I know you’re itching to get to the final chapter, but I just would like to take a moment to give my appreciation to my readers and supporters. Forced into the Deep is ending, and though it took awhile, it is finally complete!
Thank you for everyone who supported me 😀
It’s been some time since the first chapter was published, but thank you so much for coming on this journey with me.
Special thanks to Mochi who was there for me when times were hard, as well as to my Kofi donators, for providing me financial assistance. Thank you to all the commenters, even when I might be too shy to reply to you, I always read each and everyone carefully. I enjoyed reading your comments and it always cheered me up.
Now… onto the chapter!
Chapter 33 – Ending chapter
Xing Zhongwan flew back to Country X the very next day and didn’t let Qi Yun send him off. Before leaving, he instructed Shen Congxin to take good care of Qi Yun. Shen Congxin nodded his head like he was pounding garlic with it and swore to God that he would take very good care of Qi Yun.
Before Xing Zhongwan pulled the suitcase out, he turned his head and pointed at Qi Yun, who only waved his hands and smiled. Xing Zhongwan swallowed all the instructions that he was about to say as the corner of his mouth twitched, “I’ll be back soon.”
After Xing Zhongwan left, Qi Yun felt the emptiness of the house. He walked from room to room, opened the closet and took Xing Zhongwan’s clothes out and put them back several times. After going back and forth several times, Shen Congxin, who was watching, became more and more frightened.
Qi Yun turned his head to look at him with the usual indifference on his face, “You go back, too.”
Shen Congxin protected his chest with both hands and shook his head like a rattle. To restore his cousin-in-law’s impression of him, of course, he must perform well.
Qi Yun closed the cabinet door and read his mind, “Are you afraid of him?”
Shen Congxin nodded and then shook his head quickly.
Qi Yun didn’t push further. He told him to go away and left the dressing room. His secretary later called him. The scandal regarding Qi Yun has been suppressed. Who did it and their intention, Qi Yun already understood and there was no need to think deeply.
He was the only one left in the Qi family’s main family and after they made trouble with the other branches, they can no longer make a big wave. The Qi family has been in business for so many years and he has really ended it with his own hands. Without the Qi family, there is another royal family on top, the Li family. Those who are now on top must keep check on the others and keep the balance, but these private scuffles have nothing to do with him anymore.
Qi Yun has been fighting all his life and finally he was able to stop.
He picked up the watering can to water the small flowers and grasses on the balcony which were planted by Xing Zhongwan.
Shen Congxin looked at Qi Yun who was watering the plants with a gentle expression. Thinking that even his elder cousin was gentler towards flowers and plants, he couldn’t even compare to a small flower or grass.
Thinking of Xing Zhongwan’s request before leaving, he checked the time and went to the kitchen to bring medicine to Qi Yun.
Taking the bowl from Shen Congxin’s hand, he drank it without frowning.
Shen Congxin followed behind him, “Does cousin-in-law really want to move the company? Before his cousin-in-law went back, Deputy Director Chen came to him and talked for a long time. “I vaguely heard that he wanted the cousin-in-law to take over the Shen family. He said he wants to retire.”
Qi Yun hummed. Shen Congxin did not know if he heard what he said. He was sitting on the sofa and picked up a book quietly.
Shen Congxin continued, “Cousin-in-law didn’t agree. Deputy Director Chen asked him to reconsider.” Qi Yun’s slender fingers turned over a page, but he didn’t look up, “He doesn’t like being shackled down. His hands are full with the Xing family’s issues. I’m tired, so let’s not even bring up the Shen family, he won’t agree.”
Shen Congxin cleared his throat, “Big cousin, since you have nothing going on for now, why don’t you go lead the group?”
Qi Yun snorted softly and raised his head. His eyes stared straight at Shen Congxin who felt his scalp going numb, “I’m giving you three years. The Shen family will definitely be handed over to you in three years. If you encounter any difficult situations, go and explain it to Shen Qinghong yourself.”
Shen Congxin was shocked and wanted to reach out to hug his big cousin but he didn’t dare, “I’m obviously not talented enough. If I lose the group, how can I have the face to see my godmother?”
