After Wen Liang finished speaking, there was silence for a few seconds before the audience erupted into deafening applause and cheers.

At the same time, fans in the live stream went crazy—

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

I used to think calling someone “princess” was corny, but why does it sound so endearing when it comes from CEO Wen!!

I’m seriously swooning, what kind of divine love is this!!!!

Ahhhhhh our Die jie is a princess!! Sobbing… a real-life princess and knight’s (?) beautiful love story!

This guy is incredible, how can he be so perfect, who wouldn’t be moved!!

I will forever love WenDie!!!!

…

After this, the livestream camera panned across the audience, eventually focusing on Yiming Entertainment’s President Chen Shao’s face.

His brows were slightly furrowed, clearly not satisfied with how things were unfolding.

Hahahahaha Chen CEO’s inner thoughts: My sister is being taken away?

Awww the sibling relationship is also so sweet to watch!!

Our Die jie is a princess, is there anyone who looks more like a princess than Die jie? No!!

Hahahahaha I thought Chen CEO was going to go up there and steal her back.

Chen Die stood on stage, her eyes moist.

She had loved Wen Liang for so long, throughout her youth and into the future.

Her youth had been colorful yet tumultuous at times. She had secretly harbored unrealistic dreams about Wen Liang, treading carefully along a narrow path that seemed carefree yet precarious, until finally, the winding path led to a hidden paradise.

Her dream, her salvation, her deity, the distant moon she had pursued for years, was now right in front of her, holding a ring and proposing to her.

He said, “Princess, do you want to marry me?”

“Yes,” Chen Die heard herself say.

Wen Liang smiled, stood up, took two steps forward to Chen Die, and slipped the ring onto her fourth finger.

Last time, Wen Liang was filled with remorse and guilt over the kidnapping, not even having the courage to put the ring on Chen Die’s finger—it was Chen Die who unhesitatingly placed it on her ring finger.

This time, he put it on her finger.

Wen Liang returned the microphone to the host and led Chen Die down the side stairs.

The host continued to present the final Best Actor award, but Chen Die could no longer hear anything. Her mind was buzzing, her face so hot it felt like it was smoking, as Wen Liang pulled her into the fire exit.

It was familiar—the green figure sign flickering in the darkness.

It was the same place Chen Shao and Ye Chuqing had entered earlier.

When Chen Die spoke, she realized her voice was thick with emotion: “Why are we here?”

“Too many cameras outside,” Wen Liang gripped her wrist and pulled her aside, pushing her against the wall before cupping her face and leaning down.

Their lips met, and as Wen Liang spoke, their lips brushed against each other. He said with a smile: “Why are you crying?”

Chen Die’s back was against the wall, with him pressed tightly against her front. She tilted her chin up to kiss Wen Liang.

Outside, they must have announced the Best Actor award. Chen Die couldn’t hear what the host was saying, only the loud applause. This secretive feeling created a sense of impending discovery, making her clutch tightly at Wen Liang’s clothes.

After a good while, Wen Liang finally loosened his hold a bit: “You’re not pushing me away this time.”

Chen Die sniffled and looked up at him.

Her eyes were still red, but they held a bright smile as she softly asked: “When did you buy the ring?”

“I had it custom-made a while ago, just got it yesterday,” Wen Liang leaned closer to her, half-reclining. “Do you like it?”

Chen Die nodded, then clung to Wen Liang’s neck and hugged him, leaning against his chest and saying indulgently: “I think I let you off too easily just now.”

“Hmm?”

“You only said so little, and I already agreed. When I see other people confess, they usually start with a heartfelt little essay,” Chen Die muttered.

Wen Liang laughed: “I was afraid if I said any more, you’d rush up to cover my mouth.”

“…”

Chen Die realized it was true. She wasn’t used to saying or accepting these heartfelt words, which should be kept private, in public.

“Were you nervous?” she asked again.

Wen Liang looked down at her, his eyes deepening slightly. He leaned down to kiss her again and said, “What, are you conducting a proposal survey?”

Chen Die pinched him: “I’m asking you.”

