By the time they arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau, it was about 10:30 in the morning. Sunlight spilled down lazily, falling across the parasol trees in front of the building.

The shifting light and shadow were broken apart by the wind. The leaves swayed gently, scattering mottled patches of shade all over the ground.

Gu Qichi stood entirely bathed in light, the blurred glow coating his whole body, making him look as exquisite as a priceless porcelain figure.

The door to the Civil Affairs Bureau was pushed open. A muggy, damp breath of air rushed in with the motion, the heat wave unique to summer sweeping over them.

But it was quickly dispersed by the cool air-conditioning inside, stirring up a faint chill.

Although he was only an obscure little actor, for Wen Xi and Xing Tianqing’s sake, Gu Qichi still obediently put on a mask and cap to avoid being recognized and causing unnecessary trouble later.

Today was a workday, so there weren’t many people coming to register their marriage. Bo Yu had asked Bai Heng to reserve them a number in advance, but judging from the scene in front of them, it didn’t seem especially useful, because there were only three couples in the hall waiting in line.

There were five service windows in total inside the Civil Affairs Bureau, and two of them were still empty. Seeing this, Gu Qichi directly pulled Bo Yu over.

The staff member in charge was carefully slacking off, her fingers swiping up and down on a mobile game on her phone. Since it was on silent mode, there was no sound, only the dazzling colorful effects flashing across the screen whenever obstacles were cleared.

Blue and green, especially eye-catching.

Bo Yu tapped lightly on the counter with his fingertip. The crisp sound drew the staff member’s attention back.

The one handling their paperwork was a round-faced young woman with slightly wide almond eyes. When she noticed Gu Qichi looking at her phone screen, she got a little embarrassed and hurriedly put the phone away, then put on a serious working expression.

Bo Yu led Gu Qichi to sit down on the round stool, took out both of their household registers and ID cards, and handed them over through the window. He also took out a box of wedding candy and passed that over as well.

It was common for newlyweds to bring wedding candy for the staff.

Everyone hoped their marriage would be happy, peaceful, and smooth, so they brought candy to share a bit of their good fortune and receive more blessings in return.

So the round-faced girl didn’t refuse. Pressing her lips together, dimples blooming at her cheeks, she accepted the candy and IDs from Bo Yu, then passed out two forms.

Two copies of the Statement for Marriage Registration Application.

“According to Article 1047 of the Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China, the man must not be younger than twenty-two years old when marrying.”

“Article 1048 states that direct blood relatives, or collateral blood relatives within three generations, are prohibited from marrying.”

“You both meet the requirements, right?”

Following standard procedure, the young woman read out the mandatory rules and requirements, then looked up to ask them.

Gu Qichi and Bo Yu both nodded. Then they each filled in the information on the forms and, under the staff member’s watch, signed their names in the “Declarant” section.

There was also an ink pad on the desk, bright red like cinnabar. Gu Qichi’s gaze swept over it. He reached out and picked it up, pressing his thumb down firmly so the ink coated it evenly, then stamped a fingerprint over his own name.

The print was clear, a whorl pattern enclosed in loops.

Its direction happened to be exactly opposite Bo Yu’s.

But if the two fingerprints were later overlapped, unexpectedly, the shape formed a woven heart.

A bright red, beating heart.

The staff member took back the completed forms, carefully checked the information, entered it into the computer, then flipped through the identification materials Bo Yu had brought before looking up and asking:

“You didn’t bring three two-inch red-background ID photos?”

She flipped through again, but still couldn’t find any.

Bo Yu shook his head. “No. We can take them here directly.”

The young woman dragged out an “Ah.”

Nowadays, ninety-nine percent of newlyweds chose to prepare their marriage photos in advance. After all, if something was going to be printed on the marriage certificate for life, of course people wanted to edit themselves to look as good as possible.

The Civil Affairs Bureau didn’t provide retouching, and the lighting was very luck-dependent. Most people simply couldn’t handle their tragic camera.