Qi Yun lowered his head and reached out his hand to him. Shen Congxin took a pen and put it in his hand with a bitter face. Qi Yun then wrote something.
“Tell that to Wanwan yourself. He’s found someone who can help you. But whether you screw it over, is all up to you.”
Shen Congxin’s doe eyes immediately widened, “Who is it?”
“Zhong Gang of Qingyuan Capital.”
Xing Zhongwan sat in the office, looking at the documents at hand. Xue Qing, who was sitting in a wheelchair, gave him a thumbs up, “How did you come up with such a bad idea? You actually handed Zhong Gang to that stupid boy Shen Congxin.”
Xing Zhongwan picked up the pen and signed the documents. He didn’t even have time to look up, “You don’t know what kind of person Shen Congxin is? Zhong Gang and Lao Cheng will never get together. If Lao Cheng turns gay, the earth will turn in the opposite direction.”
Xue Qing laughed, “Aren’t you bent as well? The sun didn’t end up rising from the west, did it?”
The pen cap was thrown at Xue Qing’s forehead quickly and ruthlessly and she was furious, “Xing Zhongwan, Laoniang is still a patient.”
Xing Zhongwan snorted, “I’m very confident with Zhong Gang’s character. It’s good to have him with Shen Congxin. The most important thing is that Shen Congxin likes Zhong Gang quite a bit. Zhong Gang is patient with him too. It can also divert his attention from that old man, saving him from being a frightened bird all day long. As for what will really develop in the end, I can’t control it. Anyway, after three years, I have to take Qi Yun away. He doesn’t want the Qi family anymore, let alone the Shen family’s businesses.
Xue Qing snorted. After doing this much work, in the end, it was still for your lover.
Xing Zhongwan put down the pen in his hand, rubbed the end of his nose and looked at Xue Qing with his long and narrow eyes, “Plus you’re still here at the company.”
“Haven’t I worked very hard these past few years? Lao Xing, when you returned to China, didn’t you secretly invest a lot of money in the case under the chief clerk? You didn’t tell Qi Yun?”
Xing Zhongwan took a sip of the coffee on the side, “Why should I tell him? Besides, it’s Aisha who came forward. The general affairs department needed some political achievements and Aisha needed a chance to perform. It was a deal that benefited both sides. Besides, I would like to thank the chief clerk. He suppressed a lot of bad news about Qi Yun. “
Xue Qing looked disdainful, “He got to become the hero who cleans up the mess and his position in this election is secured. It’s just that your lover is so stupid. Despite things being spoon-fed to him… He obviously could’ve suppressed the matter, but instead, he added fuel to the flames. I have never seen such a fool.”
Having said that, Xue Qing still admired Qi Yun in her heart. After all, his magnanimous dedication to Xing Zhongwan could be seen by anyone.
Xing Zhongwan held a thick document on the side, “His methods were a bit stupid. Anyway, I was the one who chose him.”
Suddenly there was a smile on his lips, “Who made him love me so much, right?”
“Hey…” Xue Qing’s teeth hurt, and she rolled her wheelchair to the door, “As long as you are happy.”
After Xing Zhongwan finished processing a table of documents, he threw the pen and stretched. The door of the office opened and Xie Yi came in to change his cup of coffee, “Boss, which secretaries are you going to bring back to China?”
Xing Zhongwan grabbed the cup and thought about it, “Let’s leave No. 3 and No. 4. I’ll go see the others.”
Xie Yi adjusted his glasses, “Would you like us to compete for the job?”
Xing Zhongwan raised his eyebrows, “I’ve never seen you all so active in taking the initiative before?”
Xie Yi was calm, “I want to visit the boss’ future wife too. How can we not be excited?”
Pfft…
Staring at his computer screen that was covered with coffee stains, Xing Zhongwan added another count of revenge to get Cheng Zhengzhe in his heart.
In the end, he personally selected the candidates. When Xie Yi left the office, Xing Zhongwan checked the time and took out his mobile phone before video-caling Qi Yun.
The phone line was connected quickly and Xing Zhongwan looked at Qi Yun, who had obviously just taken a bath and had not had time to dry his hair on the screen. He opened his mouth and said, “Sister Fairy, you have to blow dry your hair, otherwise you will get a headache.”
