Chapter 90

Having introduced Pei Qingjian as his real boyfriend to his friends, naturally Pei Qingjian wanted to do the same for Lan Xingchen.

He had been worried about finding the right opportunity to tell Song Ye, but now there was no need—he could just say it outright.

Song Ye was slightly surprised but not overly so.

He had already sensed that Pei Qingjian and Lan Xingchen were unusually close. Now that they were a couple, the previous closeness had an explanation.

It was just unfortunate that they lived in different cities, so he could only congratulate Pei Qingjian over WeChat, unable to join the dinner in person.

Still, Song Ye was glad to be informed and invited—Pei Qingjian truly considered him a friend, and it validated all the care he had shown for Pei Qingjian as a younger brother.

Song Ye: “Next time, when I come over, we’ll have a meal together.”

Pei Qingjian smiled. “Sure, I’ll be waiting for you, Song-ge.”

“Mm.” Song Ye replied.

He sent Pei Qingjian a transfer of 1314, noting: “Love anniversary red envelope.”

Pei Qingjian felt a little embarrassed but didn’t refuse, accepting it with joy.

Since Song Ye couldn’t come, only Xiao Jin showed up.

Not only did Xiao Jin come, but he also brought a gift: a pair of interlocking heart charms.

“This is handmade,” Xiao Jin said, pointing at them.

Lan Xingchen was surprised. “You’re quite skillful.”

“Not too bad,” Xiao Jin smiled. “I tried a few times, and these are the best two. Just enough to make a pair. Wishing you both a lifetime of unity.”

Pei Qingjian hadn’t expected him to prepare a gift, and was pleasantly surprised. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” Xiao Jin replied, looking like a true brother.

Lan Xingchen looked at him again, feeling more and more appreciative.

What a thoughtful person—knowing they were truly in love and giving them heart charms, unlike some others…

Lan Xingchen took a photo and sent it to his friend group, pointing and teasing: “Look at you all, look at Qingjian’s friends, tsk tsk tsk.”

Fang Junhao: ???
Xie Siqi: ???
Chang Le: ???
Shao Kang: …
Xiao Yi: …

Shao Kang quickly explained, “It’s not that we’re unloyal or didn’t care about your one-year anniversary. It’s just the first time celebrating a couple’s anniversary, so we had no experience and didn’t think about gifts.”

Fang Junhao agreed, “It’s my first time attending a couple’s one-year anniversary too. It wasn’t intentional—let me make up for it now.”

The others chimed in as well.

The next day, they all piled gifts on Lan Xingchen’s desk.

Lan Xingchen looked at the stack of gifts and nodded in satisfaction. That’s right—his friends couldn’t be outdone by Pei Qingjian’s friends!

That night, Pei Qingjian received a pile of anniversary gifts.

“These are all from them,” Lan Xingchen said, not missing a beat. “They’re our anniversary gifts. They just hadn’t arrived before, so I brought them to you now.”

Pei Qingjian laughed and cried at the same time. “They really prepared these themselves? Not forced by you?”

“Of course not. They’re my friends, and they like you so much. Naturally, they prepared gifts early on. No need for me to force anyone,” Lan Xingchen replied, then urged him to start opening them.

Pei Qingjian didn’t dwell on whether Lan Xingchen’s words were true or not—it didn’t matter. To him, it was all heartwarming, proof of Lan Xingchen’s care and affection.

He sat beside Lan Xingchen, happily opening the gifts together.

With both sets of friends met, Lan Xingchen turned his attention to the matter of meeting his family.

There was no rush. As long as he confirmed that his uncle could accept him marrying a man, everything else could follow Pei Qingjian’s comfort and preference.

The key was to first gauge his uncle’s attitude.

So, Lan Xingchen took the opportunity to visit home while Pei Qingjian was out shooting an ad.

At first, Wen Yuan was puzzled by his sudden, quiet return, until during dinner Lan Xingchen casually mentioned an old classmate marrying this month—not to a woman, but to a man. That’s when Wen Yuan realized the reason behind the visit.