There were often young couples who forgot to bring photos, nervously tried using the in-house photographer, and then stormed out of the Civil Affairs Bureau in frustration to pick another day instead.

Bo Yu’s face was certainly handsome—noble and cold, with a natural air of privilege.

He should probably survive Old Zhang’s camera.

The girl shifted her gaze to the other main subject of the marriage—

Gu Qichi’s face.

The young man wore a mask, hiding most of his face, leaving only a pair of peach blossom eyes exposed. Their shape was beautiful, the corners lifting slightly upward, and his amber pupils looked like melted pine resin under the light—clear and bright.

People said the eyes were the windows to the soul. Gu Qichi’s eyes were lively enough that his face likely wouldn’t be any worse.

But thinking of her photographer’s terrifyingly “divine” skills, the young woman inhaled deeply and sincerely advised, “Are you sure you want to register today and take the pictures here? Our photographer doesn’t do retouching.”

The implication was obvious: if you’re regretting it, it’s still not too late. I warned you!

Gu Qichi took off his mask, exposing his whole face. A faint smile curved at his lips as he nodded. “I’m sure.”

Holy shit.

The young woman cursed inwardly.

No wonder they were willing to take the photos here.

With faces like these, what angle couldn’t they handle?

Thinking this, she briskly gathered the materials and led them into the photo room.

She arranged for them to sit in front of the camera.

Old Zhang was a little surprised too. Photography was his hobby, but since most people didn’t appreciate it, it really had dealt a blow to his confidence.

“You two are here to take your marriage photo?” he asked lazily.

When both of them nodded, Old Zhang began adjusting his treasured equipment. While aiming the camera, he called out,

“You two, come on, get a little closer.”

“Right, smile a bit more. The one on the left, don’t keep such a long face.”

The viewfinder framed them clearly, their faces reflected in perfect detail.

The weather today really was exceptionally good—so good it could almost be called once-in-a-century.

The sky was a clear blue. Soft white clouds rolled along the horizon, and sunlight pierced through them, streaming straight into the studio. A thin shadow fell across the vivid red backdrop.

The sunlight slowly outlined hazy halos over Gu Qichi and Bo Yu. Their thin, snowy white shirts glowed warmly in the light, and even their hair seemed melted through with a layer of golden radiance.

In the photo, their shoulders were pressed together, both silently looking at the camera.

Bo Yu’s features were relaxed, the aggressive edge of his face softened. A smile appeared in his dark eyes, like ice breaking across a winter lake, warm flowing water surging up beneath it. If you reached in, it would feel like a gentle current of warmth.

Gu Qichi’s black hair was fluffy and slightly tousled. His skin, white as snow, looked almost translucent in the light. His peach blossom eyes curved into crescent moons, his smile bright, his pale pupils clear and transparent, and his long curled lashes trembled lightly.

The listless, weary air around him had completely vanished, replaced by an indescribable vitality.

The camera froze that instant.

Satisfied, Old Zhang straightened up and flipped through his masterpiece on the camera.

The shot had turned out wonderfully, carrying the blazing brightness unique to summer.

So had the people. So had the scene.

The vivid red backdrop and snowy white shirts created a striking contrast, yet blended together beautifully. Golden sunlight streamed in lightly, like a flowing river of glittering light. It wasn’t abrupt at all, as though it had always belonged with the two of them.

This was simply the greatest work of his life!

Old Zhang’s eyes widened excitedly.

After the photo was printed, the photographer scratched his head and leaned out to glance at them.

Then he resolutely faced Gu Qichi and said with an awkward but cheerful tone, “Young man, would you mind if I kept one copy of this photo?”

He paused, then explained, “I won’t share it anywhere. I just want to keep it for my own appreciation. This might be the best photo I’ve ever taken, and I want it as a keepsake.”

The photographer’s gaze was sincere, and his face carried only goodwill. Gu Qichi thought for a moment, then nodded.

“As long as it’s not made public, that’s fine.”

The photographer happily continued admiring what he found astonishing.

