T/L: This is the last chapter… Because extra 8 has a better sense of finality, I’m putting extra 9 first.
Extra 9 – Pretending to Be Sick
“Xia Zhiye.”
As soon as Xia Zhiye walked into the house, he heard Song Yan, who was fiddling with a laptop on the sofa, call out to him coldly. Instinctively, he felt a sense of foreboding. “My Beloved Princess Yanyan, what have I done wrong this time?”
Song Yan looked up coldly. “Today, after Jiang Xu and Lu Zhuo had a fight, Lu Zhuo conveniently fell ill. This has something to do with you, doesn’t it?”
Xia Zhiye: “…”
He tried to defend himself, but Song Yan had already turned the laptop screen towards him. “Prop infusion bottle, prop indwelling needle, purchased on the first day you were kicked to the office to sleep and caught a cold. So, explain to me what kind of coincidence this is.”
Xia Zhiye: “…”
It wasn’t a coincidence at all.
Back then, he had used a certain toy on Song Yan until he lost his bladder control, which infuriated Song Yan to the point of kicking him out to sleep in the office for a whole day without speaking to him.
Out of sheer desperation, he had resorted to this tactic, never expecting that three months later, his ploy to help another couple reconcile would expose his own wrongdoing.
He carefully moved closer. “Uh, Yanyan, let me explain. Although the props were fake, my feelings were real. That night, I fell ill from lovesickness. Since there’s no medicine for that at the hospital, I had to use a little trick. And I even have aftereffects from that time.”
“…?”
Song Yan looked up anxiously.
Xia Zhiye took the opportunity to hug him, grinning cheekily. “The aftereffect is that if I don’t see our Princess Yanyan for a day, my heart aches. So, should our Princess Yanyan give me a kiss first?”
Song Yan: “Xia Zhiye!”
“At your service!”
“Go kneel on your keyboard! Don’t get up until you’ve written a full analysis report!”
“If the Princess gives me a kiss, this sinner will go.”
“Kiss, my ass! Xia Zhiye! Mmph mmph…”
–
That night, on a certain Ear-raked Men’s group chat…
[Did you return to sleep in the master bedroom today?]
[Pink Bicycle]: No, but I dare do it again next time.
Extra 10 – The Wedding Day of Song-xiansheng and Xia-xiansheng
Song-xiansheng and Xia-xiansheng in my eyes
By Xia Daye
I think, as a golden retriever, I’m no longer considered young.
But my owners are indeed still very young.
When they brought me into this home, I was just a two-month-old puppy, and they were only eighteen-year-old teenagers.
Now, ten years have passed. I’ve become a mature dog, yet they are still in the prime of their lives.
Wearing sharp suits and full of vigor, they are an enviable, loving couple and rising stars in the business world. In the eyes of others, they are dazzling, remarkable, perfect without any flaws.
But only I know that Song-xiansheng, rumored to be the most rational and astute, is actually a bit of a fool.
For instance, he doesn’t know how to fold his shirts neatly before a business trip.
For instance, he is so groggy every morning that he can’t tell east from west.
For instance, every time he quarrels with Xia-xiansheng, and Xia-xiansheng secretly turns off the power, he gets scared and goes to sleep with Xia-xiansheng, making up without ever realizing anything strange happened.
Only I also know that Xia-xiansheng, who is said to hide a dagger behind his smiles, is actually a henpecked husband.
For instance, Xia-xiansheng, who earns seven or eight figures annually, only gets a thousand yuan of pocket money each month because he promised that all the money would be managed by Song-xiansheng.
For instance, our home always has many keyboards, not on the computer desk, but placed next to the broom, which is very strange.
For instance, in our home’s hierarchy, Song-xiansheng is always first, Song Xiaoxi is second, I’m third, and Xia-xiansheng is fourth.
Yes, Xia-xiansheng’s status is even below mine.
Because I can often get on Song-xiansheng’s bed, but Xia-xiansheng is always sent to sleep on the sofa, the guest bedroom, or the study.
As for why he gets kicked out, that’s not something a dog like me should say.
But only I and my little cat companion, Song Xiaoxi, know what the real Song-xiansheng and Xia-xiansheng are like, so I decided to write about it on the day of my owners’ wedding.
But where to begin? After thinking it over, it seems best to start with the day of the proposal.
From the day they got together, many believed that if a proposal were to happen, it would definitely be Xia-xiansheng, after meticulous planning, holding the most romantic and grand ceremony to propose to Song-xiansheng.
I always thought so too.
But fate is unpredictable. While Xia-xiansheng was still meticulously planning that most romantic and grand ceremony, Song-xiansheng proposed to Xia-xiansheng first.
That day, Xia-xiansheng suddenly fell ill for the first time and was rushed into the operating room.
The doctor said it wasn’t serious, just needed to remove a small thing, but the surgery required a family member’s signature. Song-xiansheng realized that legally, he wasn’t Xia-xiansheng’s family; he didn’t even have the right to sign that informed consent form.
So although Xia-xiansheng’s cousin was also there and quickly handled everything, Song-xiansheng that day was the most anxious and silent I had ever seen him.
