Chapter 3527: One Lifetime, True Love

Gu Qiuyi didn't say goodbye.

Her simple "bye" expressed everything she wished for in her heart.

If it weren't for Ye Chen, she wouldn't have become a singer, although she had great talent in this area, she still couldn't say she truly loved it.

Her core motivation was to find Ye Chen, and after their chance encounter, she had already begun to think of retiring.

At this moment on stage, colorful ribbons poured down from the sky, mingling with falling snowflakes, so beautiful it took one's breath away.

But Gu Qiuyi merely waved to the audience below, bowed slightly, then stood at the entrance of the lift and quickly disappeared from the stage.

Only when the ribbons gradually drifted down did people realize that Gu Qiuyi's figure was no longer on stage.

At this moment, the venue lights came on, and the sound system played the staff's announcement: "Tonight's performance has ended. Please exit in an orderly manner, avoid crowding, and take your trash with you when leaving. Thank you for your cooperation!"

Few fans moved; instead, they sat in their seats, crying uncontrollably.

Those Hong Kong and Taiwan singers often hold farewell concerts, even though everyone knows they'll return in a few years, yet fans still cry like mad at these farewell shows.

Gu Qiuyi is different—everyone knows that once she retires, she will never come back.

Xiao Churan couldn't help but shed two tears, her heart feeling as if cut by a knife, because she knew that after this performance, the last few hours of her time with Ye Chen were gone.

Ye Chen, being slow-witted, thought her tears were for Gu Qiuyi, so he gently comforted her: "It's okay, wife, don't be sad—life is just a constant coming and going, friends and family are like that, and so is chasing stars."

Xiao Churan wiped her tears, nodded slightly, then stood up and said, "Let's go back to the hotel."

"Okay," Ye Chen agreed, taking her hand as they left the venue together.

The hotel was not far from the venue, and the two walked back through the heavy snow, reaching their room just before eleven at night.

Xiao Churan found the hotel staff and asked them to deliver the cake she had ordered to the room, then said to Ye Chen: "Good thing we made it back in time to celebrate your birthday."

Ye Chen smiled slightly and returned to the room with her.

The staff quickly brought the cake, along with two bottles of fine red wine.

The cake Xiao Churan ordered was a pure white heart shape, without any flashy decorations or cloying blessings—just one line of text: LoveofMyLife

Translated into Chinese, the most fitting phrase would be: "One Lifetime, True Love."

Ye Chen knew this line of English must have been requested by Xiao Churan from the cake shop, and at this moment, he was deeply moved.

Although their marriage was arranged, after enduring these years of hardship, it seems they have finally developed genuine feelings.

Ye Chen deliberately asked her: "Wife, what does this line mean?"

Xiao Churan looked at him, a little shy, and asked: "Are you truly unaware, or are you pretending not to understand?"

Ye Chen smiled: "I do understand, but I still want to hear you say it."

Xiao Churan laughed and said deliberately: "This line is the title of a song."

After saying that, she opened her phone, searched on a music app, and soft music began to play, the gentle, melodic voice coming from the phone's speaker.

Loveofmylife, you've hurt me One Lifetime, True Love, you've hurt me

You've broken my heart and now you leave me You've made my heart break, and then left me

Loveofmylife can't you see One Lifetime, True Love, can't you see?

Bring it back, bring it back Bring love back, bring love back

Don't take it away from me, because you don't know Don't take it from me, because you don't know,

What it means to me What it means to me...

You will remember this is blown over When all this has calmed down, you will still remember

And everything's all by the way. Everything will develop as wished

When I grow older When I gradually grow old

I will be there at your side to remind you I will still be by your side to remind you

How I still love you How I still love you...

The lyrics of this song are calm yet tragically beautiful, perfectly matching Xiao Churan's current heart, and also exactly what she most wants to say to Ye Chen.

Although Ye Chen understands every line of the song, he never thought there might be any deeper meaning in it.

Besides, his thoughts were also a bit hazy, because he remembered his mother often listened to this song when he was young, but he was too small then to remember clearly.

So he asked, somewhat surprised: "Wife, what's the name of this song? It sounds so familiar!"

Xiao Churan pointed to the English letters on the cake and said: "This is the song title."

Ye Chen asked again: "Who sings it?"

Xiao Churan said: "A British band called Queen."

"Queen..." Ye Chen suddenly realized: "Oh, I know—it's the band that sings We Will Rock You?"

"Yes." Xiao Churan nodded and asked him: "Have you listened to this song before?"

"I have." Ye Chen said honestly: "I listened to it when I was very young, but I didn't know what it was called then, and I haven't heard it since."

Xiao Churan smiled: "This song is very beautiful, but it's quite old—probably over fifty years."

"That long..." Ye Chen murmured, but didn't feel surprised.

After all, his mother had been listening to this song over twenty years ago, so he guessed it must be quite old.

At this moment, Xiao Churan placed the cake in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the hotel room, inserting a candle shaped like the number 2 and another like the number 9.