Bo Yu was still holding Gu Qichi’s hand. Turning his head, he said in a calm, low voice, “Could you send me a copy of the original too? I’d also like to keep it.”

The photographer set down the camera, took out his phone, opened WeChat, and showed him the QR code.

“This photo doesn’t need editing. I’ll just send you the original.”

Bo Yu took out his own phone, successfully added the photographer on WeChat, received their stunning marriage photo, and promptly saved it to his album.

Even his phone, whose wallpaper hadn’t changed in years, finally got a new look, kicking out the default wallpaper that had accompanied him for so long and replacing it with their marriage photo.

It wasn’t just Old Zhang—President Bo was deeply satisfied no matter how he looked at it.

Meanwhile, the photographer had already printed the photos. Three were sent outside to the staff, and he even gave them two extra, tucked into a narrow little white paper bag.

When the round-faced young woman got the three red-background marriage photos, she practically shouted in disbelief, “Oh my god.”

Then, while Gu Qichi and Bo Yu were still out of sight, she handed the photos to the girl next to her, looking wildly excited.

“Can you believe this was taken by Old Zhang???”

“And it’s straight out of camera—no retouching at all.”

???

The previous three couples had already gotten their certificates and left, so the Civil Affairs Bureau was empty, and the room instantly erupted in shocked cries.

Everyone who had worked there for years knew exactly how good—or bad—Old Zhang’s skills usually were. Most of the people he photographed ended up looking crooked-eyed and off-center, and he had driven away more than one young couple in fury. Even the staff themselves had suffered under his lens.

But the two people in the photo in front of them looked as if they had been photographed by a professional photographer.

There wasn’t even a trace of Old Zhang’s former style.

The staff farther away at the other window also grew curious. Since it would soon be time to get off work anyway, they had just started moving closer to see what kind of divine beings these must be, when the two people at the center of discussion walked out of the photo room.

And this time, without masks.

The Civil Affairs Bureau fell silent for a moment. Countless pairs of eyes stuck to the two of them.

Only the two people involved didn’t notice anything.

Not for any special reason—just because they were used to being stared at.

The round-faced young woman awkwardly withdrew the hand holding the photos, quickly pasted them in place, then went over to the machine nearby.

The red-covered marriage certificate was placed under the designated machine and stamped with the steel seal.

It officially took effect.

Gu Qichi watched quietly as she operated it. When he received the marriage certificate, his feelings were a little complicated.

Honestly, everything around him still felt as unreal and illusory as a boundless dream.

Long ago, he had already accepted his fate and stopped struggling meaninglessly, content to trap himself inside this shell and watch the world coldly.

But the world had shattered, his consciousness had fully awakened, and he had regained control of this body.

And on the very first day he regained that control, he met Bo Yu.

Then, by a series of strange twists of fate, step by step, he and Bo Yu had reached this day.

Warmth spread into his palm. Bo Yu took his hand again and held his own copy of the marriage certificate, lowering his brows as he examined it carefully.

As though admiring some peerless treasure.

Gu Qichi turned to look at him. Bo Yu squeezed his fingertips and looked back.

His gaze was dark and deep, something hidden inside it, gently swirling like a vortex of tenderness that made one sink without realizing it.

After finishing their paperwork, the round-faced young woman smiled with crescent-shaped eyes. “Congratulations on your marriage. Oh, by the way, we also offer free premarital health checkups here. Would you like to do that?”

Bo Yu looked at her and shook his head. “No need. We’ll do it at the hospital.”

After the two of them left, Old Zhang calmly strolled out of the photo room, unable to hide the pride on his face.

He was still holding their marriage photo.

“Did you see that? I took this photo!”

“Let’s see who dares say again that I’m bad at photography!”

Someone nearby let out a scornful snort and pointed vaguely toward the door. “That’s clearly because the couple just now were so good-looking. That’s why the photo turned out well. It has nothing to do with you.”

Old Zhang refused to accept that and started arguing. “Wasn’t I the one who found the lighting and the angle?! And wasn’t I the one who took the shot? Huh?”

