After my father passed away, I had to navigate the business world alone. This journey was filled with hope, but far more suffering and endless, bitter tears. I thought of giving up countless times. But now, I've finally overcome a myriad of tribulations.

Many years ago, I became an object of covetous desire. Every man who approached me harbored ulterior motives, especially during the time when I single-handedly supported Qin Corporation.

The mortal world is vast, filled with all kinds of people. It truly hasn't been easy for me to make it this far on my own. It has been even harder to maintain my integrity, stick to my principles, and refuse to sell my body for profit.

Fortunately, heaven rewards the diligent. The man before me now is my destiny.

I love you. So, I am willing. I am more than willing to walk hand in hand with you through the seasons, for all the years to come.

The light from the window slowly crept up the bed.

Chen Yang had been awake for a while. A smile touched his lips as he watched Qin Qiu's eyelashes flutter in his arms.

This woman is pretending to sleep.

Chen Yang reached out and gave a playful grab. Qin Qiu's eyes snapped open, and she glared at him with her cheeks puffed out.

"Haha!" Chen Yang roared with laughter.

But Qin Qiu's attention was captured by the countless scars that covered Chen Yang's chest. Her mouth fell open in disbelief. Then, her small hands began to trace each of the scars. The uneven, rough texture made her heart clench painfully, filled with a profound ache.

"How… how could this be…" Qin Qiu covered her mouth as a mist began to form in her clear, autumn-like eyes.

Chen Yang grasped her small hand and said softly, "I am a Martial Guard!"

Those few words were enough.

You either charge into battle with blade in hand, or your blood stains the desert sand. There is no third path. His life was a constant march forward, for there was no path of retreat.

"That must have hurt so much!"

Chen Yang's voice was gentle. "How could that be painful?"

Traversing thousands of miles to expand the borders—that is my mission. Why would I care about a little pain? It's precisely because of these scars that I never forget that this land is coveted by countless barbarians. Their desire to destroy us is bone-deep.

Qin Qiu rested her head on Chen Yang's chest, her long eyelashes glistening with tears. "You're not just my hero, you're a hero to everyone—a hero to this entire nation!"

A great hero? I am just a man shouldering my responsibilities, driven by a profound love for my country. No one is born a king. One general's triumph is built on the bones of ten thousand. Having come this far, you either die, or you command the mountains and rivers, your might shaking the four seas. Even in death, what is there to fear? I have a clear conscience before heaven, earth, and all of mankind. For decades, I've lived a clean and righteous life.

"I want you to tell me the stories behind these scars," Qin Qiu said softly.

Chen Yang smiled. "Alright! But they aren't stories."

He had stained the land with blood, carried a coffin onto the battlefield, and fought campaigns across the north and south for over a decade. How could the marks left behind be dismissed as mere 'stories'?

This was—a golden age of peace built upon a mountain of countless bones!

「...」

After breakfast, Chen Yang held an umbrella as the two walked side by side, hand in hand, strolling through the falling snow.

In the residential complex's plaza, a group of children were having a snowball fight. The two watched from the side, captivated and amused.

After walking a full circle, Qin Qiu leaned against Chen Yang and pouted, "I'm tired."

"Come on, get on!" Chen Yang immediately crouched down.

But Qin Qiu seized the opportunity, scooping up a handful of snow and smacking it on Chen Yang's head. She ran backward, laughing loudly. "Haha, you fell for it!"

"You little rascal, just you watch how I deal with you!"

Chen Yang put on a ferocious expression and chased after her like a monster.

"Ah!!" Qin Qiu shrieked, pleading for mercy. "Spare me, great hero! This humble girl admits her mistake!"

Chen Yang caught her, swept her up by the waist, and tossed her high into the air, making her shriek and plead for more mercy.

"The death penalty can be waived, but the punishment cannot be escaped."

After setting Qin Qiu down, Chen Yang pressed a kiss to her feverish lips.

The umbrella had long since fallen to the side. Amid the swirling snow, they held each other in a tight embrace.

Hoping to stay like this for a lifetime, never to be parted.

「After lunch.」

The van left the residential complex, heading straight for Qiyun Road.

"If the Qin Family still refuses to accept Grandpa, you tell me," Chen Yang said softly in the back seat, looking down at Qin Qiu in his arms.

In truth, if he wished, he could easily obliterate the so-called Qin Royal Family. But Qin Gang's ultimate desire was to be reintegrated into the family, to have his memorial tablet placed in the ancestral hall after his death, and to have a proper conclusion recorded in the clan's genealogy. With that being the case, how could Chen Yang resort to force?

Perhaps it's time for me to make a proper plan.

Qin Qiu nodded firmly. "Don't worry."

As they entered Qiyun Road, Qin Qiu pointed to a plaza. "You can just drop me off here. I want to walk alone for a bit."

"Alright!"

Chen Yang did as she asked. Only after Qin Qiu had disappeared from view did he get back in the vehicle.

"Let's return to Tianque City for now," Chen Yang said to Yang Hu, lighting a cigarette. "After the festival, we'll come back to Qiyun Road and settle Grandpa's matter. Once that's done, we're off to Cangyun City."

Yang Hu, however, turned around with a wide grin. "Boss, I'm afraid we need to make a trip back to Lingjin City first."

"Some spoiled heir, relying on his father, an Eighth Rank Military General, is planning a complete takeover of Qin Corporation."

Chen Yang was visibly taken aback for a moment, then he shook his head with a wry smile. "Then let's pay them a visit."

「...」

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