Qi Yun smiled and took off the towel, “I’ll dry it later, are you still busy?”
Xing Zhongwan pointed the camera at the desk, “Look, it’s very hard to be the breadwinner of the family.”
“There was a chuckle, “I’m easy to raise, so you don’t have to work too hard.”
Xing Zhongwan was happy, leaning on the back of the chair. His smile even reached his eyes, “How could a fairy be easy to raise? If it’s not something good, how can I bring it for you? It’s not my style to be tacky.”
Qi Yun combed back the hair in front of his forehead with one hand. Xing Zhongwan on the screen was exhausted, even if he spoke very casually, Qi Yun knew he was tired.
“Wanwan, don’t worry. I’ll wait for you at home.”
Xing Zhongwan was stunned for a moment and stretched out his hand to the corner of Qi Yun’s eyes on the screen, “Are you sure I don’t have to hurry? I miss you so much, Qi Yun.”
These words were very natural. Seeing that the tips of Qi Yun’s ears on the screen were quickly turning red and he was now looking away a little uncomfortably, Xing Zhongwan laughed.
“Don’t you miss me? I saw that you secretly put the shirt I wore on the bed, but I just didn’t have the nerve to expose you. Hahaha, do you like my smell? You can’t sleep without my smell, right?”
Seeing Qi Yun’s redness spread to the root of his neck, Xing Zhongwan suddenly felt that he was being too unkind, so he wanted to change the subject, only to see Qi Yun suddenly facing the screen and smiling, “Well, I miss you, Wanwan… Your shirt was wrinkled when I hugged and slept with it. I had to keep myself sane while you’re not here, so it got dirty last night but I didn’t want to wash it
“Qi Yun, you…” Xing Zhongwan choked on his saliva and pointed at Qi Yun’s gentle smiling face on the screen, “Just you wait!”
The smile on the corner of his mouth got bigger and bigger. Just as the video call ended, there was a knock on the bedroom door.
Shen Congxin’s head appeared through the crack of the door, “Big cousin, the hospital is calling, you… your mother passed away…”
The smile on Qi Yun’s mouth gradually faded. He turned his head, stunned. After a moment, he slowly stood up. “Prepare a car to go to the hospital.”
Qi Yun stood beside the hospital bed. There was a white cloth covering Guan Yang’s body and Qi Yun did not move forward.
Guan Yang committed suicide. This time, she was not as lucky as the previous two times. When she was found by the nurse, her body was already cold.
Qi Yun turned around. When he lifted his foot, a numbness almost made him kneel over. Shen Cong, who was beside him, wanted to give him a sympathetic pat, but was stopped by him.
Outside the ward, standing in the middle of the long hospital corridor, the hospital lights were dim in the middle of the night. Qi Yun glanced at the endless corridor. He touched his own heart, which was still beating but there was no other feeling. His mother has died. After so many years of grievances, Guan Yang was finally relieved.
Qi Yun slowly raised his hand and rubbed the corners of his dry eyes. Should he shed a few tears? After all this woman gave birth to him. This idea flashed in his mind, but Qi Yun denied it. One of the things she regretted the most was giving birth to him.
“Bury her and Qi Yuan together.”
Qi Yun had suddenly said to the secretary behind him. Qi Yun’s legs were still sore and numb. He was a little unsteady on the ground.
“At least I have a partner now.” He doesn’t know if he said this to reassure himself to justify his previous instructions.
The secretary looked at Qi Yun’s retreating back and sighed. His master was lucky, after all, he still has the young madam.
During the bi-weekly supervision and review, Qi Yun was stopped by the person in charge of the Foreign Affairs Office when he came out of the supervision committee, “When are you going to invite your partner to go out for a drink with us, I haven’t seen him in so many years.”
Qi Yun smiled, “Wait for him to come back.”
Seeing him smiling, the person in charge of the foreign affairs office was stunned, “I haven’t seen you smile for so many years. I felt sorry for you some time ago, to deny such a good opportunity. But now that I see you like this, I feel that you haven’t lost anything at all. You’re livelier now. But I saw your partner’s application, I approved his long-term entry permit and even personally stamped it. There is no shortage of benefits, right? I heard that the higher-up’s project is still unfinished and I was worried that I would not find an investor. Though a few days ago, a large amount of foreign investments came in. Regarding who did it, I don’t think you can deny that you don’t know.”
