Ever since Ti Xiao found out the rings existed, he came up with all sorts of ways to stir trouble, pestering Xiao Yao every few days to see the rings.
No matter how much Ti Xiao turned the house upside down, he couldn’t find them—not even the secret stash of snacks Xiao Yao hid from him.
Xiao Yao also refused to give in, no matter how much Ti Xiao threw tantrums, rolled around, acted cute, or begged. Even fifteen times a week wouldn’t work.
“Where did you hide them?” Ti Xiao wrapped his arms around Xiao Yao’s neck and peppered him with kisses, humming sweetly. “Tell me, please.”
“Birthday gifts have to wait until your birthday.” Xiao Yao said, ruffling Ti Xiao’s nose. “Just a few more days.”
He was fully determined to tease Ti Xiao until he screamed.
Good behavior, less snacks, more veggies, early to bed and early to rise—Xiao Yao’s word was law now. Their roles at home had completely reversed.
Ti Xiao gritted his teeth in secret but decided to put up with it for a few more days. After his birthday, he’d make Xiao Yao pay.
Left and right, finally June 4th was almost here—the day before.
The closer it got, the more Ti Xiao’s heart fluttered. He was trying for one last effort.
“You never measured my finger, how could you be sure the ring would fit?” Ti Xiao tried a new tactic. “What if it doesn’t fit? Let me try it on now. If it’s the wrong size, we can still exchange it. What do you say?”
Xiao Yao was completely unmoved. “The size is definitely right. I’m usually pretty accurate about this stuff.”
“How did you measure it, then?” Ti Xiao wouldn’t let it go.
Xiao Yao was at a loss. He grabbed the little hamster’s paw, brought it to his mouth, and bit his ring finger. “Just measured it like this.” Then he headed off to work.
While sketching, Ti Xiao couldn’t help but hold his hand up to the sunlight. On his ring finger was a faint ring of bite marks—kind of looked like the shape of a ring.
From heaven to earth, probably only his old man would measure a ring size like that.
June 4th was a bright and sunny Saturday, with the sky washed clear blue and the early summer breeze pleasantly warm.
“I washed my hands clean. Can I touch the ring that belongs to me?” Ti Xiao woke up earlier than Xiao Yao for once and held out his freshly washed hand.
He really wanted to see where Xiao Yao had hidden the ring.
So he just stared as Xiao Yao, with messy hair, knelt down, pulled out Xiao Hulu, and fetched that sad-looking pink bag from the cat’s bed.
Ti Xiao: “…”
That’s some hiding spot.
Today wasn’t just Ti Xiao’s birthday—it was also his zodiac year birthday. He was twenty-four, a year past the legal marriage age.
But it seemed like he already had a marriage partner.
“Zodiac year, huh.” Xiao Yao mused. “Want me to buy you some red underwear?”
Ti Xiao’s cheeks flushed a bit. He gave Xiao Yao a light punch and pulled down his shirt a little to hide the edge of the red underwear.
Maybe, like the day they reached second base, when you repeat something or a date too many times, it starts to feel like a ritual. On this birthday, besides eating cake, making wishes, bossing around his hard-working Xiao Yao, hugging, kissing, and being lifted up,
the only difference was the silver ring on his finger.
He’d received a promise that would last a lifetime.
Ti Xiao couldn’t help but hold up his hand to look at it again. Instead of the bite marks, there was a genuine ring now. Under the indoor light, the silver gleamed warmly; the reflection on the ring was distorted but cast a soft glow.
Listening to the water splashing in the kitchen, Ti Xiao shook his head with a smile.
Honestly, if he hadn’t caught Xiao Yao sneaking out early for a fake class, he almost would have forgotten his own birthday, too busy preparing Xiao Yao’s gift.
The sketchbook on the table was still open—already half full, carrying the scent of time and concentrated love.
Ti Xiao was drawing today’s page. On this special day, he had unknowingly filled several pages.
And now he was one hundred percent sure he was drawing a fairy tale, like a children’s bedtime picture book.
The first picture: the hamster sleeping in his little nest, covered with a small quilt, with a mountain of stored food behind him. Outside the small window was a summer scene.
The second picture: outside the door, the long-legged Siamese held something shining silver in his mouth. He walked up to the hamster’s house and gently knocked on the door.
The third picture: the hamster opened the door, sleepy and rubbing his eyes.
The fourth picture: the Siamese lowered his head, placed the shining object on the hamster’s head, and gently kissed him.
The fifth picture: a top-down view. The hamster’s eyes looked upward, his little paws touching his head. On his head sat a silver ring, with words of eternal vows engraved inside.
Turning the page, Ti Xiao lifted his pen, then put it down again. He tapped the paper a few times—if he kept drawing, he might not be able to stop. He could fill this whole book.
He’d draw more later. There were still two months.
Just then, Xiao Yao came over to urge Ti Xiao to sleep. Ti Xiao obediently set down his pen, closed the sketchbook, and crawled into the bedroom.
The birthday hadn’t yet passed midnight; the bedroom light was still on. Ti Xiao, wearing pajamas, nestled obediently in Xiao Yao’s arms, his head resting on his arm. Their hands overlapped and intertwined, the silver ring flashing on them both.
Actually, left hand holding left hand felt kind of awkward, but Ti Xiao insisted on it, twisting himself like a pretzel just to keep the hand with the ring held tightly.
The two lay quietly on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, only able to hear Xiao Yao’s soft voice.
“Happy birthday, Xiao Xiao.”
“Happy birthday, Xiao Xiao.”
“Happy birthday.”
