Chapter 150
The horse carried Allen and Su Bin into the small town, where the Christmas spirit was particularly strong.
The town’s layout formed a circle of houses surrounding a central square, which served as the local marketplace. Villagers from nearby areas set up stalls here, selling homegrown produce. Common vegetables like potatoes and tomatoes were abundant, but there were also unfamiliar ones—like yangmei (waxberries) that Su Bin didn’t know how to eat—and all sorts of peculiar mushrooms.
This was Su Bin’s first time visiting a rural market in Country B. Having been cooped up in that stone house for so long, the sight of a new environment and unfamiliar faces filled him with excitement. His wide eyes darted around curiously, soaking it all in. The local villagers, smiling warmly, regarded the newcomers with friendly interest.
Allen gently held Su Bin’s hand and said, “Pick whatever you like.”
Su Bin asked, “Did the food we’ve been eating come from here?”
“Yes, it was delivered by him,” Allen replied, glancing at the middle-aged man who had been driving their horse earlier. Unnoticed by Su Bin, the man had fetched a small cart for them, which now trailed behind.
Su Bin thanked him sincerely. After all, it was no small effort to travel an hour and a half on horseback to deliver supplies.
They wandered around, picking out a small cabbage and a pumpkin. Su Bin spotted something resembling cucumbers and asked what they were. The villager’s thick local accent made communication challenging, and even after much explanation, it was a term Su Bin didn’t recognize.
“Just try it when we get back,” Allen said, taking a few without paying.
The vendor cheerfully wished them a Merry Christmas, gratitude shining on his face. Everyone seemed genuinely happy.
After browsing the market, Su Bin gained a new appreciation for how limited the agricultural output of Country B was. In the large supermarkets back in City M, most fruits and vegetables were imported. No wonder Country B earned its reputation as the “land of dark cuisine”—their culinary creativity was constrained by what they had.
On the streets, some vendors sold small, sawed-off pine trees as Christmas decorations. Allen encouraged Su Bin to pick one. They also bought star ornaments, crystal balls, and candy canes for decoration. The moment Su Bin saw these items, he was reminded of the wholesale markets back home in Yiwu. Flipping over the packaging, he laughed when he saw “Made in China” printed on it. Gleefully, he showed it to Ellen, proudly proclaiming how Chinese-made products had “invaded” even the rural villages of Country B!
On the way back, Allen mentioned that the following evening would be Christmas Eve.
Su Bin calculated mentally—Wow, nine days had already passed!
Why did the first few days crawl by, yet the latter ones flew? OAO
They rode an open carriage back. Snow began to fall along the way, and Allen pulled Su Bin into his arms, wrapping him snugly in a thick fur cloak. By the time they reached home, the ground and carriage were blanketed in snow, and even Allen’s hair was dusted with it.
The middle-aged man drove the carriage away, while Allen and Su Bin returned to their stone house, changing into warm clothes and relighting the fireplace. They spent a long time decorating the Christmas tree beside the fire as Allen shared stories of his childhood.
Before Allen’s parents passed, every Christmas was spent together at Roland Manor.
“Just the three of you?” Su Bin asked.
“No, and all the servants of Roland Manor too—they were part of our family,” Allen replied.
Su Bin’s face lit up with longing; he admired the idea of such a lively and warm extended family.
After Allen’s parents passed away, a certain “Countess” had repeatedly invited Allen to spend Christmas at her home, but he never went.
“Why not?” Su Bin asked.
Allen shook his head gently. “Christmas is for family. Though the Countess was kind to me, I’m not part of her family. We have different surnames. If I went, they’d have to accommodate my presence, consider my feelings, and look after me. It wouldn’t be a carefree celebration for them. And I wouldn’t feel the warmth of my own family in someone else’s home.”
“What did you do, then? Celebrate with the people at Roland Manor?”
“Yes. After my parents passed, I became the master of Roland Manor. As the head of the household, I could invite others to celebrate Christmas there, but I couldn’t go to someone else’s home for Christmas.”
Su Bin grew anxious. “But last year and this year, you’ve been spending Christmas with me. What about the people at Roland Manor?”
“I let many of them go after taking over the estate, keeping only a few like Mary. I also gave them the freedom to find love and start families of their own. It’s not the old days anymore—they can have lives beyond the manor. Each year, I invite their families to Roland Manor for Christmas, and it’s become a tradition. Last year, when I didn’t return, they were worried about me. But not this year.”
“Why not?”
Allen looked at Su Bin and said, “Because now, you’re my only family.”
Su Bin froze.
Allen continued earnestly, “You’re the most important person to me. I only want to be with you.”
Ah, when the Duke spoke of love, Su Bin was utterly defenseless…
Allen went on, “We’re currently at ‘Marices Manor.’ This is also part of the Louis family’s domain.”
Su Bin blinked. The Duke owns this land? No wonder Allen hadn’t paid for anything earlier!
“There’s a rule,” Allen added, “that once I have a spouse, I must bring them here to meet the people who live on my land.”
