The whole world was abuzz.
What kind of romantic tale was this—a powerful CEO and a brilliant scholar in love? And both were so strikingly attractive!
“Ahhhhh, what kind of fairytale love is this?! I feel like I’m just here to make up numbers in the human world.”
“This is so sweet, help me—”
“Ahhh, the couple I’ve been shipping came true! A few years ago, at the Lin family’s case overturn, I knew these two were perfect for each other. I felt something back then, but nobody believed me!”
“But wait, these two? Really? They don’t even look like they’d be gay.”
“How shameless for homosexuals to flaunt their relationship like this.”
“Is the person above feeling unwell? What century is this? Why cling to such backward ideas? Xie Youzhou is a business genius, creating jobs and contributing taxes. Lin Zhiyu is a national treasure of a scholar, developing life-saving drugs without asking a cent in patent fees. Every contribution they’ve made is worth more than any of yours. Maybe you should stop talking nonsense; it’s embarrassing.”
“Sister upstairs, you said exactly what I wanted to hear! Encore, encore!”
“Wow, the sister upstairs must be a top debater! [Love][Love][Love]”
“Help, this love story is better than any romance series. I’m making a super-topic, sisters, come join!”
“This is it, I’m breaking up. Just got a cheap gift from my boyfriend for our third anniversary, but Xie Youzhou’s out here doing this? I deserve better.”
“…”
In no time, the news of Xie Youzhou and Lin Zhiyu swept across the internet and went global.
Even the Chinese government took notice, and a few leaders shook their heads helplessly.
In the end, nothing was done.
However, the director of the Huaxia Biochemical Research Institute, where Lin Zhiyu worked, anxiously waited for a call from above. But even after three days, nothing came. It seemed they weren’t planning to criticize Lin Zhiyu.
Given Lin Zhiyu’s ability and Xie Youzhou’s influence, the higher-ups likely worried that pressing the issue might make Lin Zhiyu resign, only for Xie Youzhou to build him a private lab. That would be a great loss for the country.
Five days later, the dean finally called Lin Zhiyu to his office, a bit awkwardly, coughed, and advised him to “keep things low-key.”
Lin Zhiyu could barely hold back a laugh.
If he had known this would be the outcome, he would’ve made their relationship public ages ago.
“Thank you for your guidance, Dean. I understand. This time, I truly had no choice.”
Lin Zhiyu was polite and respectful.
But the dean wanted to scoff. Of course, it wasn’t just circumstance! He knew all about it. Lin had just wanted to protect Xie Youzhou from feeling wronged, so he made it public!
The dean just coughed, saying, “Ahem… well, good that you understand.”
Professor Bai, watching Lin Zhiyu being called into the dean’s office, grew so worried that she secretly eavesdropped outside. But before she’d even listened for two minutes, Lin Zhiyu emerged, only to meet the dean’s eyes outside the door.
Professor Bai: “…”
Dean: “…”
When Lin Zhiyu saw Professor Bai, he quickly understood. Smiling, he whispered, “It’s alright. Don’t worry.”
Professor Bai let out a sigh of relief, whispering, “That’s good, that’s good.”
The dean felt a headache coming on. Did he seem like the kind of dean who’d make life hard for his subordinates?
…
After Lin Zhiyu and Xie Youzhou publicly announced their relationship, Xie Youzhou was no longer cautious about picking up Lin Zhiyu from work, and they often held hands.
But they kept a reasonable level of modesty.
Later that year, they flew to a romantic island abroad to hold a formal wedding ceremony and register their marriage.
Although they retained their Chinese nationality, and thus their marriage wasn’t recognized in the household registry back home, they treasured the sense of ceremony it provided.
They framed their foreign marriage certificate and displayed it proudly in a special cabinet for their memories.
…
Lin Zhiyu and Xie Youzhou spent eighty-three years together.
During those years, their love aged like fine wine, growing richer, deeper, and inseparable.
After Lin Zhiyu turned thirty, he became even more affectionate, clinging to Xie Youzhou and often asking for hugs. Meanwhile, Xie Youzhou became more mature and gentle, though still slightly possessive, wanting to carry his gege around like a treasure, pampering him and even feeling a bit jealous now and then.
It was almost too much for outsiders to witness.
Lin Zhaoqiu often said he couldn’t bear to watch, yet deep down, he was overjoyed for his brother. That silly boy, Xie Youzhou, turned out to be so reliable…
Their careers flourished beyond measure.
Xie Youzhou became the world’s richest man at twenty-eight, a title he held unchallenged.
Lin Zhiyu’s accomplishments were even greater. Over his seventy-seven-year research career, he impacted the lives of nearly ten billion people in China and worldwide.
He was hailed as one of the century’s ten greatest scientists. The drugs and synthesis methods he developed significantly alleviated patient suffering and reduced treatment costs. His broad-spectrum anti-cancer vaccine, developed at eighty-three, ushered in a new era for humankind!
He raised the world’s average life expectancy by twenty years, with China’s reaching an unprecedented 97.1.
At one hundred years old, Lin Zhiyu finally stepped out of the lab.
All his remaining time—
He dedicated himself to the person he loved most.
Xie Youzhou retired in his late seventies and spent his days driving Lin Zhiyu to and from work.
He often wanted to ask his brother to quit research altogether and stay by his side.
But whenever he saw his brother in his lab coat, eyes focused and determined, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
Forget it…
It was enough to watch his brother every day from the sidelines.
…
They lived together until the century’s end.
On the day they passed, Lin Zhiyu was 106, and Xie Youzhou was 102.
Perhaps sensing the end, they changed into their favorite home clothes that afternoon, shared their favorite tea, and had their favorite fried eggs. Carefully arranging flowers by the bedside, they lay down together, holding hands, and at some point in the night, passed away peacefully.
*
Lin Zhiyu didn’t know how the world mourned him after his passing, nor how flags flew at half-mast in his honor.
All he knew was…
He had somehow opened his eyes to another world!
And strangely, he realized this was the world where the author of the book about Ruan Jiaojiao had lived!
Because of his lifetime of good deeds, he’d been granted a new life.
But Lin Zhiyu cared nothing for this.
He didn’t want another life; he didn’t want to start again.
Without that silly boy, Xie Youzhou…
What was the point?
Consumed by sorrow over losing his love, Lin Zhiyu stared at his own small hands and the portraits of his new parents. He truly saw no purpose.
He even considered taking his life…
And then, as he climbed up to the window, a voice called from outside the door.
“You can take the property, but I’ll raise the child!”
The voice was so familiar that Lin Zhiyu’s eyes widened, his heart stopping for a moment.
Then he saw a boy, about sixteen or seventeen, run in, sweating. His face was the exact image of his silly boy!
Before Lin Zhiyu could say a word, he was swept into a tight hug and lifted off the floor.
With a voice full of joy and disbelief, trembling as if he’d found the most precious treasure, Xie Youzhou held him close.
“Gege, I found you.”
“I finally found you.”
“I’m older than you in this life, so let me take care of you, let me protect you.”
Lin Zhiyu, held in Xie Youzhou’s arms, was in disbelief.
More than ten seconds passed before hot tears slipped from his eyes. He clung desperately to the person before him, coming to terms with the reality of this reunion.
The people outside, busy looting the valuables, hardly cared about the two kids embracing inside. After all, didn’t the older boy say he’d look after the younger one?
Sixteen-year-old Xie Youzhou carried the younger Lin Zhiyu over to the kang, gently wiping away his tears, sobbing quietly as he smiled.
“Gege, you’ve become a little cat.”