Qi Yun was a little surprised but his face still showed no emotion, “I really don’t know about this matter.”
The person in charge of the foreign affairs office didn’t care either.
“Now that you have retired, the pit that you dug has also been carefully removed. With no more rivals, the top leader has been re-elected. He also has a good reputation. He has been afraid of the Qi family for a long time now. But now that they have yielded, I’m afraid he’ll even laugh in his dreams about it. The matter between you and your family has given you some leeway, so that news has also been suppressed. Not to mention your partner being a male. Just look at the two of you, one going up in ranks while the other has the money to obtain power for each other. It’s not right if your partner doesn’t get to enter the country, you deserve to be together.”
Did we deserve to be together? Qi Yun smiled as he counted the days. He should be back soon.
Just as he was thinking this, a black off-road vehicle suddenly stopped in front of the two of them. The passenger’s window was lowered and a bright face like June’s early sun stuck out of the window. He took off his sunglasses and looked at Qi Yun, “Yun’er, I’m back.”
Qi Yun was shocked, but the smile on his face became wider, “Why are you back today?”
Xing Zhongwan opened the car door and got out. He said hello to the person in charge of the Foreign Affairs Office beside Qi Yun, ” Hello, I’m Xing Zhongwan.”
Stiffly stretching out his hand, the person in charge of the foreign affairs office coughed awkwardly and shook it. He didn’t dare to look at that face, he understood it all now.
In the past, he always wondered why Qi Yun was so obsessed with a man. That was until he saw it with his own eyes today. It was too invigorating…
“My Qi Yun caused you trouble before, I’m really sorry.”
After breaking out of his thoughts, Qingyue interrupted his apology. The person in charge of the foreign affairs office then got himself busy talking.
The two chatted and agreed on a meal appointment for the next time. Xing Zhongwan also gave him a lifetime membership card for his granddaughter to a large shopping mall.
Qi Yun was pulled into the car by Xing Zhongwan. He was still immersed in the joy of Xing Zhongwan’s sudden return and his bold words “My Qi Yun’.
Xing Zhongwan held his face and looked at it carefully, “Well, Shen Congxin didn’t let me down this time. Qi Yun, you’ve gained weight and your face has gotten better.”
Qi Yun grabbed his hand and looked intently at him, “Why didn’t you say a word when you came back? Was it supposed to be a surprise?”
Xing Zhongwan smiled, “It was already too late to inform you after I got off the plane. So, I came to pick you up after I found out you were here.”
Qi Yun nodded with a smile. “It’s good that you came home.”
Xing Zhongwan stretched his arms around him tightly, “I can stay for half a month at most. I miss you, do you miss me?”
Qi Yun stroked his back, “Let me think about it.” There were two coughs in front of him, Xing Zhongwan let go of Qi Yun and pointed at the woman in the driver’s seat with a smile, “This is Xie Yi, my chief secretary who followed me this time.”
Xie Yi nodded to Qi Yun, “Hello sir, I’m Xie Yi.”
Qi Yun looked at the woman with neatly cut short hair and a serious but very beautiful expression. Suddenly he remembered the card that Xing Zhongwan gave out earlier.
“When did you build a shopping mall?”
Xing Zhongwan took off his burgundy coat and leaned on Qi Yun, “I just voted for its approval. Lao Cheng signed it on my behalf. Your deputy director Chen liked it. Qingyuan Capital is out of the question for me now because that’s my dowry for Xue Qing. If Qingyuan can’t get in, then we can just start a new company. The higher-ups wanted that land, the one above wanted to be developed, but he had no money. It just so happened that he wanted recognition and I wanted money, as such, the approval went very smoothly with Xue Qing watching over the head office. As long as the old foxes in the X country group get the profits, they wouldn’t care any less. I’ll make another Qingyuan, believe me. So just lie down at home and count the money.”
