On Friday afternoon, Xue Yuan waited for his boyfriend to go on a date outside Gu Yuanbai’s dorm. When Gu Yuanbai came down, a string of roommates followed him.
“Having dinner?” Old Zhu, ever familiar, smiled at Xue Yuan. “Join us.”
Xue Yuan frowned slightly but held back, smiling at his lover’s roommates. “Sure.”
Walking beside him, Gu Yuanbai whispered an explanation. “They insisted on coming along when they heard I was going out to eat. We’ll have dinner together first, then go on our date.”
Xue Yuan smiled, not wanting to make things difficult. “It’s okay.”
Having been with Gu Yuanbai for two lifetimes, it was impossible for him not to notice Xue Yuan’s true feelings. When no one was looking, he gently scratched Xue Yuan’s palm. “Walk slower.”
Following his instructions, Xue Yuan walked slowly, ending up at the back of the group with him.
People bustled along the school’s main road. Despite being disturbed, Xue Yuan felt a gloom in his heart. Gu Yuanbai touched his arm, then quickly and lightly squeezed his hand. “I brought that pink little thing you bought last time with me.”
Xue Yuan paused, turning to look at him with surprised eyes.
A flutter of excitement made his gaze drop uncontrollably.
“… What are you thinking?” Gu Yuanbai’s expression stiffened. “You always act so proper, but you’re more of a rogue than anyone. I never even bought something like that, had never even seen it until I looked it up online. Xue Jiuyao, tell me honestly, where did you learn about these things?”
Xue Yuan softly coaxed, “Baby, you don’t have to care about these things with me. If you like it, use it. If it breaks, I’ll save money and buy you another.”
Gu Yuanbai’s eyelids drooped as he slowly rolled up his sleeves. Xue Yuan, however, didn’t notice and became increasingly excited. “When we can’t meet at night, you can use it during video calls, but I need to watch—ow!”
Gu Yuanbai punched him and chased after him. “Say one more word?”
Xue Yuan didn’t dare to fight back and could only run away. Gu Yuanbai sneered twice, rubbing his wrist. “Still dare to run?”
He followed closely behind.
Their roommates, left behind, remarked, “… Childish.”
Old Zhu suddenly turned to Old Three and Old Four. “Don’t you think their relationship is a bit strange?”
They looked puzzled. “What’s strange about it?”
Old Zhu thought for a moment. “Never mind, it’s probably just me overthinking.”
Up ahead, Gu Yuanbai and Xue Yuan were already walking quietly side by side, enjoying their private world.
Their dinner spot with the roommates was a barbecue stall. Xue Yuan let Gu Yuanbai and the roommates sit down first while he busied himself. He brought drinks and appetizers to Gu Yuanbai and then circled him, asking, “What would you like to eat?”
Gu Yuanbai smiled. “The usual.”
Xue Yuan naturally touched the back of his neck, smiled, and went to place the order.
Watching Xue Yuan move back and forth, Gu Yuanbai couldn’t help but smile. Old Four suddenly realized something. “Old Zhu, I get it now!”
Old Zhu’s eyelid twitched, signaling him to shut up.
But Old Four didn’t catch on and loudly teased Gu Yuanbai, “Brother Bai, your friend is treating you like his wife, right? Hahaha!”
Xue Yuan happened to hear this as he returned, his gaze burning into Gu Yuanbai.
Maintaining a calm expression, Gu Yuanbai replied, “Don’t just stand there, come sit.”
Xue Yuan smiled and sat next to him.
Gu Yuanbai handed him a beer. Xue Yuan naturally opened it and handed it back. “Ba… Yuanbai, this is cold, drink less.”
Old Four murmured, “He really treats you like his wife.”
The atmosphere grew awkward. Old Three cleared his throat and suddenly said, “Brother Bai, why haven’t you brought your girlfriend to eat with us?”
“Girlfriend?” Xue Yuan looked at him strangely, then at Gu Yuanbai. “What girlfriend?”
Old Three pretended to be surprised. “Doesn’t Yuan know? Our Brother Bai has a girlfriend named Jiuyao. They’re very close, chatting late into the night.”
Xue Yuan frowned, feigning disbelief. “Every night?”
“Yeah,” Old Three lied, “they’re always talking about roses, weekend dates, you name it. They’re so lovey-dovey it makes us sick.”
