KM: Chapter 48

You Chen said he wanted to start his own company, and he really did it. Then Ji An discovered that this wasn't a decision made in a moment of desperation. You Chen seemed to have been preparing for a long time; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to run the company so quickly. He seemed to have everything planned out, knowing every detail.

Ji An speculated that this was influenced by You Chen's family, especially after he later learned that You Chen's father was the founder of a well-known top 100 company. He never thought You Chen's family background would be so powerful because it was hard to feel that unavoidable sense of distance or superiority from You Chen due to economic disparity.

You Chen had always been tight-lipped about his family, as if it wasn't something to flaunt or use to appear superior. He lived each day like an ordinary person, not boasting about wealth or showing off his background. He didn't choose to inherit the family business, and his father didn't force him. But it seemed he had been thinking about starting his own company for a long time.

Ji An couldn't help but ask You Chen why he wanted to start a company but hadn't done it sooner, and why he worked for someone else first.

You Chen glanced at him, then turned to look at the computer, saying, "I did plan it early on, but I was more into having fun, my mind wasn't settled. While you were reading fairy tales as a child, my dad forced a book into my hands. Can you guess what it was?"

"The biography of Steve Jobs."

You Chen chuckled, "You probably haven't heard of it. I couldn't understand it at the time and just skimmed through it. I didn't like reading, and my dad let me be. Later, when he took me back to the country, I stayed, and he left that book with me."

"Eventually, I finished reading it and started planning my future. But in everyone's eyes, I was always seen as idle, a troublemaker in school, right?"

Ji An didn't know how to respond, instinctively grabbing You Chen's shirt. You Chen withdrew his hand from the mouse and held Ji An tightly, smiling as he looked into Ji An's eyes.

"I know, I really was like that. All my planning seemed like self-consolation. No one knew, and I wasn't very sincere about it."

"The year I fell for you in senior year, I read that book again. It was then that I truly began my planning. I thought about starting a company of my own, and hopefully, half of it would belong to you. I could embed my lover's name in the company's name, like my dad did, to tell everyone I love my lover."

Ji An blinked, and You Chen leaned in close to his ear, whispering softly, "I love you."

"…I love you too."

After a brief moment of surprise, Ji An responded softly. You Chen kissed him gently and said, "I know."

"I made all the plans and thought about our future, but I didn't expect myself to be too naive. I was defeated by that powerless age, and I didn't keep you in my future as I had planned."

Ji An tightened his grip on You Chen's shirt and kissed him.

"That wasn't your fault."

"It was my fault, Ji An," You Chen's voice was low and deep. "At an age where I couldn't stop anything, when I couldn't protect you, I shouldn't have ignored the consequences, leading us into that situation, making you bear the mistakes I made, and letting us endure five years we shouldn't have been apart."

Ji An just called his name, "You Chen…"

You Chen responded softly and continued, "I didn't keep you, but there was so much of you in my plans that I could only delay them. I had to find you to restart my plans."

"I kept thinking about what kind of job would allow me to travel from city to city. After searching for a long time, I found I had some talent in photography, so I decided to become a freelance photographer, but in the end, I still joined a company."

There was a hint of helplessness and regret in You Chen's tone, but he quickly smiled again.

"Fortunately, I finally found you."

Ji An's eyes reddened as he smiled along with him, his voice choked with emotion.

"Thank you for finding me."

You Chen smiled and kissed him, "Thank you for coming back to me, allowing me to restart a future with you."

Although he had heard that the brand they were collaborating with today was a jewelry company, Ji An was still puzzled by the bright red backdrop set up by the staff.

"What kind of pictures are you going to take? Why use a red backdrop?"

You Chen helped him adjust his tie, smiling without saying anything.

Ji An wore a white suit, seemingly custom-made, with a perfect fit that outlined his beautiful waistline and the soft figure You Chen had worked hard to restore.

Chu Longyu didn't give Ji An an elaborate makeup today, making him look clean and pretty in the white suit, with his bangs softly resting on his forehead, looking very obedient.

Ji An blinked. Although there was nothing wrong with the suit, it still made him feel a bit uncomfortable.

Moreover… why was You Chen also wearing such a formal black suit?

Although You Chen often dressed like this as the company president after starting his company, Ji An distinctly remembered that You Chen dressed more casually on days he had shooting tasks.

"Alright, go stand over there."

You Chen pinched Ji An's ear, and Ji An looked up in confusion, asking, "Where's the ring? Aren't we shooting rings today?"

"Yes, you go over first, I'll bring it over."

"Okay."

Ji An nodded, turned to walk to the camera, and watched You Chen go to get the ring. Chu Longyu tapped his shoulder from behind and said his hair was messy, asking him to turn around. Not noticing the commotion nearby, he obediently lowered his head for Chu Longyu to fix his hair.

Chu Longyu also held a large bouquet, saying it was needed for the photoshoot.

This made Ji An even more puzzled. If he was holding flowers, how could You Chen focus the shoot on the ring on his hand?

But Chu Longyu said it was You Chen's arrangement, and he immediately had no doubts. Maybe You Chen had his own creative ideas.

The white roses in his arms were beautiful, and Ji An wondered why they weren't red roses. Although he preferred white roses, he only knew the meaning of red roses, not white ones.

Lowering his head to take a closer look, he actually found a card in the bouquet with a handwritten sentence, presumably the meaning of white roses.

"A love that never fades."

His heart suddenly started pounding uncontrollably, as if sensing something. Ji An stiffly turned around.

In his view, You Chen was smiling, slowly kneeling down, then raising a beautiful velvet box. As it clicked open, and the moment Ji An saw the diamond ring, You Chen's deep voice sounded.

"Will you please marry me, my dearest puppy?"

The people around them cheered, took photos, urged him to agree quickly. No one scorned or resented them, no one criticized them for being of the same gender and yet in love.

Their love was openly displayed by You Chen, honestly announced to everyone.

Ji An's lips curled up as tears fell. He slowly reached out to You Chen.

"Yes, I will."