The world was silent except for the endless sound of waves. Amidst the rhythm of crashing tides, their heartbeats resonated, slow and steady, echoing with life.

Gu Xingchuan woke up to the feeling of being smothered, his face buried in Song Yi’s damp neck. The air was thin. Half-asleep, he squinted and shifted slightly, creating some space. The body in his arms was warm, and Song Yi’s breathing was soft and rhythmic—completely at peace.

The faint morning light filtered in, illuminating the rolling waves and the city shrouded in mist.

Song Yi’s eyelashes were long, casting subtle shadows over his cheeks in the dim light. His double eyelids traced clean arcs like two crescent moons while his nose was straight, though a faint red mark from years of wearing glasses marred the bridge. Gu Xingchuan studied him closely, unable to resist running a finger over the mark. The sensation of skin against skin stirred something unspoken in his chest.

He used to scoff at those around him who rushed into love and marriage. Life was vast and brilliant—why tether yourself to someone so soon? It seemed tragic to him. Why not spend your youth chasing dreams instead? But now…

Now, all he wanted was to stay glued to Song Yi. The world outside might be endless, but nothing compared to the warmth of a cozy home with the person he loved.

When Song Yi finally woke up, Gu Xingchuan had already slipped out, changed, and returned with an iced Americano in hand. Leaning lazily against the wall with one long leg bent, he watched Song Yi get dressed with a teasing grin.

Song Yi buttoned his shirt, wincing slightly as the fabric brushed over tender, swollen skin. “Tsk.” He let out a soft hiss of pain.

Gu Xingchuan chuckled, his gaze wicked as it lingered on the evidence of last night’s indulgence. “Need me to apply some ointment for you?”

“No, thanks.” Song Yi quickly fastened the rest of his buttons and ruffled his messy hair in front of the mirror. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He turned and glared at Gu Xingchuan. “Do you have some kind of mother complex or something?”

Gu Xingchuan nodded without shame. “That’s right. I was raised on formula, so I’ll have to trouble you in the future.”

Song Yi rolled his eyes at him through the mirror, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “I’ll buy you a baby bottle when I get back. You can keep it in your mouth all day—perfect for someone still in their second childhood.”

“I’m not a fan of formula.” Gu Xingchuan said with a smirk. “If I’m going to drink something, it’d better be yours.”

Song Yi’s face flushed with embarrassment, but he forced a casual smile. “Dream on. You’re destined for formula for life.”

Gu Xingchuan chuckled softly and walked over, bending down to plant a light kiss on Song Yi’s forehead. “With that temper, you’d better hope my parents still like you.”

“Uncle and Auntie,” Song Yi corrected him, emphasizing the terms. “And whether people like me or not isn’t something I can control.”

Gu Xingchuan snorted lightly. “Relax, I was kidding. My parents like you a lot.”

Song Yi glanced at him sideways, adjusting his glasses with a subtle flick of his fingers, his lips curling into a faint smile. “I know. Who wouldn’t like me?”

Gu Xingchuan loved his aloof and self-assured attitude. He couldn’t resist pinching Song Yi’s cheek before indulging in another round of affectionate teasing.

After breakfast, Gu Shaoyuan took Gu Xingchuan to the governor’s inauguration ceremony, while Mother Gu played the perfect host, taking Song Yi on a tour of Seattle’s downtown malls.

Before they parted, Gu Xingchuan whispered something to his mother, who nodded enthusiastically, her face lighting up with delight.

When Song Yi was an alpha, his least favorite activity was accompanying omegas on shopping trips. Unfortunately, the omegas around him always insisted on dragging him along. His good looks made him a stylish companion, and his generosity at checkout sealed the deal—making him the ideal shopping partner.

Thankfully, Mother Gu didn’t let Song Yi pay for anything. In fact, she bought quite a few things for him instead.

At that moment, she lightly plucked a black tie from the wooden display rack and held it up against Song Yi’s chest. “This black tie suits you perfectly,” she said with a warm smile.

