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墨書 Inktalez
The next day, the sun shone brightly as Yun Li accompanied Zeus to the High-Speed Rail Station.
Hand in hand, they walked in silence, the air thick with lingering emotions of parting.
Upon reaching the High-Speed Rail Station, Zeus stopped, turned around, and looked at Yun Li, his eyes filled with reluctance.
"Xiao Li, I really don't want to go," Zeus said in a low voice.
Yun Li forced a calm smile and replied, "Work is important, and isn’t the New Year coming soon? I’ll be heading back home too, so we’ll see each other again before we know it. Besides, men who are focused on their work are the most attractive, right?"
Zeus pulled Yun Li into a tight embrace, holding her as if letting go would mean losing her forever. He pressed a kiss on her forehead.
Yun Li hugged him back just as tightly, her heart in turmoil.
"Xiao Li, you have to think of me every day," Zeus whispered in her ear.
Yun Li nodded repeatedly. "Okay, don’t worry. Just take care of yourself."
Dragging his suitcase behind him, Zeus turned back with every step he took, each glance at Yun Li making his heart ache.
Yun Li stood there, her eyes fixed on Zeus until he disappeared from view, still lost in thought.
After Zeus took the high-speed train away, he began a three-month probation period.
During these three months, his concern for Yun Li never wavered.
Though they were in different cities, Zeus's determination to build a future with Yun Li grew stronger each day.
Every morning, he would send her greetings on time, sharing snippets of his life while also keeping track of everything Yun Li did.
In the evening, no matter how tired he was after the live stream, Zeus always made time for video calls with Yun Li. Seeing Yun Li's smiling face on the screen melted Zeus's heart.
However, Yun Li still felt hesitant about their relationship. After all, many obstacles loomed in reality, and he was afraid—afraid that their relationship would bring more trouble to Zeus. If it were just about himself, he wouldn’t be so scared, but he worried about dragging Zeus into his troubles.
Two months passed in the blink of an eye, and Zeus never slackened his efforts. He carefully prepared gifts for Yun Li and sent them to Hangzhou. Sometimes it was a ticket to a movie that Yun Li wanted to see, other times it was a box of local delicacies that Yun Li loved.
Zeus silently counted down the three-month deadline in his heart. He knew that to truly win Yun Li's heart, he needed to put in more effort and sincerity.
Meanwhile, under Zeus's care, Yun Li's inner balance began to tilt gradually.
One day, Zeus casually opened Douyin to sneak a peek at Yun Li's alternate account, wanting to see how he was doing and how his mood was. He came across a video that Yun Li had recently recommended; it was a promotional clip for Harbin's Ice and Snow World this year, with the title: "The desire to go to Harbin has reached its peak!"
He clicked on the video and scrolled through the comments. As he neared the end of the two thousand comments, he finally found Yun Li's message: "I want to go, but I need a companion!"
[Hmph! You still want a companion when you have me? Finding a companion is not as easy as it sounds! It’s just Harbin; I’ll make this wish come true for you!]
Despite being someone who hated the cold intensely—just thinking about Harbin’s biting winds and thick snow made him shiver—Zeus didn’t hesitate to start secretly planning this trip to make Yun Li happy. He meticulously prepared all the travel guides.
Once everything was ready, he immediately packed his suitcase and set off for Hangzhou with great anticipation.
On the way, Zeus kept rehearsing in his mind how their meeting would unfold.
In his hands, he held a bouquet of carefully selected Light Blue Snowfall Tulips. The petals resembled the clear morning sky—pure and tranquil—much like Yun Li's innocent eyes that captivated anyone who gazed into them.
Each flower bloomed with elegance and tenderness, as if whispering endless affection.
Finally standing in front of Yun Li's house, Zeus adjusted his hat, pulling the brim down to calm his excited heart.
He dialed Yun Li's number and deliberately lowered his voice, saying, "Hello, your package has arrived. Please sign for it."
On the other end, Yun Li murmured in confusion, "Strange, I didn't order anything." But he replied, "Okay, I'll be right there."
The door slowly opened, and when Yun Li saw Snowdrop Tulip, his eyes lit up for a moment. His gaze shifted to the "delivery person" wearing a hat with the brim pulled low. It felt odd, but he still took the flowers.
As he lifted his head to accept the flowers, he caught a glimpse of Zeus's familiar gaze. His expression shifted from disbelief to uncontrollable joy. " brother Si, is that you?"
Zeus smiled as he removed his hat and presented the beautiful Light Blue Snowfall Tulip to Yun Li, his eyes filled with nervousness and sincerity. "Surprise! Did you miss me?"
