Chapter 47 – We made a Promise

Jian Mei was taken aback by Lu Xingwang’s question. He stuttered in response, “It’s ‘The Runaway Wife of the Overbearing CEO.'”

Lu Xingwang furrowed his brows and asked, “What does ‘overbearing CEO’ mean?”

This term was unfamiliar to an alien like him.

Jian Mei got stuck, his mind froze for a moment, and he almost couldn’t come up with an answer. So, he tried to explain it based on his understanding, saying, “Um… an ‘overbearing CEO’ is someone who is rich and successful.”

Lu Xingwang raised an eyebrow, “Are such people rare?”

“Just, um, quite likable,” Jian Mei weakly replied.

Lu Xingwang had learned to make connections, so he asked, “When you read this novel, do you also like ‘overbearing CEOs’?”

Jian Mei didn’t expect this line of questioning, “Not really. I just read it casually. But, in reality, people who are successful and wealthy should be liked by most people, I think.”

Lu Xingwang fell into thought and finally asked, “How much money do you need to be considered rich?”

Jian Mei was stumped!

He had been tearing up due to the emotional scenes in the story, but now the sad atmosphere was almost entirely gone. He pursed his lips and mumbled, “I’m not sure.”

Lu Xingwang seemed to smile and said, “Hmm.”

Jian Mei blushed a little, “Are you teasing me?”

Lu Xingwang saw that Jian Mei had regained his energy and was no longer unhappy as before, so he said, “What about you? Why did you have such doubts?”

Jian Mei asked. “What?”

“About, why do you think I don’t consider you as my friend?” Lu Xingwang pointed out the problem. “On what basis did you make such an assumption?”

Jian Mei couldn’t hide anything, and he explained, “Because… that guy Qingshan kept saying that your situation wouldn’t lead to making any friends, and if you did, it would only be for fun.”

Lu Xingwang raised an eyebrow, “So, what’s my situation?”

Jian Mei couldn’t say it.

Since Zuo Qingshan hadn’t disclosed much, he had to rely on his own speculations.

Jian Mei softly said, “I don’t know either.”

Lu Xingwang told him, “If you are unsure, why didn’t you just ask me directly.”

Jian Mei didn’t argue with him. He lay on the bed and softly said into the receiver, “Because… I’m afraid I’ll hear an answer I don’t want to hear. If I don’t ask, maybe we can still be friends. I’m afraid that if I do ask, we won’t be.”

This might be the first time that, in their conversation, the clumsy child won against His Highness.

Lu Xingwang’s eyes darkened, he sat at the desk and lightly tapped his fingers. This was a small gesture he would make when dealing with a difficult situation. Now, His Highness was clearly in a dilemma.

“Jian Mei,” Lu Xingwang began, “some things aren’t as simple as they appear on the surface. My situation is more complicated than you imagine, so…”

“It’s okay.”

Lu Xingwang was somewhat hesitant but was interrupted midway by Jian Mei’s soft, gentle voice, “I understand.”

“There must be reasons for it, right?” Jian Mei rose from the edge of the bed, and his long legs dangled at the bedside. He looked at the parasol trees in the courtyard outside the window, “Actually, I’m not as foolish as you might think. I can guess a bit.”

Lu Xingwang asked, “Then…”

Jian Mei smiled softly and said, “I just feel that maybe I can’t share your troubles with you, so you haven’t told me. Thinking about it later made me a little angry with myself. I thought about it, and you had helped me a lot, but I hdn’t helped you much. So, thinking about it that way made me even more frustrated.”

It might have been a somewhat clumsy statement, but it had an unexpected way of melting hearts.

Lu Xingwang was not someone who easily displayed his emotions, but after hearing Jian Mei’s words, he pondered for a moment and then spoke, “Why do you feel that way?”

“I don’t need you to do anything for me. You’ve already helped me”

Jian Mei was taken aback. He didn’t expect to receive this kind of affirmation and asked with hesitation, “Really?”

Lu Xingwang said, “Have I ever lied to you?”

“No,” Jian Mei shook his head, and gradually, a warm feeling spread within him. His eyes also began to sparkle, as he asked, “So, where did I help you?”

Lu Xingwang replied, “In many ways.”

Some people don’t need to do anything special; they just need to be there. They shine like the stars lighting the path for travelers and brighten the darkest corners like the sun, even without making a special effort.

Jian Mei felt happy and asked, “Really?”

Lu Xingwang responded with an “Mm.”

“So, are we…. really good friends?” Jian Mei finally asked.

Lu Xingwang didn’t reply immediately. His personality made him very serious about everything in his life. Due to his character and status, he had very few friends around him. Even now, there were hardly any family members nearby. Anyone who would stay by his side had been approved by him after careful deliberations.