Everything had happened so quickly and suddenly that looking back, her reaction seemed a bit embarrassing. She was eagerly trying to grasp evidence that Wen Liang was just as nervous as she was, proof that he truly loved her.

Wen Liang smiled and admitted: “The most nervous I’ve been in decades.”

The man stood before her, very tall, his shadow falling perfectly over Chen Die’s head.

When he had proposed on stage, he had looked quite relaxed, but it was clear that only now had he truly relaxed. His features softened, exuding a casual, graceful air.

Chen Die looked at him for a while, then smiled: “What if I had refused?”

Wen Liang tapped her forehead: “Then I would have forced you into marriage.”

After cuddling in the emergency exit for a while, they went back out. Chen Die kept her head down the whole time, lifting her dress as she ran back to her seat, with people nearby offering their congratulations.

She had left her handbag on the seat when she went on stage to receive her award. Now she took out her phone and saw a missed call from Chen Shao.

“…”

During the award ceremony, was this person sitting in the front row calling her? Had he gone crazy?

Besides that, there was also a message.

[Chen Shao: Are you insane? What are you and Wen Liang doing sneaking off there?]

Chen Die rolled her eyes and replied.

[Chen Die: What filthy thoughts are you having? You were just there with Chuqing, what were your intentions!]

Chen Shao probably wasn’t checking his phone, so he didn’t reply right away.

However, the camera operator controlling the live broadcast was very perceptive, steadily capturing Chen Shao’s microexpression at that moment, as well as Wen Liang and Chen Die walking into the emergency exit in the corner.

Online, people had already imagined a whole drama, jokingly fantasizing about an adult video.

That night, Chen Die occupied several of the top trending searches related to the Baihua International Film and Television Festival.

#Chen Die Best Actress#

#Wen Liang Proposal#

#WenDie Beautiful Love#

#My Princess#

It became the admired and envied topic in the bitter cold winter.

The next day was Christmas, originally planned to get their marriage license, but Chen Die unexpectedly developed a pimple.

She rarely got pimples, and when she did, they were usually just small red spots easily covered with concealer. But today’s was particularly stubborn—red, swollen, and right on her right cheek.

So ugly.

When Chen Die opened her eyes the next day after being kept up late by Wen Liang following the awards ceremony, he was already up, standing in front of the mirror buttoning his shirt.

The man’s back view showed broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist, making even the most ordinary shirt look extremely good on him.

Chen Die stared at his back for a while, her lips curling up slightly, before slowly getting up, slipping on her slippers, and walking into the bathroom.

One second, two seconds, three seconds.

A scream erupted from the bathroom.

Wen Liang asked from outside: “What’s wrong?”

Chen Die looked at the pimple on her face in the mirror with horror, even pinching herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming, filled with despair.

She walked to the bathroom door and looked at Wen Liang: “We can’t go get our marriage license today.”

Wen Liang frowned: “Why not?”

Chen Die forcefully pointed at the pimple on her face: “Look! It’s so big! How can we get our license like this? We need to take photos!”

“Is there a rule that you can’t have pimples when taking photos?”

“…”

This direct man simply didn’t understand how much a single pimple could ruin one’s appearance.

“Besides, we’ll run into people taking our pictures at the civil affairs bureau today. If they post my photos online, I’ll have a blemish.”

Wen Liang equally couldn’t understand Chen Die’s refusal to get their license because of one pimple.

Couldn’t she tell what was important and what was trivial?

He patiently walked to her, lifted her face, and carefully looked at her pimple: “It’s fine, it’s quite cute.”

“…I don’t want that kind of cuteness,” Chen Die coldly rejected.

Wen Liang adopted a reasonable tone: “We can have someone remove the pimple from the photo later.”

Chen Die blinked: “Can it be Photoshopped out?”

“Yes.”

Chen Die didn’t believe him and searched on her phone, but couldn’t find a definitive answer.

Chen Die shook her head: “No, let’s be cautious. What if they don’t allow editing?”

Wen Liang lowered his voice: “Chen Die.”

The air pressure in the bedroom instantly dropped.

Chen Die looked up at him: “Are you trying to be fierce with me now?”

“…”

Wen Liang lowered his gaze to look at the ring on her finger, then let out a breath: “No.”