The other person got snapped at and secretly pouted, crossing her arms but still unconvinced. “You just got insanely lucky.”

The round-faced young woman found their bickering funny and stepped in to smooth things over. “Alright, alright, stop arguing. Come eat some wedding candy. I’ve never seen this brand before.”

The whole box of candy disappeared quickly. The sweets were filled, and a cherry-flavored sweetness melted through the mouth, delicately sweet.

Old Zhang bit into one while holding the photo, unable to stop himself from sighing in admiration.

“If it weren’t for protecting their privacy, I’d want to frame this in my office…”

“It’s just too perfect.”

Before getting back in the car, Bo Yu had already put away both of their marriage certificates, tucking them into his jacket so completely that not even a sliver of red showed.

As though he were afraid Gu Qichi might snatch them away.

Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was already noon. Gu Qichi’s earlier drowsiness had been thoroughly stirred away, and since he had eaten quite a lot in the morning, he was in unusually good spirits.

Just as he was about to speak, his phone rang first.

The caller ID showed Wen Xi.

Wen Xi sounded a little flustered over the line. “Baby Xiao Chi, did you see the message I sent you? Xing Tianqing is being officially announced today. Since you’re one of the leads, you need to repost the official Weibo post.”

Gu Qichi frowned slightly. He hadn’t used Weibo in a very long time, and he’d been busy with Bo Yu all morning, so he hadn’t had time to check Wen Xi’s messages.

“Sister Wen, I remember you’ve been managing my Weibo account for me. You can just repost it for me.”

He really didn’t want to log in to Weibo and see the unbearable insults and condescending abuse in his private messages. Even if he tried his best to ignore it, it still made him feel irritated from the bottom of his heart.

Wen Xi had always cared about his feelings, but today she unusually didn’t agree. Her tone was a bit firm.

“No. This is your own Weibo, so you need to manage it too. Lin Shuangyi is strict with artists, and now IP addresses are displayed directly. If I post for you, it’ll be obvious right away, and the fans won’t be happy.”

Gu Qichi gave a bitter smile. He very much wanted Wen Xi to face reality—he barely had any fans at all now, and if he did, they were mostly antis who hated him.

But the words reached his lips and were still swallowed back down. It was only one Weibo post. No need to upset Wen Xi over something so small.

Lowering his eyes, his long lashes cast a fan-shaped shadow over his face as he opened the app store and downloaded the yellow app he had long since thrown into the trash.

It had been too long since he last used the little yellow bird app. He had even forgotten the account and password.

Staring at the login options, Gu Qichi tried hard to dig through his memory for anything related to the account or password.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t recall a single thing.

Feeling somewhat defeated, he switched over to WeChat and messaged Wen Xi:

【Baby Xiao Chi】: Sister Wen, do you still have my account and password?

On the other end, Wen Xi fell strangely silent for a moment, took a deep breath, then turned to Luo Qianqian, who was currently scrolling through Weibo.

“You’re sure the last few private messages were all complimenting him, right?”

Wearing a baseball cap and thick black-framed glasses that covered most of her face, Luo Qianqian already looked a little dazed. With the forceful way she nodded, she looked even more so.

Wen Xi took the chance and sent over Gu Qichi’s account information and password all at once. Then she held her breath and nervously waited for his reaction.

With that information, logging back in was quick. The browser spun twice, then successfully signed in.

The gaudy interface and forced pop-ups annoyed Gu Qichi. Once fully logged in, the screen filled with little red notifications.

The private message section was by far the worst, one string of bright red numbers so long it was impossible to count.

In the past, it had always been full of vicious insults, and Gu Qichi couldn’t be bothered with it. He directly copied and pasted the text Wen Xi had sent him, planning to edit and post the Weibo once the time came.

Then suddenly, his gaze paused. It shifted to the “Me” section, where, unexpectedly, there was one additional red dot.

Gu Qichi pressed his lips together. His heart tightened abruptly, and his finger trembled slightly as he tapped in.

The follower count had skyrocketed, increasing by more than three hundred thousand.