Then she looked out at the city nightscape covered in heavy snow and said to Ye Chen: "Husband, make a wish."

Ye Chen nodded, sat opposite her, closed his eyes, and with the music as accompaniment, sincerely made his wish.

This birthday wish was what he subconsciously thought of.

He wished he could soon eliminate the Po Qing Hui and Wu Feiyan, then confess his identity to Xiao Churan and seek her forgiveness, so they could live a simple, ordinary life together.

Decades later, Xiao Churan will gradually grow old, and he wants to choose the right moment to reveal his identity as a cultivator, prepare more youth-restoring pills for her, and spend a hundred years together.

After making his wish, Ye Chen opened his eyes, and Xiao Churan, sitting opposite, curiously asked: "Husband, what wish did you make, and for how long?"

Ye Chen smiled and said: "It's a wish about us two, because the structure of this wish is too complex, so I had to silently repeat it a few more times in my heart."

Xiao Churan smiled and said, "That's really hard on you, hurry up and blow out the candles! I'm still waiting to wish you a happy birthday!"

"Okay!" Ye Chen laughed as he blew out the candles.

Xiao Churan picked up the red wine and said to him, "Husband, you cut the cake, I'll pour the wine, tonight I'll have a few drinks with you."

Ye Chen readily agreed, and then the two of them raised their glasses and lightly clinked them together.

Xiao Churan's eyes were moist as she softly said, "Husband, happy birthday! I hope all your wishes come true, you stay healthy and safe, and live to a hundred!"

Ye Chen nodded emphatically, moved, and said: "Wife, you too!"

Xiao Churan raised her glass, smiling, and said: "Cheers."

"Cheers!"

……

Ye Chen and Xiao Churan rarely had the chance to sit down together for a drink.

However, today in the warm hotel, gazing at the snowy scenery outside the window, and with it being a special day, both of them felt a growing desire to drink freely.

After two glasses of wine, Xiao Churan already felt a slight buzz, her body feeling light and airy, yet without any discomfort; on the contrary, this floating sensation actually made her feel somewhat relaxed and at ease.

Not long after, the two had evenly split a bottle of seven hundred fifty milliliters of red wine.

Xiao Churan's cheeks were flushed, yet she picked up another bottle of red wine, preparing to open it.

Ye Chen quickly urged her: "Wife, you've already had quite a bit, don't drink more."

Xiao Churan shook her head and said: "It's rare to have such a good opportunity, let's finish this bottle too."

Ye Chen said: "Drinking this much, you'll have a headache tomorrow."

"No fear." Xiao Churan smiled and said: "Tomorrow we don't have anything urgent anyway, we're not in a rush to go back, right?"

Ye Chen was momentarily at a loss for words to rebut.

Xiao Churan then said: "We've been together this long, yet I've never formally celebrated your birthday like this—today is the first time, so let's just drink a bit more, okay?"

Ye Chen thought, Xiao Churan being with me, I'm not afraid she'll drink too much—I can always help her metabolize some of the alcohol, maximizing relief and reducing the aftereffects; since she wants to drink, I might as well join her for a few more glasses.

So, Ye Chen nodded, indicating his tacit approval.

Xiao Churan opened the wine bottle, then poured half a glass for Ye Chen and herself, raised her glass and said: "Husband, this glass of wine I toast to you—I'm just like you, this is also my first marriage, and our marriage was arranged entirely by Grandfather, with no experience, and we haven't really settled into it yet; over the past few years, I've done many things inadequately, so please bear with me."

Ye Chen smiled and said: "Wife, you've already done very well—back then I was so destitute, you didn't look down on me; after Grandfather passed, the whole family looked down on me, hoping I'd leave the Xiao family soon, you were the only one who didn't kick me when I was down—I'm truly moved, thank you for all you've done for me these years."

Xiao Churan pursed her lips, smiled, and said: "Over these years, you've done a lot for me, my parents, and this family too—if thanks are due, it should be me thanking you."

Ye Chen quickly waved his hand: "What's with all this formality between husband and wife? It's all in the wine now."

Xiao Churan nodded, smiling, and said: "Then cheers!"

The two drank and chatted, feeling in their hearts nothing but unprecedented ease.

After two bottles of red wine, Xiao Churan was already feeling a bit heady, but fortunately her physical condition is much better than average, so she wasn't actually drunk.

Xiao Churan looked at the empty wine bottles and the half-eaten cake, then said to Ye Chen: "Husband, it's getting late—you go take a shower first, I'll tidy up here."

Ye Chen said: "You go take a shower, I'll clean up."

"No need." Xiao Churan quickly moved first to start tidying up, meanwhile muttering: "You're the birthday person—who has ever heard of making the birthday person work? Hurry up and go, I'll handle the cleaning."

Seeing her firm attitude, Ye Chen didn't insist further.

Xiao Churan watched Ye Chen enter the bathroom, and her heartbeat began to quicken.

She stared at the two already-empty red wine bottles, murmuring to herself for encouragement: "Xiao Churan, since you've already made up your mind, don't be hesitant anymore!"