“…Spouse?” Su Bin stammered, blushing furiously. O////O
Allen laughed at his reaction. “Why are you so shy? They all know you’re mine.”
Su Bin turned his head slightly, changing the subject. “So, this house is yours too?”
Allen nodded. “Yes. This was originally the castle of the lord of ‘Marices Manor’ about 800 years ago. The outer walls of the house are the remains of the castle walls. It was destroyed for some reason, and when I came here, I had a villa built on the original site by a designer. That’s how it looks now.”
…No wonder the interior had such an artistic vibe.
“But why would you want to build a villa here? It’s so remote, and there’s nothing around,” Su Bin thought to himself, grumbling silently about the lack of signal.
Allen smiled. “It was intentional.”
“Why?”
“Don’t you feel,” Allen said softly, “like when we’re here, it’s as if there’s no one else in the world but us?”
Su Bin hesitated, then nodded. “Mm…”
“That’s exactly the feeling I wanted,” Allen said, closing his eyes. His voice dropped to a gentle murmur. “Sometimes, living in this world, we’re overwhelmed by external distractions and temptations. But staying here quietly for a few days helps me see things clearly.”
Su Bin nodded lightly, resonating with Allen’s words. Yes, he deeply felt it too… This secluded place, originally Allen’s secret sanctuary, was now shared with him without reservation.
He didn’t know what to say. His heart felt warm, yet there was a heaviness to it as well.
The next day, Allen busied himself in the kitchen with Su Bin, preparing a grand Christmas dinner. The two worked seamlessly, like a couple who had been together for years.
They made homemade butter mashed potatoes, baked a cheesy roast turkey, and simmered a pot of borscht. Su Bin also experimented with the “strange waxberries” he had left untouched for two days, stir-frying them with pork. He made a simple stir-fried cabbage dish as well.
The dishes were modest in number to avoid waste. Once night fell, Allen lit candles and poured wine. Sitting across from each other, they made wishes, clinked glasses, and began their meal.
Though the lack of seasonings made the dishes taste plain, relying solely on the freshness of the ingredients, Su Bin ate with great enjoyment.
At that moment, he seemed to truly understand what Allen had meant by “It doesn’t matter what you eat; what matters is who you eat with.”
Indeed, compared to the earlier days of isolation and boredom, Su Bin now felt fulfilled and happy—even if the activities were essentially the same. He began to realize the importance of mindset.
It’s not about what you do, but who you do it with.
Christmas Eve was also the first anniversary of Allen and Su Bin’s relationship.
That night, Su Bin drank quite a bit. He was exuberant, emotional, and deeply moved.
After a year together, Su Bin had grown accustomed to Allen’s touch, completely captivated by the intimacy they shared.
Feeling unusually clingy, Su Bin nestled tightly in Allen’s arms, greedily breathing in the scent of the man beside him, listening to Allen’s low murmurs in his ear, and basking in his soothing presence…
The past year had brought countless changes: from China to Country B, from someone’s ex-boyfriend to Allen’s partner, from an ordinary exchange student to a prospective international student and budding entrepreneur in Country B. Without Ellen, none of this would have been possible.
Yet, Su Bin had lingering questions about Ellen. Over the past few days, while he had come to terms with certain unrelated matters, he remained entangled in those directly involving Ellen.
One question, sparked by the William incident, haunted him: Why did Allen choose him?
What did he have to offer? Apart from cooking a decent meal, he was utterly ordinary compared to Ellen.
Why would someone as powerful and perfect as Allen propose that contract and choose him as his one and only?
Drunk and emboldened, Su Bin clung to Allen and asked, “Why me?”
If he couldn’t rise to Allen’s level, this question would remain an eternal knot in his heart.
Why did Allen trust him, care for him, and even create the “Su Boss” world as a game-like escape? Allen had said Su Bin didn’t need to be self-sufficient—that he would always protect him. When William mentioned the “what ifs,” Allen had arrogantly declared, “There is no what if.”
“Why are you so certain you can protect me forever?” Su Bin asked, his voice slurred. He didn’t even realize he was speaking in Chinese, letting the alcohol strip away his inhibitions.
The more Allen treated him this way, the more terrified Su Bin felt, convinced he wasn’t worthy. Allen’s actions weighed on him like a crushing burden.
“Will you leave me?” Su Bin asked, his tearful eyes reflecting both infatuation and fear. “Because I can’t live without you…”
Allen gazed at him intently. “What are you saying?”
Realizing Allen couldn’t understand his words, Su Bin grew bolder. He murmured, “I said I like you. I think I’m falling in love with you…”
Ellen: “…”
“I’m afraid you’ll leave me…” Su Bin whispered, “and it’ll kill me.”
This unresolved issue had lingered since that night at Jin Fei’s house, and Su Bin couldn’t bring himself to confront it.
Allen’s eyes darkened as he studied Su Bin. Unable to meet Allen’s gaze, Su Bin pressed his lips to Allen’s, then closed his eyes, looking both timid and aggrieved.
…How could he ever repay the depth of kindness and love Allen had shown him?
