Epiphanies of Rebirth Chapter 85 (Part 2)
Translated by Pure
Chapter 85.2 The end
Xiao Chi didn't move, so Lin Jingzhe simply picked up a ring first and went to hold the former’s hand. Only then did he realize that although Xiao Chi’s expression was still calm, his limbs were completely stiff. The sweat on his palm was still continuously oozing out, almost dripping off his fingertips. Lin Jingzhe thought of Mother Zhou previously praising him for his steady attitude, and found the whole matter white comical. Smiling, he put the ring on Xiao Chi's finger.
"Xiao Chi." Lin Jingzhe looked into his eyes, which had sharpened from nervousness without a hint of its usual smile, and truly believed that his flustered appearance was sweeter and more sincere than any sweet nothings that could be said at this moment. "From this moment on, I will always stand by your side, accompany you, protect you, and care for you until the last moment of my life."
Oh my God.
Dai Gaofeng’s seat wasn’t too far from the stage. When he saw Xiao Chi's face, his heart had already stopped beating from fright. He couldn't fathom how formidable Lin Jingzhe's heart was to be able to make such commitments to a face akin to a father-murdering criminal.
Xiao Chi clenched his hand into a fist, lowered his gaze, stared at the silver ring at the base of his finger, and then slowly raised his other hand.
Lin Jingzhe swore he heard the creaking sound of his stiff joints in motion.
It took Xiao Chi two attempts to take out the ring from the ring box. When his fingers felt its coolness, his breathing gradually became heavier. He wiped his palms on his pants and then carefully lifted Lin Jingzhe's left hand. After trying it several times, he finally firmly situated the ring onto his finger.
As if the air had become thinner, Xiao Chi felt so dizzy that he could hardly breathe. He felt that an invisible transparent tie connecting their two souls through this ring, allowing them to truly merge into one.
"I..." He opened his mouth and hoarsely said. He had never been so nervous before, as if he had lost his voice, he could not speak for a long time.
He suddenly choked up. How bizarre, he was a person who cried only a handful of times as a child.
Lin Jingzhe opened his arms and embarrassed him. "It doesn't matter, I know what you want to say."
"I love you." Xiao Chi buried his head in Lin Jingzhe's neck and repeated over and over again, "I love you."
Never will there be another person in this world who could make his heart tremble so crazily.
Feeling a cool dampness on his neck, Lin Jingzhe raised his hand and gently stroked the curly hair on the back of Xiao Chi’s head—
"I love you too, and will always love you."
God was truly benevolent. He had allowed him to meet such a beautiful lover and family after losing everything.
Dai Gaofeng looked at the two people hugging each other on the stage, and fell into a complex state. He should feel as uncomfortable as he did when he had initially received this wedding invitation. But at this moment, there was an inexplicable feeling in his heart. It was because of Lin Jingzhe and Xiao Chi, and also because of the clear attitudes of the Shen and Xiao Family.
Same sex marriage was not recognized domestically, but he fully understood the significance of this banquet. This single ceremony contained countless silent affirmations; the elders of these two families had no intention of letting their childrens’ relationship remain in the dark.
With Xiao Shenxing's ‘decide and act alone’ character and Lin Runsheng's ‘difficult to mess with at first glance’ demeanor, it's quite a surprise they actually accepted this kind of relationship...
While he lamented this, Dai Gaofeng turned his gaze to the main table next to the stage, and quickly fell into a long period of speechlessness: "……………..."
Lin Runsheng’s terrifying face was tense as he pursed his lips, looking up at the stage. The corner of his eyes were red, tears kept slipping out of his eyes like beads from a broken thread, running down his face; his shoulders would also occasionally twitch uncontrollably.
Shen Juanying was wiping his tears with a distressed look on her face. Elder Shen seemed not surprised by this strange scene, but he was also quite helpless. He solemnly sat upright like a pine-like figure, but he reached out from behind and gently patted his son-in-law's back.
Other than those three, the rest of the people sitting on the table all shared a complicated expression. Shen Tiantian looked as if she had been struck by lightning. Even the two women who seemed to be relatives from Lin Jingzhe's hometown, who cried the most when they entered the venue, were so frightened that they stopped crying.
"Sniff… huuu…" Lin Runsheng really wanted to hold it back, but he had no choice. He had obviously tried his best, but at the moment when Lin Jingzhe and Xiao Chi hugged each other, the emotion he had been holding back fell apart like a taut bowstring.
Since everyone has already seen him crying, he simply allowed the milk to spill and continued to cry with increased vigor. Even when the younger generation came over for a toast, he still refused to stop sobbing.
Xiao Chi, who secretly shed some tears on the stage just now, and was still feeling somewhat embarrassed by it: "..."
Lin Jingzhe glanced at the passing people with expressions that looked as if their world view had been turned upside down, and in between laughter and tears, placed down his wine glass and hugged his father. "Why are you still crying? It’s ok, it’s okay..."
Lin Runsheng tightly embraced him back, and through his hiccups, explained, "I–I– I–I’m not, I just—I just saw you getting married, these—are—tears of—joy."
"Are you really happy?"
Lin Runsheng nodded aggrievedly. "I'm real–really happy."
