Two days after Zhu Mingyang rescued Yan Zhanjin from Cao Wenyan, he returned to Li Village. Zhu Mingyang went back to his normal life, enjoying the sun, the dishes made by Yan Zhanjin, and the chores he did around the house to ease Yan Zhanjin's load.
As the afternoon approached and he was flipping the dry herbal leaves in the yard, he saw Lao Yin coming towards him. He was instantly worried, because the last time Lao Yin had visited, he brought Cao Wenyan and the five-colored mice with him.
Lao Yin called out and waved at Zhu Mingyang, "Ah Ming." He stood beside the bamboo fence and smiled. "Ah Ming, is Yan Yisheng at home?"
"Yes. He's in the back," Zhu Mingyang replied.
Lao Yin delivered the news with cheerful insistence. "Tonight is my son's wedding. You and Yan Yisheng must attend tonight."
Zhu Mingyang offered congratulations. "Congratulation. I will let him know."
Lao Yin smiled, his gaze lingering on Zhu Mingyang. "You better show up too." He winked suggestively. "There are many beautiful ladies there." He walked away, then stopped and shouted back at Zhu Mingyang, "Make sure the two of you are both there."
Yan Zhanjin walked out from the back room. He looked at Zhu Mingyang and asked, "Is that Lao Yin?"
Zhu Mingyang sighed. "He said tonight is his son's wedding banquet. He wants you to attend."
Yan Zhanjin, sensing a reluctance, asked, "Are you not going?"
"No, only you," Zhu Mingyang stated, turning back to his work with the herbs.
Yan Zhanjin stepped closer. "Mingyang, I'm sure he wants us to go together. Let us congratulate the new couple."
Zhu Mingyang met his gaze, his refusal firm. "I don't want to."
Yan Zhanjin, trying to understand Zhu Mingyang's staunch refusal, asked, "Why not?"
Zhu Mingyang's answer was abrupt and deep-seated: "I hate wedding."
Yan Zhanjin, determined to help him face his past, gently insisted, "If you want to move on, you must learn to accept the new environment. Let's go, if you don't like it, we can come back." He smiled warmly at Zhu Mingyang. "When you want to leave, we will leave immediately. I won't ask any questions."
That night, Zhu Mingyang and Yan Zhanjin arrived at Lao Yin's home. There were about thirty people gathered, and the atmosphere was raucous with celebratory drinking as everyone congratulated the newlyweds.
Yan Zhanjin noticed Zhu Mingyang avoiding the drinks. "You are not drinking?"
Zhu Mingyang gave an excuse rooted in his former life. "As a guard, we are not allowed to drink alcohol, so my alcohol intolerance is not good."
Yan Zhanjin poured a small cup of wine for Zhu Mingyang anyway. He smiled and said, "A little bit is good for you. Drinking too much is not good for you." He then drank his own cup and looked at the happy couple. "They look great together. Their children will be cute."
Zhu Mingyang clenched his fists, his body rigid as he watched the people complementing the newlyweds. The festive atmosphere, the kind words, and the red decorations around the little house were all too familiar; this scene was an exact echo of the wedding night of Gu Yingjie and Yuan Chaomei two years ago, flooding him with unwanted memories.
Inside Gu Yingjie's room, a flashback began as Zhu Mingyang and Gu Yingjie were soaking in a huge underground hot tub.
Zhu Mingyang noticed something was wrong with Gu Yingjie. He asked, "What's wrong?"
Gu Yingjie looked at Zhu Mingyang, his expression heavy. "Father and I will visit the Yuan household in two days."
Zhu Mingyang, assuming the usual travel routine, said, "I will pack ours clothes."
Gu Yingjie's next words dropped like stones. "Father doesn't want you to go."
"Why not?" Zhu Mingyang asked, immediately confused and troubled by the exclusion.
Gu Yingjie looked at Zhu Mingyang and said sadly, "Our family is going there, and he wants me to see my future wife."
Zhu Mingyang moved forward, facing Gu Yingjie in the warm water. He grabbed Gu Yingjie's wrist forcefully and said, "How could you marry a wife, when you are mine?"
Gu Yingjie sighed. "This is what father wants, not what I want."
Zhu Mingyang's voice was heavy with betrayal. "Yingjie, we promised to be like your grandfather and senior Lin, until we are old."
"I intend to keep my promise," Gu Yingjie said, but he pulled his hand away. "You know me best, you know why I stay in this family. The first reason is because of you. You sold yourself as a slave to this family. The second reason is because I want to know who ordered the killing of my mother."
Zhu Mingyang said, "Yingjie, you can call me selfish, but I don't want you to marry anyone." He looked deeply into Gu Yingjie's eyes, his threat serious. "If you marry that woman, hell will break loose." He stood up and walked away angrily, leaving the hot tub.