Old Three wanted to remind Gu Yuanbai and Xue Yuan not to get too carried away. Their feelings might just be a result of temporary hormonal impulses, and this wasn’t a proper path. Being a homosexual would be hard to accept for their families and friends. Brother Bai had a girlfriend, how would she feel?
He was prepared to offend them, but Xue Yuan didn’t get angry. Instead, his smile became even more sincere, and his occasional glances at Gu Yuanbai made others blush.
Old Three felt helpless. What was going on?
Xue Yuan started to tease Gu Yuanbai, “Yuanbai, do you like the roses your girlfriend gave you?”
Gu Yuanbai coolly replied, “Mmm,” but his ears turned red.
Those roses had left sticky flower juice between their bodies.
Xue Yuan chuckled. Gu Yuanbai didn’t like being suppressed like this and retorted, “They tasted good. Do you like the taste of roses?”
Xue Yuan’s blood surged. “I do.”
Old Three and Old Zhu started coughing violently.
Dinner took an hour. As they were about to part ways, Old Zhu suddenly asked Xue Yuan, “Can you help move a case of cola to the roadside?”
Xue Yuan glanced at him, reluctant to respond.
Old Zhu smiled and pretended to head towards Gu Yuanbai. “Never mind, I’ll have Brother Bai help me.”
“Where’s the cola?” Xue Yuan called after him. “I’ll help you move it.”
Old Zhu sighed inwardly. As he suspected, Gu Yuanbai wouldn’t cheat. He deduced that the “girlfriend” was Xue Yuan all along.
Despite Huo Yuan’s seemingly unapproachable demeanor and the intimidating looks he sometimes gave them, he genuinely cared for Gu Yuanbai like Old Four had said, treating him like a cherished spouse.
Truthfully, Gu Yuanbai’s actions were rarely questioned, and this was no exception. Old Zhu felt a strange tension around Gu Yuanbai these days. Gu Yuanbai’s charisma attracted a large following, including their highly talented dormitory mates.
Even though they were roommates and future partners, Old Zhu felt he should discuss this with Gu Yuanbai. However, once Gu Yuanbai made a decision, no one could change his mind. He had the confidence to handle whatever he decided to do. Resolving to stay out of it, Old Zhu straightened his thoughts.
Xue Yuan helped move the cola to the roadside. After the roommates left in a taxi, he leaned over Gu Yuanbai. “I’m so tired.”
Gu Yuanbai held his arm, knowing his boyfriend was just being playful. He smiled, “Will you still have energy later?”
Xue Yuan responded firmly, “Yes.”
***
When Xue Yuan first arrived in modern society, he found it hard to adapt. But as time went on, he grew to love this world more and more.
His courage had grown significantly; he now aspired to be Gu Yuanbai’s husband. All the regrets from his past life, he wanted to make up for in this one and live a steady and sweet life together.
However, Gu Yuanbai was unwilling to call him husband. No, he had never called him that. Having been an emperor all his life, those two words were impossible for him to utter. Every time Xue Yuan mentioned it, he wanted to roll up his sleeves and hit him.
The more Gu Yuanbai resisted, the more Xue Yuan wanted to hear it, willing to use every trick in the book to force out a “husband.”
Gu Yuanbai would hit him, but Xue Yuan wouldn’t dare hit back, only covering his head to take the beating. But it was different in bed; with tender caresses and varied techniques, he would pause and demand, “Call me husband.”
Gu Yuanbai was stubborn, driven to a competitive fervor, refusing to give in.
Their days passed with playful banter and bickering. After a mixer with the neighboring department, Gu Yuanbai started teaching Xue Yuan all kinds of modern knowledge, especially modern law. To thoroughly understand a world, knowledge of its laws is essential—what can be done, what cannot. Only by understanding the law can one use it to their advantage.
Xue Yuan followed his studies seriously. As he slowly came to understand this society, he became dissatisfied with simple labor jobs.
With his wife here, they would live here for life. If so, he had to plan for the future.
If he wanted to support his wife and marry him, he had to consider his family’s issues. Xue Yuan never mentioned it, but it weighed heavily on his heart. He was confident that their bond from two lifetimes wouldn’t be broken by anyone, but he feared Gu Yuanbai would be saddened.
Not to mention the immediate concern: to date his wife, he needed money—to buy a set, book the best hotels, eat the best meals. Occasionally, he wanted to surprise him, saving money to buy an engagement ring.
