Rat, Rabbit, And Rabbit Transformed Into Humans And Married Their Natural Enemies. Chapter 75
byBai Zhi stayed by Xie Yuzhan’s side throughout his hospitalization.
When Mr. Xie was handling work, Bai Zhi would flip through plant atlases, though he wasn’t really absorbing the content, his mind preoccupied with various thoughts.
These thoughts were mainly about Xie Yuzhan.
A relationship is, of course, a matter between two people, but in this relationship, Xie Yuzhan was the one who realized his feelings earlier, and the one who relentlessly pursued them.
Without his persistence, they wouldn’t be where they were now.
There was another point: they had entered into a marriage alliance, a contractual marriage. This meant there had been no confession, no proposal, no wedding—none of the things typical of a normal courtship. Bai Zhi didn’t particularly care about these things; for the Little Rabbit, a sense of ceremony was nice but not essential.
However, he knew very well that Xie Yuzhan cared deeply about them.
His Brother Yuzhan was a fastidious and meticulous young master; he required even the smallest daily matters to be handled perfectly, let alone a once-in-a-lifetime major event. Naturally, everything had to be done right, or it would be a regret, a lack of completeness.
He didn’t want Xie Yuzhan to have any regrets.
So—when Xie Yuzhan asked when he would be moving back home, Bai Zhi crossed his arms, leaned casually in the chair, and smiled mysteriously: “Not moving yet. Not moving temporarily.”
Seeing the Little Rabbit, who rarely played coy, Xie Yuzhan pondered for less than half a minute and understood.
Bai Zhi was waiting for him.
Who said the Little Rabbit was insensitive? He was clearly very perceptive, thoughtful, and considerate of the other person. Xie Yuzhan was the luckiest man alive.
He rose and walked over to Bai Zhi, pulling him into his embrace, his lowered gaze filled with gentle affection.
He ran his fingers through Bai Zhi’s soft, fluffy hair, his voice laced with laughter. “Alright, as you say. We’ll take it slow.”
Bai Zhi naturally wrapped his arms around Xie Yuzhan’s waist, tilted his head up, and curved his eyes. “No rush. I’m not going anywhere, don’t worry.”
He knew there was still one matter left unresolved: Xie Minghong’s case.
Fortunately, due to high public interest and a clear chain of evidence, the case progressed quickly. The trial finally opened near the tail end of that summer. On the day the deferred sentence was announced, he went to the company with Xie Yuzhan.
He wanted to be by his side at this time.
When the judgment was made public, he was nestled on the sofa, distractedly watching a documentary on his laptop, constantly refreshing the official website on his phone.
When the new notification popped up, he quickly scanned it, stood up, and jogged to the inner side of the desk, placing the phone on top of the documents Xie Yuzhan was reviewing.
He wanted the other man to see it immediately.
Xie Yuzhan paused, seeing the official announcement on the phone screen. Until this moment, the final hammer blow had finally landed.
After a long moment, he slowly let out a long breath.
Xie Minghong was sentenced to death for intentional homicide. The earlier verdict for Xie Jiahang was also intentional homicide, resulting in a ten-year sentence. The father and son had met the same grim end.
The aircraft maintenance worker bribed by Xie Minghong, whose tampering was the direct cause of the crash, was sentenced to fifteen years.
With this, the dust settled.
The arduous journey of over a decade had finally reached its destination.
At this moment, his heart was remarkably calm. Did he hate them? Yes, he did. It was impossible not to hate them, but the past was over. Justice had been served. Once this hurdle was cleared, it was time to let go and move forward.
Ahead lay a new train.
With a new traveling companion.
He looked up at Bai Zhi beside him, his expression gentle. “This matter is truly concluded today. It’s over. Zhi Zhi, I want to take you somewhere this weekend.”
Bai Zhi nodded, leaned in, and affectionately rubbed his cheek against Xie Yuzhan’s. “Sounds good. I checked the weather; it’s going to be sunny this weekend.”
Xie Yuzhan slightly lowered his brows, a look of serene amusement in his eyes.