He hadn’t truly secured her yet, so how could he be fierce at this crucial moment?

Chen Die snorted, her index finger poking his chest, proudly accusing: “See, we’re not even legally married yet and you’re trying to intimidate me. What else will you do after we’re married?”

Wen Liang caught her mischievous finger and held it in his palm. He sat on the edge of the bed, legs spread, pulled her close, and rested his head against her: “I want to put a mark on you.”

“What kind of mark?”

“One with my name on it.”

“…”

Chen Die stroked his hair: “Don’t you just take a marriage certificate photo once? I don’t want to look at the photo every time I open it and see a pimple on my face.”

In the end, Wen Liang had to give in.

Who would have thought that what prevented him from getting their marriage license would be a sudden pimple?

The time originally scheduled for getting their license was now free, and coincidentally, old Mr. Chen called and invited them over for a meal.

Currently, there aren’t many people in the Chen family mansion. Chen Ke wasn’t there either, leaving only old Mr. Chen.

Wen Liang and old Mr. Chen had mutual dissatisfaction with each other, but for Chen Die’s sake, they could only pretend to be harmonious.

At the table, old Mr. Chen sat at the head, while Chen Die and Wen Liang didn’t sit facing each other but side by side.

The topic at the dining table revolved around marriage. Naturally, old Mr. Chen had seen the news of Wen Liang proposing to Chen Die last night.

Regardless, the outside world now clearly knew that Chen Die was the true daughter of the Chen family. Old Mr. Chen also hoped that the Chen family could be involved in planning the future wedding.

With his traditional older generation thinking, he felt that if the bride’s family didn’t contribute financially or with effort to the wedding, people might gossip about Chen Die.

Chen Die paused, glancing at Wen Liang.

She had only just accepted the proposal, and even getting their marriage license seemed distant. How had they suddenly jumped to discussing the wedding?

“The wedding preparation phase should be quite long, right?” Chen Die asked.

“Yes, this is all so sudden. The wedding venue, the wedding dress needs to be custom-made, plus guests, invitations, and all that.”

After hearing old Mr. Chen, Chen Die felt that a wedding was too troublesome.

He then asked: “What about the date? Have you decided?”

“No, we haven’t prepared anything yet.”

Chen Die spoke with less and less confidence. How would she and Wen Liang know about these things?

Beside her, Wen Liang said: “You decide, please.”

Both were taken aback. Old Mr. Chen nodded: “Good, good. I’ll have someone check for an auspicious date tomorrow.”

After the meal, while Chen Die went to the bathroom, old Mr. Chen called Wen Liang aside.

“You young man, if little Die had grown up by my side, I would have given you a hard time! How could I let such an ill-mannered young man get off so easily?” Old Mr. Chen pointed his index finger at Wen Liang, though his tone was joking.

He paused, then sighed: “These years haven’t been easy for her. The Chen family has wronged her. I’ve never investigated whether those past rumors about you were true or false, but I hope you’ll treat her well from now on.”

Wen Liang nodded: “Don’t worry.”

“You told me before that Chen Die has always had your Wen family name attached to her, but now she at least has me and A-Shao behind her. You should have some sense of crisis.”

Wen Liang smiled, leaning against the wall, looking quite proud.

There was a sound from behind as Chen Die came out of the bathroom, saying something to the housemaid.

Old Mr. Chen glanced over and said in a low voice: “Finally, no matter what, I still want to thank you for taking good care of Chen Die all these years, at least ensuring she never experienced a day of real hardship.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Die came over: “What are you talking about?”

“Nothing, I was just discussing your wedding with Wen Liang,” old Mr. Chen said.

It was already evening when they left Chen’s house.

The streets were lively on Christmas night. Snow began to fall, and Yan City was filled with a strong Christmas atmosphere. Rows of trees along the roadside were decorated with small colored lights, Christmas trees full of ornaments stood at shop entrances, and young couples filled the streets.

Christmas seemed to be a holiday belonging to young people.

But Chen Die rarely celebrated Christmas.

When she was young in Wuxi, people’s understanding of this holiday came mainly from English textbooks. They would exchange apples but didn’t have a Christmas atmosphere.