Xing Zhongwan said it casually, but it was not easy to convince the internal investment department of the group. Qi Yun rubbed his hands with some distress as his brows furrowed, “It’s hard work.”
Xie Yi in front snorted, “Don’t worry, sir. The boss is best at dealing with foxes, after all, he is one himself. If you don’t agree, he is all about the superficial side of things too but he’s all about you, so don’t pay it much mind.”
Qi Yun lightly touched Xing Zhongwan’s forehead.
Xing Zhongwan’s face darkened, “To be called a fox is not a compliment! Xie Yi, you…”
Xie Yi turned the steering wheel, “Boss, shall we go to the Xing family’s house?” After saying this, Xing Zhongwan remembered that he had to go there and looked back. Looking at Qi Yun, “Is it alright that we go to the Xing family’s house and see my mother on the way this afternoon?”
Qi Yun agreed.
Xing Zhongwan put the hydrangeas in his hand respectfully in front of his mother’s tomb and pulled Qi Yun down to his knees and kowtowed.
Xing Zhongwan looked at Qi Yun’s serious face while looking at the tombstone and pointed at Qi Yun with a grin, “Mom, I will spend the rest of my life with him in the future. He is Qi Yun. You saw him long ago. He was the one who threw your homemade pastries in the trash can. Mom, I said I wanted to marry him back then, but hey, I actually got married to him. If grandpa is unhappy about it, remember to persuade him to not scold me in my dreams. Anyway, I’m sticking with him for the rest of my life, so it’s useless to scold me about it.”
Qi Yun turned his head to look at Xing Zhongwan and Xing Zhongwan just looked back at him. Their hands were tightly clasped. They didn’t know who started to use holding the other’s hands first, but the two hands seem to naturally come together.
That was until Xing Zhengping came. Xing Zhongwan got up and talked to him.
When he turned around again, he saw Qi Yun was still kneeling. Afraid that his knees would get cold, Xing Zhongwan was going to help him, but he heard him talking very seriously to his mother.
“Auntie, I’m with Wanwan now. He won’t be able to continue the Xing family’s bloodline in the future. I’m sorry, but I can’t let him go, not in my life. I will treat him well. If you are angry, don’t go to his dreams. Come to mine and swear at me instead.”
Xing Zhongwan couldn’t listen any longer and laughed before pulling the person up, “Oh… Hey, don’t call her auntie, call her mom.”
With his arm around Qi Yun’s shoulder, he spoke, “According to what you said, that would mean you won’t be able to continue the Qi family’s bloodline too. Would I also have to kneel in front of my in-law’s house too?”
Qi Yun put his arms around his waist as they both went down the steps, “No need, I’ll kneel instead.”
Xing Zhongwan turned his head and kissed him on the face, “You know what? My grandfather didn’t want to keep children. If my mother hadn’t found my grandfather while he was drunk, I wouldn’t have been born, so don’t blame yourself. “
Qi Yun raised his eyebrows and paused in his footsteps before finally touching his red lips. “Then I have to thank your mother. Without her courage, I would’ve never found you.”
Xing Zhongwan wrapped his arms around Qi Yun’s neck and smiled at him.
The weather was good and the air was cool. It was quiet.
Xing Zhongwan accompanied Qi Yun to the Qi family’s house. Qi Yun knew that Xing Zhongwan didn’t like the place, so he didn’t want to let him follow, but Xing Zhongwan refused because he wanted to help him move his books.
He offered to carry the books for him mainly because he was afraid that he would be hurt. After all, there were no good memories left from that place.
The Qi family’s old house is now empty and was ownerless. Many servants were removed and only a few were left to watch the house.
When he said he would move the books, Xing Zhongwan, in fact did not have to do this at all. He only needed to instruct the workers to take down the books, pack, and seal them.
Xing Zhongwan held his chest with both hands, feeling emotional. Qi Yun, how much do you like reading books?
After thinking about it, he realized that Qi Yun was missing.
Xing Zhongwan went out of the study and searched for a long time. He finally found the person he was looking for in the backyard on the first floor.
A dark black sweater, slacks of the same color, and a clean and tidy back. Xing Zhongwan stood behind him and held his breath.