Yun Li happily accepted the flowers, inhaling their fragrance with a beaming smile. "What a surprise! I'm so surprised! I—I missed you too!"
Zeus pretended to be angry. "Just 'missed' me?"
Yun Li panicked. "I missed you! I think about you every day!" After pulling Zeus inside, Yun Li cautiously glanced at his expression. Seeing that he didn’t seem angry, he continued, "Why did you come suddenly? And with this surprise?"
Taking a deep breath, Zeus gathered his courage and said, "My dear Yun Li, I want to invite you on an impromptu trip with me."
Yun Li's eyes brightened but then showed a hint of hesitation. "A trip? That does sound tempting, but I need to sort out some work matters first. I have to schedule my live streams and inform my fans."
Zeus nodded in understanding. "Xiao Li, I know this is sudden, but I really hope we can go together."
After thinking for a moment, Yun Li replied, " brother Si, give me some time to handle everything, and then we can set off."
The two continued their conversation back and forth.
After a while, Yun Li curiously asked, " brother Si, what made you suddenly think of giving me such a surprise? And where are we going?"
Zeus pressed his lips together, hesitating for a moment before saying, "I won't tell you just yet. You'll find out when we get there."
Yun Li wrinkled his nose, "Hmph, still keeping me in suspense. Come on, just tell me~"
After a moment of hesitation, Zeus decided to be honest with Yun Li. He opened Douyin and pulled up Yun Li's alternate account, finding a video recommended by Shmily in the bottom left corner. At first, Yun Li didn't react until Zeus brought up a screenshot of his comment. He then exclaimed, "If I hadn't come, someone would have found a partner to go out and play with! Hmph!"
Yun Li's pupils dilated in shock, "You? I! You! How did you know????!!"
Zeus replied, "Guess!"
Yun Li said, "No, wait, when did you find out? Did you see everything I posted??"
Yun Li was unsure whether to feel embarrassed or angry, his face flushed.
Unable to resist, Zeus pinched his cheek gently and said, "How did I know? I stumbled upon this account at first and really liked the sky photos posted there, so I followed it. Coincidentally, every time this account posted a mood update, it matched your live broadcast status perfectly. And that little friend of yours went to Shanghai; the IP of this account changed to Shanghai too. The funniest part is that someone silly posted a video of singing on the alternate account. Although it was deleted quickly, I still caught it."
Yun Li was astonished and opened his mouth wide in disbelief. "Huh? No way! A singing video? That was ages ago! You saw all those updates I posted?"
Now recalling his previous emo posts, Yun Li wished he could just disappear into a crack in the ground. Oh heavens, could he escape this planet right now?
Zeus looked affectionately at the blushing Yun Li and gently patted his head. He spoke softly, "Xiao Li, after discovering this alternate account was yours, I started checking your updates regularly to understand your thoughts and feelings better. Seeing the wishes and concerns you wrote there made me want to fulfill them and bring you more joy and surprises. That's why I'm here now."
Yun Li felt both awkward and delighted as he replied, "Actually, your thoughtfulness really touches me. Your companionship and care during this time have made me increasingly sure of my feelings for you."
Zeus looked at Yun Li excitedly and asked, "So would you like to go to Harbin with me?"
Without hesitation, Yun Li nodded eagerly. "Yes! Let me arrange my work first; we'll set off right away!"
With a beautiful vision of the future in their hearts, the two eagerly awaited the start of their romantic and surprising journey.
As the plane landed at Harbin Airport, they were immediately enveloped by the biting cold air. Yun Li excitedly spread her arms wide to embrace the snow-covered world, while Zeus couldn't help but shiver. However, seeing Yun Li's joyful expression filled his heart with warmth.
The winter in Harbin resembled a dreamlike fairy tale. It was their first time visiting Harbin, and everything sparked their curiosity, though the cold weather gave them a harsh reality check.
On their first day, despite taking thorough precautions to stay warm, the piercing wind caught them off guard. Yun Li shivered uncontrollably, her lips quickly turning purple from the cold.
"Brother Si, it's really cold here! I underestimated it before," Yun Li said, her voice trembling.
Zeus quickly took off his scarf and wrapped it around Yun Li, saying with concern, "Here, wrap this around you tightly so you don't get too cold."
That evening, back at the hotel, Zeus began to feel unwell due to the change in environment. Lying in bed tossing and turning with a furrowed brow, he looked pained. Yun Li noticed something was wrong and hurried over, her eyes filled with worry.
"Brother Si, what's wrong? Are you feeling very uncomfortable?" Yun Li asked urgently and tenderly.
Zeus weakly replied, "My stomach doesn't feel good."