He repeated it softly in his ear over and over, whispering.
The sweet scent of cake still lingered in the air, leaving behind thread after thread of sweetness.
Ti Xiao, the hamster, sniffed the air, then bit down on the sweetest spot on Xiao Yao’s body. He snuggled close, lying on him and listening to his strong heartbeat. “You talk too much.”
“Talk as much as I want. Today’s worth saying extra.” Xiao Yao reached out and pulled him into a hug, rolling over to pin him down, gently nuzzling his earlobe, as if that would help him hear every word more clearly.
“Xiao Xiao.”
His voice was a little muffled. The person beneath him trembled softly.
“I want to… forever, forever…”
With a sticky voice and soft breaths.
“Forever be with you. Will you?”
All the words were swallowed whole, along with the answer about to be spoken, devoured inside.
The rustle of fabric, the subtle sounds—time and air reached an ambiguous tipping point, then the moment abruptly ended.
“So you were secretly wearing red underwear?”
“…”
Xiao Yao spent the night in the study.
——————
A few days after Ti Xiao’s birthday, it was time to meet up with Guapi and a bunch of other girls.
Because the college entrance exams took over the high school classrooms, Xiao Yao wasn’t invigilating. After the college entrance exams came the middle school exams, and the classrooms were still occupied—Xiao Yao still didn’t invigilate. So he was free during this period to accompany Ti Xiao and keep an eye on him, making sure he didn’t eat anything bad again and get a stomachache.
The city wasn’t far—just the neighboring provincial capital next to Xuancheng, about a two-hour drive from home.
The other girls lived farther away, some had to take trains or even planes.
Girl 1: I’m on an island, lol. Am I the farthest? I brought some dried coconut as a specialty for you all.
Girl 2: East Coast US here, haha, but I got back to the country yesterday.
Girl 3: Isn’t Achi’s place the closest?
As the departure date neared and everyone was boasting about their boyfriends, Ti Xiao was in a great mood and replied with a coquettish “Aww~.”
Editor Guapi: [file] Hey cuties, everyone take a look at the schedule for the next week. Don’t run off tomorrow just because you think I’m ugly!
The group chat exploded with laughter.
To accommodate these night owls who sleep during the day, the company scheduled the first day’s gathering for the afternoon. Except for the last day, the following mornings’ meet-ups were all set for 10 a.m., giving them plenty of time to sleep. The live streams and signing events were also arranged in the afternoons.
[I’m going to bring a Master Ball in a few days to catch an Achi.]
[Haha, take me too!]
[+1, I’m bringing my family heirloom Master Ball to catch Achi.]
[Then Achi’s all yours. Should I go catch Achi’s boyfriend?]
Ti Xiao caught that comment sharp as a tack, grabbed the mic, and replied, “Nope, you can catch me.”
The chat flooded with “hahaha”s.
Since once he got to the company he probably couldn’t stream anymore, Ti Xiao did a live stream that night before leaving. He didn’t draw, just chatted with them.
“The signing event is on the afternoon of the third day. The first few people who bring a Master Ball get a gift, first come, first served.”
The gift was just a sketchbook with his signed drawings.
The signing event would be a face-to-face chance to meet readers, maybe just with masks on. Ti Xiao scratched his head and said, “Don’t judge me if I don’t look good, okay?”
【No way! The wives are all treasures of the world!】
【Right, right! I’d love to hold them in my hands and take them home, just to draw for me alone, haha!】
【Wake up, mine, not for taking home!】
On the third day, a comment popped up from “pass by.”
Ti Xiao glanced into the bedroom and could only see one of Xiao Yao’s legs and his slippers. Two suitcases were neatly placed side by side nearby.
“Xiao Xiao, time to rest,” Xiao Yao called from the bedroom.
Even from a distance, fans watching the live stream heard him.
【Was that Achi’s boyfriend just now?】
【Forgot to ask, didn’t Achi say his boyfriend was coming too? Does that still count?】
【Achi, please show up and confirm!】
“I have to head out early tomorrow, so I’m signing off. See you in a few days. Good night!” Ti Xiao deliberately ignored those questions, leaving his little fans buzzing with excitement.
Early the next morning, the two headed out, arriving at the provincial capital before noon.
The weather was already warm enough for short sleeves. Ti Xiao wore a simple white T-shirt and jeans, looking youthful enough to pass as a student.
Brilliant and brave Achi: My family and I have arrived at the battlefield.
Editor Guapi: So fast? Already at the company?
Brilliant and brave Achi: Yep, at the reception on the first floor. About to meet up. Are you excited, haha?
Editor Guapi: Excited, my foot. I’m about to be buried in work. Hold on a sec, I’m coming downstairs to see what you look like.
Ti Xiao greeted Guapi, while Xiao Yao stood beside him, looking around the company’s interior.
The logo looked somewhat familiar, and so did the name—not because of Ti Xiao, but maybe because Li Yi had mentioned his workplace before.
Not sure if he was just remembering wrong.
“Take off your sunglasses, don’t look like some gangster boss,” Ti Xiao poked Xiao Yao’s arm. “You’re scaring the receptionist.”
Xiao Yao took off his sunglasses as requested. The receptionist gasped and even pulled out her phone, apparently wanting to take a photo.
Ti Xiao hesitated a moment, then stepped in front of Xiao Yao and put his sunglasses back on him. “Better keep them on. Don’t want people seeing you.”
Just then, the elevator doors opened behind them, and a man wearing a staff badge around his neck stepped out.
Through the lenses of the sunglasses, their eyes met, and he froze.
Leave a Reply