A sunny day was indeed perfect.
The gloom had dissipated, and the sunlight could finally stream down. He used to hate sunny days, but now he found the sun warm and comforting. Bai Zhi was right; it was suitable for basking in the warmth.
Over the next few days, the verdict quickly spread through their circles. Xie Minghong and his son were infamous, worse than stray rats. Zhang Xiuling, who had depended on her husband, mercilessly absconded with his last remaining assets and disappeared.
As for Xie Jiahang, he was raving mad in prison, cursing everyone daily, including Xie Minghong.
Xie Yuzhan played the good guy once, instructing his lawyer to relay these details to his “good uncle.” A man facing death should at least die knowing the full picture.
Every day before his execution would be like a year, filled with intense resentment and torment.
Hearing all this, Bai Zhi felt a degree of melancholy.
Good and evil eventually meet their retribution. Delayed retribution should be paid back twofold to compensate for the victims’ years of suffering, only then could it be considered fair.
He didn’t bring up that family with Xie Yuzhan again. Let the past fade away with the wind; they weren’t worth dwelling on.
Right now, he was most looking forward to the weekend. Where would Xie Yuzhan take him?
Xie Yuzhan came to the apartment to pick him up. After dim sum, the car got onto the highway, clearly heading toward the suburbs. Aside from their trip to the zoo, he hadn’t traveled this far before.
He rubbed his small plushie, having a rough guess in his heart.
They chatted the whole way. Every now and then, he would glance at the person beside him. Xie Yuzhan looked calm and seemed to be in good spirits, which eased Bai Zhi’s mind.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
When they reached their destination, he paused before getting out of the car, suddenly feeling nervous.
It was a cemetery.
Xie Yuzhan held Bai Zhi’s hand. Seeing the tension in his face, he squeezed it and coaxed him, “It’s normal to be nervous meeting my parents for the first time, but they were very open-minded. The person I value and commit to, they will definitely like. If they really do find fault with you, don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”
Bai Zhi was amused by Xie Yuzhan’s tone, which sounded like he was comforting a child. He lightly elbowed him. “Be serious.”
This was such a solemn place, such a serious occasion.
It would be strange not to be nervous meeting his beloved’s parents.
Xie Yuzhan was willing to bring him here; the significance of that was clear to both of them.
Holding the bouquet in one hand and Bai Zhi’s hand in the other, Xie Yuzhan walked into the cemetery and said relaxedly, “More than solemnity and seriousness, they would want us to be comfortable. Laughter and noise are fine. Zhi Zhi, this is good.”
Bai Zhi was being led and didn’t pay much attention to the path, focusing instead on Xie Yuzhan. He wasn’t wearing his glasses today, perhaps because he was visiting his parents.
He suddenly recalled the times Xie Yuzhan had mentioned his parents, tilted his head, and felt a little calmer.
Xie Yuzhan was more resolute and courageous in love than he was, which must have a lot to do with his parents. The twelve years spent with them laid the foundation of his character. No matter how much he seemed to change later, that foundation remained unaltered.
He was a very gentle person.
As they walked further in, their voices softened. The cemetery was located halfway up the mountain, and below lay a large lake. Sunlight scattered across the water, creating shimmering ripples, bright and dazzling, as if half the lake were sprinkled with crushed gold.
It was indeed a beautiful day.
Stopping before a tomb, Bai Zhi carefully looked at the photo of the young couple on the headstone. The father was gentle, refined, and knowledgeable; the mother was bright, strong, and resilient. They looked very well-matched.
Xie Yuzhan placed the bouquet of Bird of Paradise flowers down, brushed away a recently fallen leaf from the tombstone, and gazed at it for a long time. Then he gently pulled Bai Zhi forward, his voice slow, gentle, and firm. “Dad, Mom, this is—”
“My beloved. The person I have decided to spend my life with. Now that the past has settled, I brought him here for you to meet.”
Bai Zhi was startled and instinctively looked at Xie Yuzhan.
So direct?
Mr. Xie, are you addicted to shooting straight? He hadn’t even moved back yet! They were still technically separated!