Lan Xingchen watched Wen Yuan’s reaction carefully as he spoke without revealing his intentions.

Wen Yuan, sensing his gaze but pretending not to notice, calmly said, “Oh? That’s good. Didn’t attend the wedding?”

“It was too far. Not convenient to go, so I just sent a gift and my blessings.”

Wen Yuan nodded. “Makes sense.”

“But I heard from Shao Kang that his parents weren’t too supportive of the wedding.”

“Oh?” Wen Yuan raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Why?”

“They probably still wanted him to marry a woman,” Lan Xingchen explained. “After all, marrying a man is still uncommon.”

“That wouldn’t do,” Zhou Man said, putting down her chopsticks. “He likes men—marrying a woman would be a sham.”

Lan Xingchen immediately agreed. “I feel the same.”

“Good thing he didn’t listen to his parents. Otherwise, it would have been so unfair to his wife,” Zhou Man added.

“Exactly,” Lan Xingchen chimed in again.

Seeing him like this, Zhou Man smiled. “Don’t worry—if you ever like a boy in the future, your uncle and I will fully support you.”

Lan Xingchen: !!!

He cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed. “Isn’t that a little early?”

He subtly glanced at Wen Yuan.

Wen Yuan caught his look and nearly laughed. “Not too early. At your age, it’s time to date. Don’t worry—whether you like boys or girls, I approve.”

“Of course, if you insist on staying single, I have no objection either.”

Lan Xingchen instantly felt relieved. He knew his uncle wasn’t narrow-minded.

“I… I’ll think about it,” Lan Xingchen said cautiously.

Wen Yuan and Zhou Man exchanged a knowing smile.

After receiving the good news, Lan Xingchen called Pei Qingjian once back in the bedroom.

“I checked with my uncle—he has no objections.”

“No objections to what?”

“To me being with a guy.”

Pei Qingjian: !!!

He couldn’t be planning to meet his family right after meeting friends, could he?

Pei Qingjian nervously asked, “A-and then?”

“Then nothing,” Lan Xingchen teased. “What do you want to happen next?”

“N-nothing,” Pei Qingjian quickly denied.

Lan Xingchen laughed. “I know you don’t want to meet your family so soon. Don’t worry—it’s not urgent.”

“Really?”

“Yes. They have no objections, so when and how we meet them is up to you.”

Hearing this, Pei Qingjian couldn’t help but feel happy.

“I’m not saying I don’t want to meet them soon,” he admitted, clutching the bedsheet. “I’m just a bit nervous.”

“I understand. Take your time. Whenever you feel ready, then we’ll meet my family.”

“Mm,” Pei Qingjian nodded.

“Oh, by the way,” Lan Xingchen suddenly remembered, smiling, “your dad probably wouldn’t be too keen on meeting me.”

Pei Qingjian: ???

He thought Lan Xingchen was overthinking. “I’m definitely not bringing you to see him!”

He Liangyu didn’t count as his real dad. Even for the original owner, he hadn’t been a good father.

Lan Xingchen of course knew, but there were still things he hadn’t told Pei Qingjian.

“If I were to indirectly cause some trouble for your dad’s company, you wouldn’t get mad, right?”

Pei Qingjian chuckled. “I’d be thrilled! Better if you put him straight into bankruptcy.”

“There will be a day for that,” Lan Xingchen replied, “but it’s not now.”

He didn’t want He Liangyu to interfere with Pei Qingjian, so he had to keep He Liangyu in check, like a cat holding a mouse by the tail—occasionally loosening the grip, then quickly pressing it tight again—to make sure He Liangyu had no time or energy to act recklessly.

Once Pei Qingjian had firmly established himself in the entertainment industry, Lan Xingchen would completely put He Liangyu down.

Otherwise, if his actions were too aggressive, he might push He Liangyu into desperation, and He Liangyu could recklessly try to drag Pei Qingjian down with him—even at the cost of his own life—and that was something Lan Xingchen never wanted to see.

He didn’t want Pei Qingjian to face even the slightest risk.

Pei Qingjian was about to ask more about He Liangyu, but Lan Xingchen deftly changed the subject first. “What time is your flight tomorrow? I’ll pick you up.”