“Thank you, Auntie, but I already have plenty of ties,” Song Yi replied. If he remembered correctly, they had already bought five or six earlier.

“It’s different,” she insisted, handing the tie to the chauffeur behind her to handle the purchase. “The ones we bought earlier were for summer. Now we need some for winter.”

Song Yi glanced at the price tag and silently decided to transfer the cost to Gu Xingchuan later. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of pain for his wallet.

As an actor, he occasionally splurged on luxury items to maintain appearances, but he didn’t indulge excessively. For the most part, he prioritized comfort. Shopping for luxury goods like they were cabbages at a market? That was a bit too much for him.

Mother Gu wasn’t done yet. She led Song Yi through more stores, picking out outfits and accessories. By the time they had made a full circuit, both were worn out and decided to rest at a dessert café in the mall.

As she stirred her coffee, Mother Gu glanced toward the children’s clothing store across the way. With a gentle tone, she asked. “The children’s clothes over there are adorable. Do you like kids?”

The question caught Song Yi off guard, but he didn’t dwell on it, assuming it was casual conversation. “I do like kids—they’re really cute,” he said with a small smile.

He hadn’t always been fond of children thinking their energy and noise used to overwhelm him but after experiencing pregnancy himself, his perspective had softened, and he found their innocence and joy endearing.

Mother Gu sighed in relief, smiling warmly at Song Yi. “I love children too. Most of my friends already have grandchildren. They even bring them along when they go for afternoon tea. I really envy them.”

“Maybe they envy you, Auntie, for your more relaxed lifestyle.” Song Yi chuckled.

“What do I have to envy?” Mother Gu took a sip of her coffee, her expression turning a little dejected. “You know how Xingchuan is—no one can control him. I really wish someone could look after him for me.”

Song Yi smiled but remained silent, knowing exactly when to speak and when to remain quiet.

Mother Gu sighed again. “I’m really worried about him being single for so long. His father and I don’t have high expectations for a daughter-in-law. His dad insists on no matchmaking, but as long as you two are in love, that’s all that matters. After all, we are just parents—your life together is something only the two of you can manage.”

“You’re very open-minded, Auntie. I’m sure Xingchuan will find a daughter-in-law that will make you happy.” Song Yi said, pretending not to pick up on the underlying meaning.

Mother Gu gently wiped her mouth, looked up at him, and smiled softly. “I hope so, thanks for your kind words.”

They didn’t wait until the evening to return to the Gu household. Instead, Song Yi received a call from Song Jie, an international call, which meant it was still the middle of the night back home.

There wasn’t anything particularly urgent, except that Zhao Hongyan’s hypertension had acted up again, and she had been admitted to the hospital in the middle of the night. It wasn’t the first time, but this time she wanted Song Yi to come see her.

As people get older, things change. When they were young, they didn’t give much thought to their children, but as they age, they begin to crave their children’s attention. They seek reassurance that they were still loved, which brings them comfort and peace of mind.

Song Yi felt a bit helpless. After informing Gu Xingchuan, the two of them said their goodbyes to his parents and boarded the return flight.

Arriving back in China, seeing the familiar yet distant airport tarmac, Song Yi felt this trip was somewhat surreal. He and Gu Xingchuan were now a couple, and he had truly severed ties with Shen Li.

Such impulsive actions were rare for him, and he hoped he hadn’t made the wrong choice this time.

Gu Xingchuan wanted to go with Song Yi to the hospital, but Song Yi firmly declined. Gu Xingchuan wasn’t happy about it, but Song Yi did it for his own good. He was already overwhelmed by his own mess and didn’t want to drag Gu Xingchuan into it. That would only lead to unhappiness for both of them, and it wasn’t necessary.

Besides, this was something he could handle on his own.

They parted ways in front of the hospital, with Gu Xingchuan heading to his agency to record a song. Song Yi took a deep breath and walked through the hospital doors.

^_^