After coming to Yan City, she spent her high school years at school. In college, she did go out with friends once, but it was more like joining in the excitement.

In Wen Liang’s eyes, Christmas was just a marketing ploy by businesses. He wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about celebrating it either.

However, there was one Christmas that Chen Die spent with Wen Liang.

It wasn’t a celebration; they both happened to be free and watched a movie together at home.

At that time, Chen Die had just started university. In her freshman year, she returned to the West Suburbs villa before finals week, and Wen Liang happened to be there that day.

Chen Die’s final performance class assignment was to write a performance review based on a movie. She had been assigned “Roman Holiday” and had borrowed the film disc from the school’s viewing room in advance, so that evening she watched the movie with Wen Liang.

Not a single light was on in the spacious living room of the West Suburbs villa, only the dim black and white movie playing on the projector.

Chen Die sat cross-legged barefoot on the sofa, watching intently, occasionally taking notes for her essay.

Wen Liang sat beside her, one arm resting on the sofa behind her, the other hand holding a cigarette, lazily watching the movie, appearing quite distracted.

“Are you even watching properly?” Chen Die asked, tilting her head after finishing her notes.

He answered lazily: “I am.”

Then he placed his hand on Chen Die’s shoulder, his fingertips cool as they slipped inside her collar.

Chen Die immediately covered her chest, twisting her body to escape, stammering: “Don’t, don’t. I still need to write my essay later.”

“Can’t you write it tomorrow?” Wen Liang’s voice deepened.

She said softly: “No, it’s due tomorrow. I’ve been busy with rehearsals and haven’t written it yet.”

Wen Liang clicked his tongue and ignored her protests until she was flushed red before finally stopping. The movie on the projector had already ended. He straightened Chen Die’s clothes: “You’ll have to stay up late again?”

“Yes,” Chen Die lowered her head, feeling her collarbones and below burning hot.

“Then go write first,” Wen Liang patted her face. “Don’t stay up too late.”

Since she moved to sleep with Wen Liang in his bedroom, her former bedroom had become her study.

Occasionally, when school assignments required her to stay up late, Chen Die would work there until midnight, then quietly return to the master bedroom to sleep.

After speaking, Wen Liang urged her to take a shower first.

After her shower, Chen Die carried her laptop and writing materials into the room.

She was very serious about her assignments. Because she needed to write a performance review, she first searched for various information about the main actors, outlined her content, and structured her framework. An hour had already passed just setting this up.

Finally finished.

Chen Die stretched lazily, slumping in her chair like she had no bones, and after a good while straightened her back and looked at the time.

It was already two in the morning.

Chen Die yawned, teary-eyed, looking at the outline she had written in her notebook beside her. The desk lamp cast a circle of light, and a moon hung outside the window.

She froze for two seconds, then suddenly picked up her pen again and wrote a sentence.

—”Of course I won’t try to reach for the moon; I want the moon to come rushing to me.”

But then, perhaps feeling embarrassed, she scribbled over it repeatedly with a black pen, turning it into a dark blot that stood out starkly against the clean outline framework on the page.

That sentence, however, was like a seed planted in the soil of Chen Die’s heart that very night.

Wen Liang parked the car outside the sports stadium, with a river across the street.

The stadium was filled with noise. Chen Die looked over: “Is there some event here?”

She put on her hat and went to take a look: “Seems to be a music festival.”

As they got closer, the music vibrated their hearts. Inside were beautiful young men and women in bright clothes. On stage was a young rock band setting up their equipment, including a drum set.

As soon as Chen Die stood at the entrance, someone called from behind: “Chen Die?”

She turned around to see Li Cong.

Li Cong glanced at Wen Liang beside her and smiled: “What, you’re also here for the music festival?”

“No, we were just passing by. We don’t have tickets either.”

“You don’t need tickets. I’ll take you in.”

“Huh?”

Li Cong smiled: “This music festival is just something Ling Qingye and I put together for fun. We’re not making money, just enjoying ourselves.”

Li Cong led them in, walking through the staff passageway where no one else was, bringing them to a side section at the back where they wouldn’t be easily noticed.