“Six in the afternoon.”

“Good, I’ll see you at the airport then.”

“Mm,” Pei Qingjian replied with a smile, hanging up the phone.

Fantastic! Lan Xingchen’s uncle wasn’t against them being together—it was perfect.

Pei Qingjian rolled around on the bed happily for a while before finally wrapping himself in the blanket and drifting off to sleep.

Half a month later, Shall We Marry? finally premiered, counting down in Pei Qingjian’s mind.

From its preparation stage, the show had drawn considerable attention, and its broadcast immediately captured public interest.

Unlike most contemporary dramas that push the marriage agenda, this one didn’t pressure its characters into it. Whether it was Luo Rong or her brother Luo Fei, they either weren’t enthusiastic about love or were highly invested, but they lived their lives seriously and deliberately, refusing to blindly follow the path of marriage just because their peers did.

Even with their parents nudging them and relatives bustling around, they maintained clarity, living each day according to their own choices.

“Maybe I’ll regret it later, but right now I’m happy and don’t think I’ll regret it. Everyone has regrets in life anyway, so it doesn’t matter,” Luo Rong shrugged and smiled at the camera.

Netizens nodded vigorously, agreeing with her viewpoint and actively recommending the show on social media.

With a full cast of skilled actors, a modern perspective, and enthusiastic audience promotion, Shall We Marry? quickly became a hit upon release.

Pei Qingjian, consequently, reentered the public eye.

Many viewers who hadn’t seen Drunken Jiangyue before were now seeing him for the first time, exclaiming:

“Wow, the actor playing Luo Fei is so handsome!”
“No wonder he was pursued the moment he joined the company. Look at him—how could anyone resist?”
“I haven’t watched a domestic drama in ages, and I’m genuinely impressed.”
“I usually dislike these flirtatious characters, but he’s just too handsome—I couldn’t resist [facepalm].”
“Same here! No wonder he has so many girlfriends. Who wouldn’t like Luo Fei?”

Pei Qingjian’s fans jumped in, recommending: “If you like Luo Fei, you can also watch Drunken Jiangyue. Tan Xinchao is super handsome~”

As a result, Pei Qingjian saw another surge in fans.

“He dodged Tan Xin, but couldn’t escape Luo Fei hahaha.”
“Our Qingjian really suits any era—both historical and modern roles, he’s so handsome!”
“And he acts amazingly in both. Tan Xin is quiet and reserved; Luo Fei is witty and humorous. Tan Xin never dates; Luo Fei goes from one romance to the next. He portrays these completely different characters perfectly—so impressive!”
“Exactly! Hurry up and cast him in more projects! He’s too handsome not to be on TV!”

Pei Qingjian: …He couldn’t let Lan Xingchen see this—his boyfriend would handle it poorly.

Zhou Pengyue watched Pei Qingjian’s fan growth in astonishment. Honestly, he hadn’t expected Pei Qingjian to gain so many fans from Shall We Marry?

Who gains fans from a slice-of-life drama?! Idol dramas, yes!

Slice-of-life shows mainly increase visibility so older audiences—moms, essentially—recognize you, while building your résumé for future acting opportunities.

Yet now, Pei Qingjian’s fan growth outpaced Tan Xin’s at the same stage.

This was largely due to the soaring ratings and viewership of Shall We Marry?, but Pei Qingjian’s fan conversion rate was even higher than the female lead Ning Rong’s—a little scary.

Ning Rong thought it was normal. “Many viewers are girls. Of course they’d like a handsome guy like Luo Fei. I like him too.”

Pei Qingjian smiled awkwardly. “But I still prefer Luo Rong—I really like her.”

“Too bad you can’t dress as a girl to play Luo Rong,” Ning Rong teased.

Pei Qingjian laughed at her remark, finally relaxing.

By the seventh day of broadcast, Shall We Marry? had topped the ratings across multiple networks, continuing to expand its percentage.

With excellent reception, high ratings, and massive online views, it was undeniably a hit of the year.