In my memories, Song-xiansheng was always well taken care of by Xia-xiansheng.
No matter how they appeared outside, back home, Song-xiansheng was always looked after like a child. He couldn’t do housework, couldn’t cook, was always lazy, and a bit spoiled, but Xia-xiansheng seemed to love him this way, always taking care of everything for him and then coaxing him into happiness.
Xia-xiansheng told me it was because Song-xiansheng had suffered too much when he was young, so he wanted to make up for all the love and care Song-xiansheng had missed in the past with double the affection for the rest of his life.
I think maybe this is the love between Xia-xiansheng and Song-xiansheng.
And in Xia-xiansheng’s heart, he surely thought he could always be so strong, so powerful, always standing in front of Song-xiansheng to shield him from the wind and rain, for a lifetime.
But he forgot that he too was flesh and blood, that he could also get sick, grow old, and even die. What would happen to Song-xiansheng if he were left alone?
I don’t dare to think about it.
Just like I can’t imagine what would happen if one day I passed away first, leaving behind my bad-tempered little cat, who always likes to provoke the neighbor’s big dogs but can never win a fight.
So I think Xia-xiansheng and Song-xiansheng had never thought about this problem until that surgery forced it upon them.
During Xia-xiansheng’s hospital stay, Song-xiansheng seemed soulless.
He couldn’t find the keys to the safe at home, didn’t know where the household registration book was, couldn’t find his socks, and couldn’t even tie his tie properly.
Every day, apart from going to work and visiting Xia-xiansheng in the hospital, he would just sit by the window, dazed.
What he was thinking, I don’t know. I only know that on the day the hospital told him he wasn’t qualified to sign the informed consent form, he stayed up all night.
The next morning, he appeared at Xia-xiansheng’s bedside with a diamond ring and a guardianship agreement, asking, “Xia Zhiye, will you marry me? Will you become my designated guardian?”
There were no flowers, no band, no candlelit dinner, no champagne balloons, just a diamond ring, an agreement, and the Song-xiansheng whom Xia-xiansheng loved deeply.
And Xia-xiansheng agreed. He said, “I do.”
Of course, Xia-xiansheng later boasted about this to me and my little cat, insisting with a can of tuna as a bribe that we admit Song-xiansheng loved him with unwavering devotion.
My cat and I were somewhat disdainful of his method, but we had to admit that Song-xiansheng indeed loved him deeply, just as Xia-xiansheng loved Song-xiansheng.
Xia-xiansheng told us that on that day, he was also forced to promise Song-xiansheng to exercise well, eat properly, and rest adequately, to stay healthy and strong, and to outlive Song-xiansheng.
Because Song-xiansheng, being a stubborn fool with a bad temper, wouldn’t be happy, lively, or even get up at night to fetch a glass of water without Xia-xiansheng.
Xia-xiansheng agreed without hesitation. He said he would live longer than Song-xiansheng because he had promised to take care of him for a lifetime and make him happy forever.
Song-xiansheng might have cried that day, or maybe he didn’t.
Anyway, Song-xiansheng would never admit it, but every time I sneaked into the bedroom, I saw Song-xiansheng holding Xia-xiansheng tightly, head buried, unwilling to let go.
My little cat was also very well-behaved that day, quietly lying next to me, gently rubbing against my head.
I knew what he was worried about, so I gently licked him, telling him not to be afraid.
Because if possible, I too wish to live longer than my little cat, not much longer, just one day would do, so my little cat won’t feel lonely or uneasy.
Oh, I forgot to mention, my little cat is also a foolish little thing with a bad temper and no ability to take care of himself. Every time he rolls around, he needs me to help clean his fur. Every time he gets into trouble, I have to help him fight. Whenever he breaks something, I’m the one who takes the blame.
He’s truly a spoiled little kitty-cat.
But Xia-xiansheng says this is just right because cats are meant to be spoiled.
So I think in Xia-xiansheng’s eyes, Song-xiansheng must be a little cat too. Why else would he spoil him so much?
Spoil him to the point that he even wore a silly pink tie at the wedding, just because Song-xiansheng said he was the first touch of pink in his black and white world.
Even if it meant being teased by Zhou-xiansheng for an entire year.
But I have to admit, Xia-xiansheng is indeed an exceptionally handsome man. I’ve never seen anyone wear a pink tie so well, so boldly yet so elegantly.
So I think Zhou-xiansheng must be jealous of Xia-xiansheng, teasing him because Zhou-xiansheng’s Shen-xiansheng has overly protective parents who think he’s still too young to get married. This makes Zhou-xiansheng, a prominent lawyer, both anxious and helpless.
However, apart from not having a wedding, Zhou-xiansheng and Shen-xiansheng are practically married. After all, Shen-xiansheng’s social media, with millions of followers, never lacks for daily doses of their public displays of affection.
I just saw them sneaking a kiss again. Truly shameless.
In comparison, I prefer Fatty-xiansheng and Zhao-xiansheng. The reason is simple — they are single. This way, I can parade around with my little cat, flaunting the fact that I have a partner.