Xie Yuzhan curved his lips, looking at the slightly flustered and helpless Bai Zhi, and slowly asked, “Sweetheart, are you nervous about meeting my parents, or something else?”
Bai Zhi glared at Xie Yuzhan, the Mr. Wolf who knew exactly what he was asking!
He was nervous about everything!
Beloved… He had never felt that word burn so intensely, especially given Xie Yuzhan’s tone—tender, affectionate, and reassuringly firm.
He couldn’t deny that he was happy and content.
Because of this, he pursed his lips, looked at the Bird of Paradise flowers before the tombstone, and whispered, “I am quite nervous. There’s no way not to be, from every perspective.”
That was an admission. Xie Yuzhan guessed Bai Zhi had some premonition, and in fact, he did have something he needed to do today, in front of his parents, on such a beautiful day.
Nervousness was, in another sense, anticipation.
He glanced at his parents, then turned his attention back to Bai Zhi, taking out the item he had prepared long ago.
Bai Zhi saw the small box and froze. This was…
Xie Yuzhan curved his mouth and said slowly, “Zhi Zhi, our beginning was indeed imperfect, but by a strange twist of fate, we ultimately didn’t miss each other. The process has been wonderful, and we are certain to have an even better outcome.”
“I am very grateful for your companionship. Without you, the final stretch of this road would have been much more agonizing. For me, you are the little slice of life’s cake that made me a better person.”
“You are the ‘sweetness’ granted to me by fate and life.”
“You are the only person who saw me on the first meeting—who saw the real me, acknowledged the real me, liked the real me, and showed me that life could be lived differently. Only by being with you was the missing piece of my life finally filled.”
“If, after everything I’ve been through, I can still become a better version of myself, and still be willing to hold a soft passion for this world—”
“It must be because of you.”
He paused here, opened the small box in his hand, and continued, “I chose today, and I chose this place to say these things to you. Firstly, because I have finally given my parents closure, and it is time to formally close the chapter on the past. At the same time, this place is the starting point of my new life.”
“You are the most important person in my future.”
“Will you give me a chance to love you? I will treat you well, protect you, love you, and become the most intimate presence by your side.”
“Of course, I want you to be happy, and I hope I can have a place in your happiness.”
“Zhi Zhi, let’s get married.”
“The future is long and distant. Shall we go see it together?”
Bai Zhi looked at the man before him, his eyes trembling, mirroring the sudden flutter in his heart. He opened his mouth but couldn’t speak immediately.
Xie Yuzhan’s expression was gentle and sincere, his gaze calm, yet his words were resonant and firm. He was choosing Bai Zhi with such conviction.
He was inviting him to spend a lifetime together.
Bai Zhi gently bit his lip, lowering his eyes to the small box in Xie Yuzhan’s hand. Inside was not the warm orange sapphire he had used during his contract expiration confession, but a set of matching rings.
The platinum rings were low-key and elegant, with fluid curves and exquisite designs. They looked like they could interlock. Each ring was set with a unique circle of gemstones—sapphire opposing ruby. Though the stones were small, their quality and color were superb, clearly worth a fortune, perfectly matching Mr. Xie’s consistent aesthetic.
They were beautiful and touched his heart.
But what truly moved him was not the rings themselves, but the emotion they carried.
He took a moment to compose himself, then looked up, trying his best to steady his voice. He failed, speaking with a slight tremor. “Even now, I still don’t believe love is a necessity, but—”
“Being with you, love is the icing on the cake for me. It’s wonderful. Having it truly, truly makes me happier, more fulfilled, and more secure inside.”
“Being alone is fine, but having a home with you would be better.”
“Yuzhan, I am so grateful that you gave me such a wonderful relationship. I am slow in this regard, but you respected me enough. You knew my timidity and weakness, and you also knew my persistence and desire. No one understands me better than you.”
“I initially thought I had no feelings for you, but later I learned that that concern, that jealousy, had another name: liking.”
“I will always love my grassland.”