Even before release, Pei Qingjian had expected it would perform well, but he never imagined it would be this successful.

Alongside the drama’s success, new endorsements and business opportunities flooded in.

“Not just that—several promising projects and even movies are looking for you,” Zhou Pengyue said happily.

“Really?” Pei Qingjian was pleasantly surprised. “Show me.”

Zhou Pengyue immediately sent him the scripts. “Take your time choosing. No rush. If nothing fits, we can wait. Right now your reputation’s great, your image’s strong, and your traffic’s huge. Any production that wants you is lining up.”

He spoke with a touch of admiration. A year ago, Pei Qingjian barely had any roles. Now, he was a hot commodity, sought after by multiple productions.

He had endured anonymity, endured being suppressed, endured forced recasts and harsh remarks he could only quietly accept, endured sending resumes repeatedly to productions without any response.

Sure, luck played a part, but none of this could have happened without Pei Qingjian’s effort.

He treated every role seriously, never perfunctorily. Before filming, he prepared diligently; on set, he studied intently. Fellow actors—from Song Ye to Ning Rong—had guided him, and even after gaining fame and fans, he remained humble, seeking advice from lesser-known professionals like Xiao Jin.

An actor like him—when he eventually achieves career success—would only elicit admiration: well deserved.

Before Pei Qingjian had even finished looking at the scripts, he was already home.

Zhou Pengyue opened the car door, and Pei Qingjian stepped out, walking toward the apartment. He had deliberately not told Lan Xingchen he’d be back, wanting to give him a surprise.

Pei Qingjian opened the door, noting the living room was dark. He turned on the foyer light and quietly changed his shoes, hearing footsteps approaching.

“It really is you,” came Lan Xingchen’s voice, filled with surprise and delight from nearby.

Pei Qingjian looked up, half exasperated, half amused. “How did you get out here so fast? I was planning to sneak in and surprise you.”

Lan Xingchen grinned proudly. “I heard movement and guessed it was you.”

He walked over and scooped Pei Qingjian up in his arms.

“Ah!” Pei Qingjian exclaimed, wrapping his arms around Lan Xingchen’s neck.

Lan Xingchen’s smile softened. “I’m already surprised.”

Pei Qingjian looked at that smile and gradually returned it.

Lan Xingchen carried him toward their bedroom.

From afar, Pei Qingjian noticed the room was dark, with only a faint glow from the wall slanting across the doorway—probably a projection.

“Watching a movie?” Pei Qingjian asked.

“No.”

“A drama then? Which one?”

“Shall We Marry?” Lan Xingchen replied.

Pei Qingjian hadn’t expected him to be watching his own show.

He leaned toward Lan Xingchen’s ear teasingly. “Marry—”

Lan Xingchen froze mid-step, instinctively stopping, and turned to him.

Pei Qingjian had meant it playfully, but Lan Xingchen’s gaze was both expectant and serious, making Pei Qingjian’s heart race.

The long-standing tension between them flowed through their eyes and breaths. After a moment, Lan Xingchen quietly asked, “Really?”

Pei Qingjian blinked, then, almost hypnotized, whispered an involuntary, “Mm.”

Lan Xingchen immediately lit up, bright and dazzling.

Pei Qingjian saw it and couldn’t help but smile too.

Though this scenario had been unexpected, anything coming from Lan Xingchen—his question, his sincerity—felt impossible to refuse.

“And you?” Pei Qingjian asked, eyes sparkling. “Marry me?”

“Of course,” Lan Xingchen replied without hesitation.

He lowered his head and planted a firm kiss on Pei Qingjian’s face. “Only you, only you.”

Pei Qingjian held him tight, laughter spilling from his chest.

Across time and space, he finally had someone to cherish and accompany him for life.

Not like his grandmother, who had left him too soon.

He would always stay by his side, love him, and walk with him through every day, every moment, every joy and sorrow.

Together, they would share time, counting the years.

His love had taken root here, sprouted here, and would bear fruit here.

Pei Qingjian lifted his head, smiling warmly at Lan Xingchen, and lightly kissed his cheek.

He said, “Approved.”