“After what you two did yesterday, you can only enjoy from here. If they discover you, this place will probably explode,” Li Cong laughed. “Luckily, our sound system is more than enough—enough to get hyped.”

Soon, the rock music festival officially began, confirming Li Cong’s words—

The sound system was more than enough.

The rock band on stage started with a slide note from the bassist, and the venue instantly erupted as everyone below began jumping to the music.

Chen Die’s heart gradually began to float.

Her face was flushed as she looked up at Wen Liang, her eyes sparkling like they were filled with brilliant stars.

She smiled and had to shout to be heard: “You have to dance too!”

Wen Liang didn’t like such occasions and had no intention of joining in.

Chen Die stood on tiptoes to shout in his ear: “Don’t be so image-conscious! You should learn from us young people!”

Wen Liang snorted lightly, then gradually smiled, the corner of his mouth curling up as he watched Chen Die at the back of the audience, taking advantage of the fact that people in front wouldn’t see her, jumping and raising her hands.

The music was deafening.

Her long hair, like seaweed, also jumped up and down with her movements, shimmering.

The lead singer straddled the stage with one leg, bending over and screaming, with passionate abandon.

When the song ended, he took off his hat and bowed. As he straightened up, he suddenly threw his hat high into the air, tossing it to the audience.

He threw it too hard, and the hat flew over the dense crowd and further back. Everyone’s eyes followed the hat as they turned around, rushing to grab it.

Someone was the first to notice and shouted: “Chen Die!!”

Everyone looked up. No one cared about the hat anymore as they rushed straight towards Chen Die.

It all happened so unexpectedly that Chen Die instinctively took a step back.

Someone in the rush stepped on the wire connecting the ceiling lights, and the lights in the entire venue sizzled a few times, flickered, and went out.

Suddenly it was dark.

Chen Die’s night vision was poor, and she couldn’t see clearly.

People ran over, calling her and Wen Liang’s names, crowding together.

“Wen Liang!” she called out.

At the same time, fireworks by the street lit up the sky, blooming in the night.

Chen Die finally saw Wen Liang, also squeezing through the crowd. He pushed through the people, rushing toward her.

Then her wrist was grabbed, accompanied by the familiar scent of tobacco and her newly changed shower gel, as Wen Liang led her running toward the exit.

The cold winter wind blew across her face. Chen Die’s long hair streamed behind her as Wen Liang pulled her, sprinting through the venue toward the exit.

“Is that Chen Die?”

“Yes! I saw her face! And Wen Liang was right beside her!”

…

The voices behind them were chaotic, mixed with attempts from the stage to maintain order.

Chen Die was running in the cold winter but felt as if she had instantly returned to that summer when she was 16.

At the train station.

They were also like this then, with her following behind Wen Liang, when suddenly they were discovered by the Chen family, and Wen Liang pulled her as they ran through the streets.

It was her first time in this city, her first time seeing the bustling streets and winding overpasses, neon lights illuminating the entire night, and also her first time seeing Wen Liang.

At that time, she was 16, and Wen Liang was 22.

She felt a sudden flutter in that moment, which continued until now.

Chen Die was pulled along as they ran, with fewer people chasing behind, only some die-hard fans remaining.

She was running out of breath but suddenly asked: “Will you always love me?”

It wasn’t clear if Wen Liang heard her, but he exerted strength with his arm, pulling Chen Die to his side, changing to circle his arm around her as they ran.

Amid their panting, Chen Die heard Wen Liang’s answer.

“Until death,” he said.

His voice dissolved into the wind.

Once, Chen Die had carefully treasured her feelings in her heart, yet couldn’t help but use some clumsy little tricks—showing Wen Liang the love letters she received to prove her worth.

Once, Chen Die, with lone courage and feigned bravery, walked into Wen Liang’s bedroom, recklessly using the most foolish methods to humbly create some undeniable bond between them.

Once, Chen Die had countless moments of joy and disappointment, became disheartened and gave up, using the proud spirit that Wen Liang had personally shaped for her to bid him farewell and resolutely leave.

At this moment, all these “once” had become sacrifices to intensify their love.

Even if true love has no easy path, when the moon comes rushing, nothing can stand in its way.