He was someone who invest a lot of time and effort in the people he approved of, which is why he made efforts for his mother’s sake and was willing to give up certain things to live up to the king’s expectations. There were very few important people in his life, and now, there were almost none left. Even if he knew the whereabouts of the Divine Power, he would go to great lengths to get it back, without sparing any cost. He was not someone with a soft heart.

Yet, he hadn’t taken any action because he didn’t want to hurt Jian Mei, even if it meant hurting himself or potentially facing death.

“Mm,” he said, “We’re good friends.”

Jian Mei felt relieved and smiled. He didn’t know these complexities but was filled with hope and said, “That’s great! I’m so happy. We’ll be good friends for a lifetime, right?”

A lifetime?

A lifetime was so long, filled with uncertainties. Would anyone really be willing to make such a commitment?

Lu Xingwang was usually rational, and he didn’t believe in such a commitment with so many variables. But at this moment, he couldn’t help but respond, “Yes.”

Perhaps many people knew that a lifetime’s risk was too great; they couldn’t walk through their entire lives. But they still hoped to use promises to give each other a beautiful vision. In the first half of his life, Lu Xingwang found it ridiculous. However, now that he was caught in the midst of it, he understood it to some extent. Life is long and difficult, and having some fun here and now wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Half a month later

It was Stan Star’s annual Midnight Festival, one of the grandest celebrations in Stan Star, comparable in significance to the Chinese Spring Festival. On this day, the Emperor and his sons would pay their respects to the ancestors and gods, followed by a nationwide celebration in the evening. The income for this year was excellent, making the banquet exceptionally lively.

During such days, the court ministers were allowed to bring their families into the palace. The imperial palace was known as a place where divine energy gathered-the very reason why it had always been a utopia in many Stan Star people’s fantasies. Therefore, many women and children had cheerful smiles on their faces in the large square.

Lu Xingwang sat at a table near the garden, enjoying his meal. Laughter and cheerful voices filled the air nearby:

“Mom, this looks delicious!”

“Be careful, don’t spill it.”

“Mom, when are we going home today?”

Mothers were leading their children, fathers were guiding their families, creating a warm and harmonious scene.

A child approached, seeing the masked and elegantly dressed young man sitting there. He asked, “gege, why are you wearing a mask on your face?”

Lu Xingwang gave the child a glance and replied softly, “Because I’m not good-looking.”

“But gege, you’re very handsome,” the child said, looking at Lu Xingwang’s other side with his beautiful face. He smiled and added, “You’re the most handsome person I’ve ever seen.”

“Is that so?” Lu Xingwang responded.

The child nodded and was about to say something more but was quickly grabbed by his mother, who had come from behind. She had seen her child with the rumored Third Prince and was nervous. She hurriedly came over, took her child’s wrist, and apologized with a smile, “I apologize for his rudeness, Your Highness. He’s still young and doesn’t know any better.”

Lu Xingwang shook his head and said, “It’s okay.”

The mother quickly led the child away. The gathering remained lively, but the festivity seemed to elude the young prince. The more the atmosphere was filled with excitement, the lonelier Lu Xingwang felt. The fireworks and affectionate words didn’t belong to him. This time last year, his mother was still pulling him around to make connections with the ministers. But this year, only he remained.

The Crown Prince’s voice came from nearby, “Why is Third Brother here by himself? How about coming to the central area to play with us?”

Lu Xingwang gave him a glance and saw the malicious smile in the Crown Prince’s eyes. He put down his glass of fruit wine and said, “No, I’ve outgrown my playful years. If you want to play, go ahead, big brother.”

The Crown Prince froze, and his forced smile disappeared.

“Third Brother, you’re still so unsociable,” the Crown Prince said, walking over. “But it’s fine. Mother prepared a lot of danguo(fruits) this year, and emperor father will be resting at the Jingyang Palace tonight. Why don’t you come to the Jingyang Palace later and join us for a meal?”

This was a Stan Star tradition. In the early morning of the festival, people would eat danguo with their family members to symbolize a new beginning in the coming year.

In previous years, even if the Emperor didn’t come, Lu Xingwang could still enjoy it with Concubine Lan. But this year, it seemed like everyone had found a place to belong, and he was the only one left alone. The Crown Prince seemed to have seized this opportunity to mock him relentlessly.

Lu Xingwang calmly put down his wine glass. His face showed no expression, and he spoke in a calm tone, “I’m already full. Big brother, if you can eat more tonight, eat on my behalf.”

Wasn’t this calling someone a glutton?

The Crown Prince’s face changed slightly, and he forced a smile, “Third brother can get full with just this; indeed, your body is weak. It’s better for you to return early and take care of yourself.”

“Thank you for your concern, big brother,” Lu Xingwang raised an eyebrow and looked at him. “Overeating is harmful. You should also take care of yourself.”

Lu Wei felt like he was getting 10 years of stroke just from a short conversation. From a young age, he couldn’t outtalk Lu Xingwang. Now, he didn’t even want to bother and left.