It was already evening, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone on Qi Yun’s profile, which was particularly soft.
When Qi Yun felt someone behind him, he turned around and smiled at Xing Zhongwan, pointing to the long path ahead.
“Wanwan, do you know where this road leads? This road leads to the Qi family’s ancestral hall. Because the two sides are full of planatus [/mfn] 梧桐树 (Wútóng shù) – The plane tree has been a frequent motif featured in Classical Chinese poetry as an embodiment of sorrowful sentiments due to its autumnal shedding of leaves.
These trees were also mentioned before by Qi Yun; something about carrying the newest members (brides) of the Qi family through this path? :)[/mfn]trees, it is also called the plane corridor. Do you remember when I said that I’ll carry you through it myself when my legs are healed?”
Qi Yun smiled, his eyelashes were lowered lightly, but his eyes held a serious gaze.
Xing Zhongwan stepped forward and sighed, “I’m afraid your knees won’t be able to bear it.”
Qi Yun didn’t say a word, squatting slightly. Xing Zhongwan snorted, “I’ll be in your care.”
He stretched out his arms around Qi Yun’s neck and jumped up on his back. Qi Yun caught him steadily and held Xing Zhongwan’s legs with both hands.
Xing Zhongwan leaned his face against his neck, “Am I heavy?”
Qi Yun shook his head and took a steady step forward. Xing Zhongwan looked at the two towering phoenix trees and touched Qi Yun’s forehead, “You are too bold. Carrying me like this, tsk tsk.”
Qi Yun stepped on the fallen leaves below, “I dared to destroy the Qi family so I could carry the person that I love on my back. When we met, I already saved them enough face.”
Xing Zhongwan was stunned for a moment, then laughed, “Qi Yun, how long have you been thinking about carrying me through the entrance?”
Qi Yun lifted Xing Zhongwan’s body that had slipped upwards, “Since I fell in love with you. During the time you left, as long as I could fall asleep at night, I could always dream of walking this road with you behind my back. Then I thought about it. Why didn’t you come back to me when you said you wanted to marry me as that dirty boy from before?”
Xing Zhongwan buried his face on the back of Qi Yun’s neck. His eyes were a little red and he placed his hand in front of Qi Yun’s chest and held his sweater tightly.
“I love you, Qi Yun.”
Qi Yun stopped. He turned his face and kissed Xing Zhongwan’s warm forehead.
“We will always be together, Wanwan.”
“En, always together.”
Qi Yun continued to move forward with Xing Zhongwan on his back. After that, the sky got darker and the street lights were on, as the two intertwined figures’ shadows were cast on the road. You have me and I have you. We have each other.
Some fates may have been set when they first met and they can’t be broken or avoided.
Xing Zhongwan raised his head and hugged Qi Yun tightly, “Sister Fairy, how about I marry you when I grow up?” The spring breeze swept past and there was a rustling noise.
Qi Yun bent his knees and he put Xing Zhongwan down steadily at the end of the road before turning around, kissing the corner of his eye.
“Okay.”
T/N: Last finally chapter… phew. I’m not gonna say much here cuz I pretty much said what I wanted to say in the translator’s notes above.
However, since you are still here… let me introduce you to the other works we have on our site which may (or may not?) interest you!
(FTL- Fully Translated), (NTL- Still being updated), (* for heavy H content)
Short stuff:
The Dragon and the “Princess” (FTL ~10ch*) – About a prince and dragon. Smut-heavy, fluffy read!
Died Before the Wedding (FTL ~10ch) – BE, something to read if you want to be sad. Get tissues ready!
Longer stuff:
Revenge of the Garfield (FTL ~100ch) – Modern, revenge where MC turned into a cat. Bask in the mystery vibes as MC tries to find his killer while also finding his true love inadvertently?!
Law of Love (NTL) – A very sweet and genuine love-story of an air-steward and a pilot. Very healthy.
Who Says Omegas Can’t be as Explosive as Alphas (NTL) – About an O that’s overpowered and faces all discrimination with his silver-spoon and naturally gifted abilities. Relaxing read.
Consider liking the writer’s work or buying a kofi for me <3 who knows, might update a lil faster hehe
https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean
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