IJCFIARFS Extra 2

After the proposal, the two were so inseparable that they were like sticky rice cakes—sweet to the point of being overly affectionate. Xie Youzhou couldn’t wait to set a wedding date and would call Lin Zhiyu “Gege~ Gege~” and “Wife~ Wife~” every day. Lin Zhiyu, indulgent as always, allowed himself to be called “wife,” but only in private.

One day, after work, Xie Youzhou eagerly went to wait for Lin Zhiyu outside the research institute. However, instead of his fiancée, he encountered a group of young strangers.

The leader was a tall, silver-haired boy, probably not even eighteen. He held a large bouquet of beautifully wrapped blue roses, while his friends behind him carried ribbon tubes, speakers, and a big box. When they reached the entrance, they opened the box, spilling out a mix of roses and miniature figurines dressed in lab coats, each in various cute poses.

Xie Youzhou’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the scene, but he found himself admiring the thoughtful display. He even began imagining ordering his own set of custom dolls modeled after his gege, picturing miniature versions of Lin Zhiyu to carry in his pocket, his car, and his office.

While Xie Youzhou was lost in his daydreams, the group of teenagers was preparing to gain Lin Zhiyu’s attention.

…

Lin Zhiyu, wearing a beige coat over a white shirt, stepped out from the laboratory building. The silver-haired boy’s eyes lit up with excitement upon seeing him. Lin Zhiyu, however, only had eyes for Xie Youzhou, who was smiling brightly from across the way. When their eyes met, they couldn’t help but smile back at each other, which only made the young boy’s resolve strengthen.

He rushed forward, blushing, and loudly confessed, “Lin Lin Lin…Lin Zhiyu, I love you!”

“I, Mu Yirong, sincerely swear that I like you, like you, like you!!!”

“oh~~~~”

“Bang–!”

Two girls next to him immediately fired party poppers, releasing countless streamers, while upbeat music played from the speakers.

“Promise him! Promise him! Promise him! Promise him!”

Lin Zhiyu: “…”

He glanced over at Xie Youzhou and saw his fiancé’s face darken like a storm cloud.

Lin Zhiyu was initially taken aback by the sudden confession, but when he saw Xie Youzhou’s expression turn so grim, he couldn’t help but smile.

Silly boy, what’s there to be jealous of?

Xie Youzhou really wanted to toss these annoying little kids into the moat for interrupting his happiness. He wanted to declare to the world that he and his gege were a perfect match and that no one in the world could come between them!

But considering Lin Zhiyu’s profession and the potential implications of publicly declaring their relationship, he clenched his jaw and composed himself.

He walked briskly to Lin Zhiyu and placed an arm around his shoulder, standing close but not overtly possessive.

Lin Zhiyu looked at him lovingly and shook his head.

“Don’t be jealous, look at your dark face.”

Then he addressed the group of teenagers, saying seriously, “Stop making trouble, go back, I have a lover.”

The group of teenagers froze in place, especially the silver-haired boy, who looked heartbroken, unwilling to believe it.

“That’s impossible! I asked around! You’re just saying this to reject me, aren’t you? I really like you, I’m serious! I’m going to be an adult next month, and I’m truly serious about you! I’ve had a crush on you since I was fourteen, ever since I first saw you on the news—”

The boy’s voice abruptly cut off.

Everyone around, including the pedestrians, was suddenly stunned.

Because Lin Zhiyu had simply stepped on tiptoe and kissed the corner of Xie Youzhou’s lips.

“This is my love.”

Lin Zhiyu smiled gently and openly.

Xie Youzhou kissed on the corner of his mouth in public, and was completely stunned. A rush of joy, happiness, disbelief, and emotion-filled his heart like a flood, and he couldn’t see anyone else.

The only thing he could see was his gege’s smile and the words he’d spoken. Overwhelmed with happiness, he pulled Lin Zhiyu into a passionate kiss, oblivious to everything else.

…

Within minutes, the news spread like wildfire. All of China, and soon the world, was buzzing with the sudden announcement: Lin Zhiyu, a prodigious scholar in biochemistry, had come out! And his partner was none other than Xie Youzhou, the young business genius who had topped Forbes before twenty.

Some skeptics initially doubted the news, but Xie Youzhou quickly flooded all of Nianzhi Group’s social media channels with posts proclaiming his love for Lin Zhiyu. Even his popular social platform, “Jot,” was filled with sunflower and rose motifs, celebrating his unwavering love.

To top it all off, Xie Youzhou posted a video of his proposal, showing him kneeling as he slid a ring onto Lin Zhiyu’s finger. The caption beneath read:

“For all eternity, I will hold my jade, my love.”