"As long as you’re happy." Lin Jingzhe wondered how their relationship managed to turn so sour in his previous life. Obviously, he just needed to be coaxed as if he was a child. And when talking to Lin Runsheng, all he needed to use was imperative sentences. No matter how reluctant, he would always follow through with any request.
"Don’t worry." Lin Jingzhe said, "Sit down, let’s stop crying, okay? Let us have a toast."
Sure enough, as soon as he said this, Lin Runsheng, who was hugging his son, reluctantly let go of his arms, wiped his tears, and sat back on his chair bleakly.
After comforting Lin Runsheng, Lin Jingzhe stood up. The elders of the Zhou Family and the Gao Family looked at him, along with Mother Zhou, who had been crying non-stop when she entered the venue. Her tears had only ceased after being frightened by Lin Runsheng’s sudden outburst.
"You’ve grown." Mother Zhou touched his cheek, her eyes were still red, but her smile was very bright. "You are more promising than those two rascals."
"There will definitely be troubles in your relationship in the future." Hu Yu's soft voice immediately sounded, "But it is up to you two to learn to adjust and adapt. Just remember, when you encounter conflicts, you have to be more tolerant of one another. Since you have chosen to be together, no matter the difficulties, it must be overcomed together."
"I will." Lin Jingzhe nodded lightly.
Gao Sheng, who had been sitting there silently, finally sighed and stood up. While pouring wine into his own glass, he walked around the table and made his way towards the two of them. He reached out and clinked his glass on Xiao Chi's, then brought it to his mouth and said, "I’ve toasted."
Xiao Chi down the glass with him. His nervousness gradually dissipated under Gao Sheng’s unfriendly but less irritable gaze, and he said in a deep voice, "Thank you."
Lin Jingzhe hugged him, and was soon joined by Zhou Haitang. Gao Sheng took this time to whisper in his ear, "Let me know if he ever dares to let you down."
Lin Jingzhe rubbed his back. He was feeling countless emotions, but all of it melted into a single hum.
After taking his time to watch the couple walk off to give toasts to the other tables, Gao Sheng finally turned back around. He raised his face, looked at the gorgeous lights on the ceiling, and used his arm to press down on his eyes.
"Uncle Dai!" After leaving the main table where his relatives sat, Lin Jingzhe quickly recovered to his usual calmness. Holding his wine glass, he looked at Dai Gaofeng's shining forehead in surprise, "It’s only been a couple months since we last met, how did you become like this?"
Although most men suffer from a receding hairline nearing the later of their life, it should be a gradual process. Lin Jingzhe remembered that when they met at the land bidding meeting some time ago, he still had hair on his head. It was almost as if a ghost had buzzed it all off for him.
Dai Gaofeng: “…………”
He didn't know how to respond other than drinking their toast. From his peripherals, he could see Lin Runsheng tearing up again and started sniffling as soon as his son had left. Before the couple walked in, the old lady from the Xiao Family sneaked over to their table and took away almost all the chocolates on their plate right before his eyes. And now she’s single handedly finished up a whole plate of brown sugar cake on the table. Everything and everyone he encountered today seemed to be a little off.
Lin Jingzhe then turned to the young man next to Dai Gaofeng, who also seemed to be suffering from spontaneous hair loss. When he saw that it was Jin Jianshe from Jin Prosperity Real Estate, a kind smile appeared on his face, "Mr. Jin, may I propose a toast to you?"
Jin Jianshe: "..."
Taking a peek at Lin Jingzhe's flower-like smile and Xiao Chi's wooden and profound face next to him, and feeling that his current predicament was extremely awkward, Jin Jianshe knew it was very much necessary to redeem himself, "Why are you still calling me Mr. Jin? We’re all relatives now! Jingzhe, just call me Ol’Jin or Jianshe. Hahaha! Let’s go out for a drink together some time, we must all get to know each other better!”
He very much hoped that Xiao Chi could extend a helping hand and say something at this moment, but the latter still held a grudge against him and what he said about Lin Jingzhe before and didn't want to talk to him.
On the contrary, it was Lin Jingzhe who smoothed over their conflict. "No problem! No problem! We can definitely have a drink together some time in the future."
While Jin Jianshe tilted his head to down his glass, he glanced secretly in the direction of Xiao Chi, and happened to catch Xiao Chi's cold gaze. Xiao Chi was holding a wine glass in his hand and his eyes were awfully vigilant, as if he held malicious intentions.
"………………"
Jin Jianshe put down his wine glass and swallowed the bitter residue in his mouth. Oh how he wished he could go back in time and slap his big mouth.
At the main table, Lin Runsheng was still twitching from his excessive sobbing while Shen Juanying took another pack of tissues and very patiently wiped the endless tears from her husband’s face.
Grandma Xiao just finished a plate of brown sugar cake, but she was still not satisfied. After a second plate of brown sugar cake was served to the table, she quickly grabbed a piece with adept precision. She brought it to her mouth and the hot pastry melted into a sweet fragrance, too wonderful to describe.
She rubbed her bulging pockets of candy and chewed until her eyes narrowed.
Amitabha, how wonderful is marriage. It would be even better if the Bodhisattva could allow her grandson to get married every day.