"Mingyang…." Gu Yingjie called out, his voice filled with regret and conflict.
Zhu Mingyang, overwhelmed by the painful memories, began to drink, pouring one cup after another. His actions were quickly noticed by Yan Zhanjin.
"Mingyang, don't drink too much," Yan Zhanjin cautioned, concern coloring his voice.
Zhu Mingyang refused to listen to him and continued to drink heavily.
Meanwhile, far away in the Gu Manor, Gu Yingjie stared at the moon with a jug of wine. Since Zhu Mingyang left him, he had been drinking alone, constantly forgetting that Zhu Mingyang was no longer there. He would often call Zhu Mingyang's name, only to realize with a jolt of pain that his protector was no longer in the Gu Manor.
Yuan Chaomei approached quietly and placed a white fur cloak over his shoulders. She looked at him, feeling deeply for his suffering. "Are you missing Zhu-xiong again?" she asked softly.
"How do you know?" Gu Yingjie replied, surprised by her immediate insight into his sorrow.
Yuan Chaomei teased, "Of course I know, after all I am your wife." She looked at Gu Yingjie and smiled. She took his hand and said, "Yingjie, people treat us as husband and wife, but we know in our hearts that we treat each other as brothers and sisters. I am a woman, and so is your mother. I am three years older than you, so I treat you as my younger brother, the closest family member besides my sister. I want you to know that no mother in this world wants to see her son unhappy." She sighed. "If I had a choice like you, I would rather live a life without regrets than lie in a death bed and regret it."
Gu Yingjie looked away, his internal conflict evident. He said sadly, "If I let go of revenge, how can I face my mother?"
Yuan Chaomei countered gently, but firmly, "She will understand. Have you ever thought about why someone like her would let others bad mouth her? Have you ever thought about why she has a son without a father, and why she endured other people's ill stare? It's because of the word love. Love makes her willing to wait. Love makes her strong and endured others' criticism."
Gu Yingjie sighed deeply. "I have many regrets in my life, I don't remember anymore." He sat down on the stool, the weight of his choices bearing down on him. "If I go, what will you do?"
Yuan Chaomei's resolve was clear. "I still want to stay here. Like Zhu-xiong, I was sold as an item. I must do my part."
"Thank you, Yuan xiaojie," Gu Yingjie said.
Yuan Chaomei smiled at him, giving him the final push he needed. "Go, use your horse, and you will be in Li Village in three hours."
Gu Yingjie smiled back at Yuan Chaomei. "Thank you," he said softly, tears moistening his eyes.
And with the final warm smile from Yuan Chaomei, Gu Yingjie stormed out of his courtyard, ran into the horse stable, grabbed his horse, and rode into the night heading toward Li Village.
The wedding banquet in Li Village was still rolling when Yan Zhanjin found Zhu Mingyang completely drunk and not himself. So, he decided to end the night, as he could no longer watch his friend drinking his sorrow away. By this time, Zhu Mingyang was so drunk that he had begun talking nonsense.
With Zhu Mingyang's arm draped around his shoulder, and his hand holding Zhu Mingyang's waist to prevent him from falling, Yan Zhanjin slowly guided Zhu Mingyang back home.
Yan Zhanjin complained gently as they walked. "The first time I helped you this way was when you were about to die. Now, I must help you this way because you can't control your drinking." He opened the fence door. "Why can't you tell me what happened? Together, we can find a faster solution."
Zhu Mingyang looked at Yan Zhanjin and hugged him tightly, mistaking his friend for his past lover. He slurred, "Yingjie... you are here."
Yan Zhanjin heard Zhu Mingyang's soft, intimate spoken tone—a tone he had never heard before from the normally guarded man. He knew that Zhu Mingyang had a tough life growing up and felt deep sorrow for him. He raised his arm and held Zhu Mingyang, his own voice gentle. "I am here," he replied.
Zhu Mingyang, clinging to the mistaken identity, pleaded, "Please don't leave me."
Yan Zhanjin, understanding the emotional need behind the words, promised him. "I won't leave you."
Gu Yingjie took the horse rope and slowly approached the house. As he reached the door, he froze.
He watched as Zhu Mingyang pulled himself away from Yan Zhanjin, his forehead placed intimately against Yan Zhanjin's forehead. Then, Zhu Mingyang lowered his head and kissed Yan Zhanjin's lips.
Gu Yingjie stood there, silent and still, watching the two kissing in the moonlight. Afterwards, the two walked inside the house, leaving the night air silent behind them.
After Zhu Mingyang and Yan Zhanjin disappeared inside, Gu Yingjie stood there for a while, the reality of the scene crushing his heart. He eventually jumped back onto his horse, Xiao Bai, and rode away, turning back toward the Gu Manor and the life he had desperately tried to escape.