And his most recent post was one from over half a year ago. The content had been simple: just a random photo he had taken of East City in the snow.

Since the memory was still close, Gu Qichi could quickly remember what kind of comments that post had received at the time:

[gqc-why-isn’t-he-dead-yet: Still in the mood to take photos? Even I feel like you’ve desecrated the snow just by posting this.]

[Gu Yuning’s-girlfriend-outside-the-industry: Honestly, how do you still have the face to keep living? If our Ningning weren’t kind-hearted, you’d have died eighteen thousand times already 【smile】]

[not-too-much-not-too-little-just-fake-enough: I’m just a passerby, but can someone explain why the hatred toward him is so intense?]

[come-bow-three-times-to-your-dad: Because he’s disgusting 【cute】【cute】【cute】]

[the-most-beautiful-firework-in-the-sky: Because he’s malicious 【vomit】]

[112233: Because he’s fake]

[a-salted-fish: Let me educate you—Gu Qichi is the number one fake in the entertainment industry. Every part of him has been altered, all silicone. Deeply scheming, rotten to the core, even dared to drip glue into another actor’s contact lenses. If his sugar daddy wasn’t protecting him, he’d have been in jail already]

[a-salted-fish: Someone like this should just hurry up and go to hell 【husky】]

[cool: Wonder if his sugar daddy finds it gross holding a silicone person like him…]

After recalling it for a moment, Gu Qichi realized that apart from this kind of talk, he had rarely seen even a few fair comments.

But today, when he opened that same post again, the atmosphere had become completely different.

The most vicious comments at the top had either been reported and forcibly deleted or pushed all the way to the bottom, to the point where he couldn’t find any traces of hate at all.

[Love-Chi-Chi-Love-Life: My baby Chi Chi, when are you finally going to pay attention to this weed-covered Weibo of yours? Mom has been waiting so long the flowers are about to wilt…]

[Period: Ahhh my precious baby, can I still hope to see you on another show with Zhaozhao? 【pitiful】【pitiful】【pitiful】]

[Zhizhi-Grapefruit: Baby, post a selfie. We’ve practically polished the variety show screenshots smooth from looking at them so much ahhh 【crying】]

[oh-no-oh-no-OMG: Excuse me, is this the account of the handsome guy from Traveling With Dad? I struggled so hard to find it, and there isn’t even one selfie here? 【crying】【crying】]

[Have-my-CP-slept-together-today: Sorry, I’m here to ship Chen Xu and Gu Qichi. Has no one noticed?! That sharp-tongued Chen Xu actually followed Gu Qichi first!!!]

[Won’t-you-feed-us-sugar: Noticed, but our wife Chi Chi still hasn’t followed back yet 【dog head】]

[Stay-where-it’s-cool: Sorry, am I the only one shipping Chi Chi with the man in black? They look so good together, I’m dying]

Gu Qichi’s hand stopped. His gaze froze, and his brows knit slightly.

Man in black?

A ship?

The one who had worn black and appeared on camera that day…

He shifted his gaze to Bo Yu’s face, then back to the phone.

Were they talking about Bo Yu?

But if he remembered correctly, he and Bo Yu had stood together talking for less than three minutes total at the time…

A slow question mark practically rose above the great beauty’s head. People could ship even that?

The next second, a WeChat pop-up slid down from the top of the screen, displaying Wen Xi’s message:

【Sister Wen】: Gu Qichi, do you see it? There are actually a lot of people supporting you and liking you

【Sister Wen】: Even if there still aren’t many, I believe that one day, definitely, a lot and a lot of people will come to like you

For no reason at all, Gu Qichi suddenly remembered why he had agreed to sign with Wen Xi back then.

At that time, Wen Xi had been bright and vivid, not very old, like a peony blooming in full glory. Grabbing Gu Qichi’s hand, though she was pleading, her tone had still carried an unmistakable pride and boldness:

“Gu Qichi, as long as you follow me, I swear, one day—”

“A whole sea of stars will light up for you!”