Yun Li quickly poured a glass of hot water and carefully brought it to Zeus's lips. "Drink some hot water first; it might warm your stomach and help a bit."
After watching Zeus drink the hot water, Yun Li gently placed her hand on his stomach and began to massage it slowly and softly in an attempt to ease his pain.
"Does this feel any better? I'll go buy some medicine for you!" she asked repeatedly while massaging him.
"Don't fuss over me. I just need to lie down for a bit to adjust. Just stay with me; that will make me feel much better," Zeus said playfully.
Yun Li felt helpless but tried her best to make Zeus comfortable. She used a hot towel on him but soon realized it cooled down too quickly. She then called the front desk for a hot water bottle. Watching Yun Li busy herself for his sake filled Zeus's heart with gratitude.
All night long, Yun Li stayed by Zeus's bedside, not daring to relax for even a moment. He checked on Zeus's condition from time to time and changed the hot water without pause.
As the night deepened, Zeus's pain gradually eased, and he finally fell into a deep sleep. However, Yun Li remained wide awake, filled with worry, his eyes bloodshot and weary.
The next morning, when Zeus woke up and saw Yun Li's exhausted face, he felt both guilty and touched.
"Yun Li, thank you for your hard work. You must not have slept at all," Zeus said, holding Yun Li's hand.
Yun Li smiled and shook his head. "As long as you get better, this little bit of fatigue is nothing."
Zeus couldn't bear to see Yun Li so tired and insisted that he rest before heading out to play.
By the time Yun Li had rested well, it was already afternoon. Zeus felt sorry for him and wanted him to continue resting.
But the well-rested Yun Li was like an energetic child full of curiosity, eager to go out. Reluctantly, Zeus took Yun Li to Harbin Long Tower. They first had a meal together, and when it was nearly dark, they took the elevator straight to the observation deck to overlook the night view of Harbin. The city was ablaze with lights, bustling with traffic, and the colorful lights adorned the city like a dream. Hand in hand, Yun Li and Zeus immersed themselves in the romantic atmosphere.
The next morning, they arrived at the lively Hongzhuan Morning Market. The crowd bustled with energy, and the aroma of steaming hot food filled the air. Yun Li excitedly looked around, tasting freshly made Fried Cakes one moment and taking a bite of sweet Chocolate Youtiao the next.
" brother Si, this Chocolate Youtiao is delicious! It's crispy and super sweet!" Yun Li exclaimed with his mouth full.
Zeus smiled at him. "Eat slowly; don't choke."
At that moment, a stall selling Spicy Stick Candy caught Yun Li's attention. He ran over to buy a few skewers of Spicy Stick Candy and happily started eating. A little girl nearby looked at him with longing eyes. Without hesitation, Yun Li handed one skewer of candied fruit to her. "Little sister, you should try some too."
Seeing this, Zeus pretended to be aggrieved. "You're so nice to others; I might get jealous."
Yun Li laughed as he linked his arm with Zeus's. "In my heart, you're one of a kind."
Leaving the morning market, they arrived at the majestic and beautiful Sophia Cathedral. The sunlight bathed the walls of the church, adding a touch of divine brilliance to the grand structure. Yun Li looked up at the cathedral's spire, her eyes filled with awe.
“ brother Si, look how beautiful it is here! It feels like all worries can be forgotten,” Yun Li exclaimed as she gazed at the dome.
Zeus nodded and embraced Yun Li, saying, “With you by my side, everything becomes more beautiful.”
After leaving the cathedral, they strolled along Central Avenue. The buildings on either side of the street were rich with exotic charm, and shops were filled with various unique goods. Yun Li entered a Handicraft Store and selected a pair of exquisite keychains—one for Zeus and one for herself.
“This is our special memento,” Yun Li said with a smile.
Zeus took the keychain and gently kissed Yun Li on the forehead.
As they walked on, a cold breeze swept by. Yun Li shivered slightly, and Zeus pulled her into his embrace. They nestled closely together, sharing warmth.
“Are you cold?” Zeus asked with concern.
Yun Li shook her head. “Not at all, with you here.”
In the afternoon, they found themselves in Ice and Snow World, where various stunning Ice Sculptures dazzled their eyes. Yun Li and Zeus excitedly wandered among them, frequently gasping in amazement. Being a photography enthusiast, Yun Li couldn't stop taking pictures to capture every moment.
“ brother Si, look at this Ice Sculpture! Doesn’t it look like us?” Yun Li pointed to one of the sculptures.
Zeus glanced over and chuckled, “It does resemble us a bit.”
“Look at that castle; it’s so beautiful!” Yun Li exclaimed as she tugged on Zeus's arm to run over.