Once he was gone, Lu Xingwang also stood up. His attendance at this banquet was merely a formality. Now, he felt a bit tired and decided to return to the palace. It was the Lunar New Year, and the highest ranked main servant A Ruo, had been sent back to her family for the holiday. Other palace maids had taken the opportunity to join the banquet. At this moment, the palace was quiet with only two lamps lit.

Lu Xingwang stood silently at the entrance of the hall. His gaze was deep, and his figure seemed elongated by the light. He stood alone, with the bright lights of the square behind him and the spacious and desolate palace in front. Perhaps everything had been arranged this way, and he had learned to adapt to loneliness. After all, no one would be with him forever.

“Ding dong.”

A message notification grabbed Lu Xingwang’s attention. He opened the message and saw it was from Jian Mei: “Are you asleep?”

Lu Xingwang sat down by the bed and started assembling a firearm from a mechanical kit. This was a small game he played when he couldn’t focus. He replied, “Not yet.”

Jian Mei said, “Great! I’ll send something over to you.”

Lu Xingwang was a bit surprised but agreed.

In no time, a plate of hot dumplings appeared on the table. Some were wrapped to look particularly round and cute, while others had odd shapes. There were even some that were made to resemble gold ingots, although they looked ugly. The dumplings emitted a faint fragrance and appeared freshly cooked.

Lu Xingwang asked, “What’s this?”

“They’re dumplings,” Jian Mei replied via communication, his voice filled with excitement. “We’re celebrating the New Year here, and we just made these tonight. I’ve also made some. Can you try mine?”

Lu Xingwang glanced at the strangely shaped dumplings and said, “Probably.”

Jian Mei giggled and added, “There are coins hidden inside some of them. If you manage to eat one with a coin, you’ll have good luck in the coming year. Darn it, I couldn’t find a single one!”

Lu Xingwang, who was initially feeling down, visibly relaxed upon hearing Jian Mei’s description.

“Oh, right, wait for a moment!” Jian Mei seemed to run downstairs and switched to video mode. What appeared on Lu Xingwang’s screen was a cozy little courtyard, with two people standing not far away. One of them noticed his arrival and complained about how slow he was. Jian Mei assured him that they could begin.

Then, in the quiet night, a burst of sparks lit up, making the fireworks on the ground rise high into the sky, forming a splendid display of colorful fireworks.

Jian Mei exclaimed, “Wow!”

The fireworks were dazzling on the screen, but compared to the magnificent Phoenix fireworks displayed in the palace and the spectacular illusions controlled by the magic priests, they fell short.

Jian Mei said to Lu Xingwang, “I secretly got two firecracker sticks.”

Lu Xingwang saw Jian Mei put his phone aside and then light a red firecracker stick. Instantly, the colorful sparklers were illuminated in Jian Mei’s hand. He spun them around, creating a brilliant display in the dark night. The radiance illuminated the young man’s fair face. Jian Mei looked into the camera and smiled, “Is it beautiful?”

Lu Xingwang’s gaze remained on the screen without shifting. After a moment, he spoke with a faint, almost imperceptible hint of a smile in his voice, “Beautiful.”

“I think so too!” Jian Mei had a great time playing with Lu Xingwang. He introduced various small fireworks and even took him to the kitchen to get some skewers of meat that Shen Meina had made. It was like how children always share their family’s delicious food with their friends, sneaking some to Lu Xingwang.

When the midnight chimes rang, many more fireworks were set off outside.

Jian Mei turned his face to the camera’s side and said to the person on the other end, “Happy New Year!”

He didn’t ask Lu Xingwang why he wasn’t with his family today, why he was still awake so late, or even why his voice sounded a bit deeper. He just kept Lu Xingwang engaged, touring him around, and the chattering drove away the loneliness.

Lu Xingwang gently opened his lips, “Happy New Year.”

“Wow, this is the first New Year we’ve spent together,” Jian Mei stood by the bed, looking at the fireworks outside, and softly said, “DaZhuang ge, thank you for being with me this year. You’re my best friend. Will you also be here for future New Years?”

On the other end of the communication, the His Highness picked up a dumpling.

With a small clink sound, he bit into a coin. The one Jian Mei mentioned about eating the one.The coin represented good luck for the coming year.

Lu Xingwang sighed helplessly. The buzz near the palace gradually faded as people left. The grandiose facade of the palace, filled with an illusion of splendor, was gradually returning to its desolate state. On the other end, Jian Mei’s side was still lively. Through the glass of the screen, the colorful fireworks behind him continued to shine even after the festivities had ended. This child stood there, staying by his side.

“Yeah,” the youth, blessed by the gods, knew that every promise he made was etched into his life, unbreakable. He spoke, “If nothing unexpected happens, I’ll be here.”

Jian Mei smiled, “So it is a promise.?”

“I promise.”

Translator’s Note-Guys don’t forget to support and comment your views(^-^)