But these two, despite being single, are quite remarkable. One owns a large restaurant, and the other is a famous screenwriter. They are generous, contributing substantial sums of money, enough to buy Xiaoxi many cans of the most expensive tuna, so I’ve decided not to antagonize them for now.
Besides them, my favorite is Shang-xiansheng.
I used to only see Shang-xiansheng on TV, but this time, I met him in person.
It’s said that Shang-xiansheng commands a seven-figure fee for appearances, yet he declined an award ceremony to sing at Xia-xiansheng and Song-xiansheng’s wedding.
This made Song-xiansheng and Xia-xiansheng look exceptionally distinguished, so I like him a lot.
But my absolute favorite is Mama Qin. When my little cat and I were still a kitten and a puppy, Mama Qin took care of us. She was so gentle, so attentive, and so beautiful. My little cat and I adored her.
Unfortunately, she was too perfect, and a handsome uncle had to compete with us for her affection. After Song-xiansheng and Xia-xiansheng graduated, she married the handsome uncle.
My little cat and I bared our teeth at the handsome uncle in resentment, but later we forgave him reluctantly because he was incredibly handsome and made delicious cat food.
When they arrived today with Xiao Lele, they looked like a perfect family.
But I also realized that Xiao Lele, who used to run around the house with us, has somehow grown into a handsome young man.
Time flies so quickly.
My little cat and I are no longer young.
No, only I am no longer young. My little cat will always be a small little kitty until the end.
Yes, he’s just slightly heavier than the kitten he was ten years ago.
I lay at the edge of the stage, my little cat on my back, and we watched Song-xiansheng and Xia-xiansheng on the stage.
They wore such beautiful white suits, standing tall and elegant as they did in their youth, but with more steadiness and a bit of ease in their eyes.
I once heard about their story from when they were young. Back then, they might have still been kids, and a bad person who has now passed away once forced them apart, telling them that this was the helplessness of the weak.
If that villain had lived to this day and seen them like this, he would never be able to say those things again.
They are so exceptional, so strong, so kind, and so steadfastly in love with each other that I believe, apart from life and death, nothing in this world could make them feel powerless.
And with all the friends and family present, everyone offering the newlyweds their most sincere and heartfelt blessings, I believe they will live long, happy lives together, growing old side by side.
The emcee on stage began to recite the ancient vows that have been passed down through generations.
He asked, “Xia Zhiye-xiansheng, do you take Song Yan-xiansheng to be your husband, to care for him, to cherish him, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to honor, and to remain with him, forsaking all others, as long as you both shall live?”
Xia-xiansheng looked into Song-xiansheng’s eyes, with such certainty and deep affection, and said, “I do. No matter if we are rich or poor, healthy or sick, I will love you and honor you until death do us apart.”
“Until death do us apart.”
I gently shook my head, and my little cat nuzzled me softly.
I think we understood each other.
We are no longer young, and death may soon part us, but we will walk through life together, having each other.
Just as, after we are gone, our young men will walk through their lives together.
Everything in this world is fleeting, coming and going in haste. No matter how vividly someone may have painted your life, fate ultimately dictates that they are merely a passerby.
Only the one truly meant for you — a person, a cat, a morning blossom that withers by dusk — can accompany you through the long and interesting life that belongs to both of you.
This is what a soulmate is.
And the word “soulmate” is the most generous gift for countless lonely souls in the natural world.
I am very fortunate to have found my little cat.
And my young Masters are also fortunate to have found each other.
So we can enjoy this quiet, flowing afternoon of happiness.
I, along with everyone who loves them, watched as they exchanged rings and placed them on each other’s ring fingers.
It is said that this finger is connected to the heart, symbolizing eternal love until the heart stops beating.
Sunlight streamed warmly through the stained glass windows, and pure white lilies of the valley, symbols of happiness, bloomed around them. They embraced each other and shared a deep kiss amidst the blessings of those who love them and those they love.
From their first meeting to getting to know and love each other, they have walked a long road, full of vibrant years, emotions, tears, and joy. Now, they have finally become each other’s husband and family.
And they will stand by each other’s side and walk through the rest of their lives together.
Watching the flowers bloom in spring, the tides rise in summer, the leaves fall in autumn, and the snow covers the ground in winter.
Witnessing the four seasons, the daily meals, the everyday scenes, and the passing years.
Experiencing all the beauty and warmth life has to offer.
Just like you, who are blessed at this moment.
I think this is perhaps the most beautiful aspect of this long journey through time and the brightest future for my young men.
Even if one day I leave them early, they will continue to live happily.
So I kissed my little cat with peace of mind.
And to you, who have heard the story of Xia-xiansheng and Song-xiansheng, it’s time for you to find your own little cat.
I give you the bouquet I just caught from the groom, wishing you eternal happiness, just like what they have.
——The End——
T/L: Thank you for following the journey of Xia Zhiye and Song Yan with me! I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried multiple times during the story, including this extra 8. I’m just a (cry)baby 🥹🥹
I hope you like this story, and it can mean something to you.
See you in my next project!