They played joyfully on the Ice Slide, their laughter echoing throughout the snowy world. After tiring themselves out, they sat beside an Ice Sculpture to rest. Zeus thoughtfully wiped the beads of sweat from Yun Li's forehead.
In Snow Town, they stayed in a cozy inn. The scenery of Snow Town resembled a fairy tale, with wooden cabins basking in the warm sunlight.
In the evening, Yun Li and Zeus frolicked in the snow, building a large snowman together.
"Brother Si, do you think this snowman is cute?" Yun Li asked.
Zeus replied with a smile, "Cute, just like you."
Yun Li's eyes sparkled mischievously as he playfully stuffed a snowball down Zeus's collar, causing him to shiver from the cold.
"Haha, let's see if you dare to bully me again!" Yun Li laughed and ran away.
Zeus caught up to him and scooped Yun Li into his arms. "Little one, watch how I deal with you."
With that, Zeus began to tickle Yun Li, who burst into giggles and squirmed to escape.
"Haha, Brother Si, I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please stop!" Yun Li laughed while pleading for mercy.
But Zeus was not about to let him off easily; he continued to tickle his sides and underarms. Yun Li laughed so hard that tears nearly streamed down his face as he desperately grabbed Zeus's hands in an attempt to stop him.
"No, no! I really can't take it anymore!" Yun Li gasped between fits of laughter.
Finally, Zeus relented, looking at Yun Li's flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes from laughter. He couldn't help but plant a kiss on his cheek.
Gasping for breath, Yun Li pretended to be angry. "Hmph! You're so mean! I'm going to fight back!"
With that, he reached out to tickle Zeus in return. The two of them erupted into laughter once more, rolling around in the snow as their joyous sounds echoed through the quiet night sky of Snow Town.
On the fourth day, they arrived at Yabuli Ski Resort.
Yun Li carefully stepped onto the snowboard, struggling to maintain his balance.
" brother Si, come save me!" Yun Li shouted.
Zeus quickly glided over and steadied Yun Li. "Don't be afraid, I'll teach you."
Under Zeus's patient guidance, Yun Li gradually learned the skiing techniques.
" brother Si, I think I'm getting the hang of it!" Yun Li exclaimed excitedly.
Zeus encouraged him, saying, "Keep it up, you're doing great!"
By the end of the session, Yun Li was a bit exhausted. Without hesitation, Zeus picked him up and carried him back to the lounge.
"Take a break and don't push yourself too hard," Zeus said with concern.
Afterward, they made their way to the Songhua River Railway Bridge. The surface of the river sparkled in the sunlight as Yun Li excitedly ran onto the bridge, feeling the gentle breeze.
" brother Si, the view here is amazing!" Yun Li remarked.
Zeus hugged him from behind. "Be careful, don't fall off."
On the bridge, the wind howled around them. Yun Li placed his hat on Zeus's head, worried he might get cold.
"Just don't catch a cold," Yun Li said.
Zeus adjusted Yun Li's hair and asked, "Is there anywhere else you'd like to go?"
Yun Li touched her nose and replied, "There's one place I've always wanted to visit."
Zeus inquired, "Oh? Tell me about it."
Yun Li said, "I want to go to the 731 Museum. It carries a heavy history, and I want to feel it, to remember that past and remind myself to cherish the peace and happiness we have now."
Zeus nodded, "Alright, let's go there."
The moment they stepped into the site, the weight of history enveloped them.
Following the guide's narration, they solemnly observed and felt the painful memories of that time.
As they approached the exit, the guide said, "Don't look back; keep moving forward. The exit is filled with light, with the warmth of humanity and national peace. Don't forget the path you took here; it was filled with national suffering and deep-seated grievances."
Hearing these words, both of them felt their eyes welling up. Yun Li choked back her tears and said, "We can walk towards the light, while they can only remain in darkness forever."
Zeus nodded in agreement. "I used to think that remembering history and not forgetting national humiliation was just a slogan. But after being here, I deeply understand the weight and solemnity behind those eight words. The brutal truths and innocent lives silently tell the story of past suffering. We have no right to forgive on behalf of our ancestors; we can only remember this history to prevent such tragedies from happening again."
After leaving the 731 Museum, both Yun Li and Zeus felt an immense heaviness in their hearts. The joy and excitement they had earlier were completely gone. The haunting images of history weighed heavily on them, extinguishing their desire to continue exploring.
They walked in silence, holding hands quietly as if still reeling from that dark chapter of history. Upon returning to the hotel, they lay down on their beds, their thoughts still immersed in what they had just seen and heard. Before they knew it, they drifted into a deep sleep.
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