“And you—”
“You are a part of my grassland, the highest, most magnificent hill, the gentlest, most affectionate cloud, the most tolerant and appropriate breeze. You are everywhere in my grassland. I cannot be without you.”
“I was an outsider, and you are the one who truly gave me a home here.”
He pursed his lips, his voice catching slightly, yet his eyes shone with bright laughter.
He extended his hand, giving his Mr. Wolf a teary but light wink. “My genes tell me I should stay far away from you, but my feelings make me choose to trust you, to trust my instincts.”
“I can be brave for you this one time.”
This was his answer.
He was ready to enter a real marriage, because the person he was building this home with was Xie Yuzhan, the one who had given him sufficient love and care.
He was still himself, but just like the rings Xie Yuzhan prepared, they had both found the other half of their compatible souls.
They formed a complete circle.
Xie Yuzhan gazed at Bai Zhi. The light flowing in his eyes was radiant, open, and passionate, delivering complete trust.
His heart pounded, like a million Little Rabbits hopping around, yet amidst the extreme excitement, there was the solid grounding of stability.
Stable and satisfied.
He held Bai Zhi’s hand and slipped the ring set with the ruby onto his finger—his ring finger.
Then he handed the other ring over. “Zhi Zhi, I will remember every word you said. Your bravery will be rewarded sufficiently, trust me.”
“We will have a home. Not one person giving it to the other, but a home we build together.”
Bai Zhi smiled, pursing his lips, the sourness in his eyes gradually dissipating. He nodded solemnly. “Yes, I trust you!”
Xie Yuzhan reminded him, “So, my ring?”
Bai Zhi’s smile widened. He picked up the other sapphire ring and slid it onto Xie Yuzhan’s ring finger. He examined it from side to side, satisfied. “You’re mine now.”
Xie Yuzhan held Bai Zhi’s hand in return. The love and possessiveness in his eyes reached a subtle balance at that moment. He wrapped his arm around Bai Zhi’s waist and leaned in for a kiss. “I am yours, Zhi Zhi, and you are mine too…”
Bai Zhi leaned into Xie Yuzhan’s embrace, tilted his head slightly, closed his eyes, and fully accepted the kiss.
Although, although being like this in front of the parents felt a little embarrassing for the Little Rabbit, this was also a form of acknowledgment and witness. They were good, and they would continue to be good.
Rest assured, Mom and Dad, you can entrust him to me.
Xie Yuzhan’s dark eyes reflected only one person. As the sunlight streamed down, Bai Zhi’s figure overlapped with the light, blending together, inseparable.
He tightened his embrace, a look of satisfied joy spreading in his eyes.
The sun was perfect, the grass green, the trees flourishing, the breeze swirling, the water rippling. At this moment, with his parents present, all of nature bore witness. They would be together forever and ever, and they would have a bright and complete future.
After the kiss ended, the two leaned against the railing in front of the tombstone and chatted for a while—about the past, the present, and the future.
Of course, Bai Zhi didn’t forget one thing.
He wiggled the hand that now wore the ring and asked with a smile, “What about the ring you used when you confessed to me last time? I remember it was orange, the color of sunshine. It was very beautiful.”
Xie Yuzhan’s gaze swept over Bai Zhi’s increasingly flushed lips and met his eyes. As he looked, his own eyes couldn’t help but curve into a smile.
This insistence on detail was very cute.
Why was he so insistent?
Because he cared about Xie Yuzhan, and because he held the same deep affection for him.
He held Bai Zhi’s hand and said, “That is yours too, of course. It’s still in my study. I’ll give it to you when we get back today.”
“Okay~”
They stayed until eleven o’clock. The early autumn sunlight was scattered and lazy, warm and bright without being harsh.
As they left, Xie Yuzhan turned back to look at his parents. The couple in the photo leaned against each other, seemingly looking back at them across the chasm of time, offering their most heartfelt blessings.
He curved his lips, intertwining his fingers with the person beside him. Every year from now on, someone would accompany him here.
A long, long life journey.
He would have the person he deeply loved walking hand-in-hand with him.
[Never End]