Dating was expensive. For all sorts of reasons, Xue Yuan’s first task was to make money.
He had sharp instincts and keen insight. Amid his constant work, he indeed spotted a business opportunity. His past life experience granted him immense patience, making him like the most patient hunter, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Gu Yuanbai, of course, fully supported him. Xue Yuan’s startup capital was provided by Gu Yuanbai, who was also his largest shareholder.
Studying, entrepreneurship, and romance filled his life. Sweet affection made him not feel busy. The thought of earning money to support Gu Yuanbai energized him, filling his face with joy.
He couldn’t support him in the past life, but surely he could in this one?
In the first month, Xue Yuan invested all his savings into his startup. To afford decent dates with his wife, he survived on steamed buns for a month. The remaining money went towards dates, unwilling to admit to Gu Yuanbai that he was broke. Money for a single rose could buy him a better meal, but nothing was too extravagant for his wife.
Thus, he endured hardship for an entire month. By the end of the second month, his funds had rebounded, and he made his first pot of gold. He secretly booked a five-star hotel in Sanya, planning a seaside trip with his wife.
When Gu Yuanbai got the call, he immediately changed into fresh clothes. Looking at his incredibly handsome reflection, he smiled confidently and walked out the door.
He saw Xue Yuan waiting nearby in casual attire, as usual, with a rose in his pocket. Gu Yuanbai smiled, walked over, took the rose from his pocket, and put it in his own. “You look handsome today.”
Xue Yuan, unnoticed by others, kissed his ear, “So do you.”
Every date was a new experience. For instance, after lunch, they boarded a plane to Sanya.
It was Xue Yuan’s first time on a plane. Staring at the clouds, he was lost in thought. Gu Yuanbai pointed outside, smiling, “Have you heard of skydiving?”
Xue Yuan nodded, “I’ve heard of it.”
Gu Yuanbai smiled, “I woke up in a world called Great Heng the moment I passed through the clouds while skydiving.”
His casual words stunned Xue Yuan.
Gu Yuanbai’s gaze shifted over the magnificent layers of clouds. “Having held absolute power and satisfied my thirst for it, I now want to be an adventurer. The sky, the sea, the land—endless mysterious places await human exploration. After experiencing such a fantastical journey post-skydiving, I can’t suppress my desire for the unknown.”
Xue Yuan recovered from his shock, staring intently at him. “I want to be with you.”
Gu Yuanbai questioned, “Think carefully. Do you really like these things?”
“Do you think I don’t?” Xue Yuan countered, “Your Majesty, you like excitement. So do I.”
“This place is completely different from my understanding,” he murmured, eyes lighting up. “People can fly into the sky, dive deep into the sea, see things I’ve never seen before. If you long for these, so do I.”
Given his personality, having experienced such a marvelous journey to another world, how could Xue Yuan not want to see these unseen wonders?
Like before, he had never thought he’d one day fly above the clouds.
Above the white clouds, there were still more white clouds.
Gu Yuanbai smiled, cupping Xue Yuan’s chin, unhesitatingly leaned in and kissed him. “Then, future renowned entrepreneur and adventurer Xue Yuan,” he gently turned Xue Yuan’s face towards the plane window, smiling, “welcome to my world.”
***
Author’s Note: One more chapter in the modern era! Then, it’s back to the ancient regent. The regent from a parallel world will cross over to Gu Yuanbai’s world, shocked and bewildered by the intense love the other self has for Gu Yuanbai.
Because of the modern setting, Gu Yuanbai cannot enter politics; it would be too easy to be reported. Hence, he will become an adventurer.
The last chapter’s comment by user “saint” was especially cute! It was deleted due to sensitive terms, but I want to share it with everyone! (Delete if not agreed)
Regarding Xue Yuan’s financial interview—
Reporter: Mr. Xue, we heard that you majored in sports in college. Why did you decide to start your own business after graduation?
Xue Yuan: Ah, mainly because… When I was in college, dating expenses with my partner were quite significant. I had to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet. Eventually, as I worked more, I started to have the idea of starting my own company. (I couldn’t be poor myself while dating my partner. When booking a hotel room with my partner, we must use the cleanest hotels and the most expensive condoms! Working hard to earn money slowly is not as effective as starting my own company and making more money!)
