and Wang Shuchun walked into the room, her eyes blazing. She saw Fang Yaoting holding Lee Dachin.
Wang Shuchun shook her head in disbelief. "Fang Yaoting..." She rushed to the two of them. "Who is this?" She pointed to Lee Dachin.
"Dachin," Fang Yaoting replied, his voice firm.
"The rumors are true," Wang Shuchun gasped, stepping back in shock. "Is this man your lover?"
"He is."
"If you love him, why do you marry me?" Wang Shuchun demanded, her voice rising.
"I already asked you on the night of the wedding," Fang Yaoting retorted, his patience fraying.
"Shameless! Outrageous shameless!" Wang Shuchun cried angrily. She went down and took Lee Dachin's hand and dragged him from Fang Yaoting's arms, trying to separate them.
Wang Shuchun's actions pushed Fang Yaoting past his breaking point. His hand shot up, a blur of motion intended to strike her face, but Lee Dachin intercepted his furious arm, stopping him mid-air.
"Yaoting, no," Lee Dachin said firmly, restraining him.
Fang Yaoting's gaze, narrowed and frantic, bored into Wang Shuchun. "Get out of my room!" he roared, his hand slashing towards the front door, a furious dismissal.
"He is the one who needs to get out of this room!" She pointed at Lee Dachin. "Not me. I am your wife!"
Fang Yaoting gritted his teeth. "This is the last warning, get out of my room!"
Just then, Master Fang and Madam Fang walked into the bedroom, drawn by the commotion.
"What's the matter?" Madam Fang asked, shocked by the scene.
"Mother!" Wang Shuchun cried, running to her and hugging her, seeking solace. "Why?"
"It's okay, child," Madam Fang said, comforting her.
Master Fang looked at Fang Yaoting. "Yaoting, you should be with your wife," he admonished.
Fang Yaoting didn't even look at Master Fang, but he replied coldly, "I promised to marry her, but it doesn't mean that I have to spend time with her."
"Yaoting, please... um..." Madam Fang stammered, then nodded subtly to Fang Yaoting, a silent plea.
"Yaoting, take her back. Please," Lee Dachin urged, trying to de-escalate.
"I'm tired, everyone gets out of my room," Fang Yaoting stated, his voice laced with exhaustion and frustration.
"Come on, I'll take you back to your room," Madam Fang said to Wang Shuchun, leading her away.
Master Fang, Madam Fang, and Wang Shuchun left, leaving Fang Yaoting and Lee Dachin alone.
Lee Dachin closed the door and climbed onto the bed with Fang Yaoting. He hugged Fang Yaoting. "Don't be angry; you are not handsome when you are angry." Lee Dachin exhaled softly. "Remember, I am leaving with Ping'an."
"You also promised me that you won't leave me," Fang Yaoting murmured, clinging to his words.
Lee Dachin brushed Fang Yaoting's hair aside and said with a warm smile, his voice filled with unwavering resolve, "I will not leave you. I'm not going anywhere. My waiting begins now. I will wait for you. You know where to find me. I will wait for you at our home."
Fang Yaoting turned around and hugged Lee Dachin tightly, burying his face in his shoulder.
Fang Yaoting kissed Lee Dachin's forehead and said, "You wait for me at our home. When my task is completed, I will go home."
As the first light of dawn painted the sky, they exchanged their last goodbyes, the morning mist clinging to their whispers of farewell. The carriage stopped in front of the Fang residence.
Madam Fang smiled and said warmly, "Dachin, this is for you." She handed him a bag of snacks. She stretched out her arms and pulled Lee Dachin into her embrace. "Thank you, my son." She placed a gentle kiss on Lee Dachin's cheek.
"Thank you, Madam Fang," Lee Dachin said with a warm smile, returning the sentiment.
Madam Fang held Lee Dachin's hands. "Dachin, thank you again." There were tears in her eyes. "Forgive us for being selfish."
Although it hurt him deeply, a warm smile still showed on his face. He said, "I am glad to be able to help."
Fang Yaoting hugged Lee Dachin tightly in his arms and kissed him passionately on his lips, a long, lingering farewell.
Fang Yaoting whispered into Lee Dachin's left ear, "Wait for me." He kissed Lee Dachin on the left temple again, a final tender touch.
Lee Dachin smiled and nodded at him. He stretched out his hand, placing it on Fang Yaoting's left chest, over his heart. "My place is here," he said with a smile, his voice full of promise. "I'm anchored to this spot, awaiting your return."
Zhao Renshu helped Lee Dachin into the carriage. He looked at Fang Yaoting. "You know the way back home. See you again until next time, my friend." He whipped the horse, and the carriage drove away, carrying Lee Dachin into the distance.
Lee Dachin sat in the carriage, looking at the rear window. The carriage was getting farther and farther away from the Fang's house. He had made his choice, a painful, necessary one, and as he watched the house disappear, he held onto the promise forged, looking forward to a future where their love could finally be celebrated openly, with no regret for the path he had chosen.