Vase cannon fodder is pampered by the group again

Chapter 84.2

After all, the White Gardenia Awards ceremony attracted worldwide attention and was currently broadcasting live nationally. Any embarrassment would be mercilessly broadcast.

“Most Popular Newcomer Male Actor, the winner is—” The host began the customary suspense-building, mischievously squinting as she scanned the entire venue, then called out loudly: “Shen Ci!”

“Pfft—” Shen Ci, who was drinking water, was so startled he sprayed it out, splashing the camera lens. The cameraman grimaced and moved away, bringing in a new camera to film.

“Look how excited our Xiao Ci is! No wonder you’re popular. You’re just too cute!”

The host laughed and joked to smooth things over, smiling as she waited for Shen Ci to clean himself up and come on stage to accept the award.

Yang Ning suppressed his laughter, helping Shen Ci clean the water from his face before pushing him onto the stage.

Shen Ci had no preparation for winning whatsoever, and had made such a mess of himself. Now he smiled nervously and shyly, accepting the delicate trophy.

“Say a few words.” The host handed him the microphone.

Shen Ci tremblingly took it: “Um… I never expected to win an award, so anyway… thank you all for your support!”

Today he wore a simple white suit. His recently cut hair was clean and fresh, making his features appear even more exquisite. The cameras immediately began frantically taking 360-degree close-ups.

The host smiled at him, seemingly hinting for Shen Ci to say more. Shen Ci had no choice but to continue babbling reluctantly, unconsciously looking up toward the audience.

Perhaps it was destined, because he immediately spotted Lu Xiao.

Lu Xiao sat somewhat toward the back. By the time the stage lights reached his area, they were quite weak. Shen Ci could barely make him out clearly.

But meeting those not-quite-clear deep black eyes, Shen Ci gradually calmed down, as if silently comforted.

Holding the microphone, Shen Ci spaced out, thinking how miraculous it was.

In this world of coming and going, noise and chaos, across vast seas of people, across countless time, they could still quietly gaze at each other.

In each other’s pupils, there was forever only each other, whether in distant past lives or near futures.

Whether bathed in tragic passion or romantic roses.

Shen Ci saw Lu Xiao slowly extend his hand and snap his fingers with a crisp “snap.”

All the lights in the venue immediately went out, leaving only one spotlight shining down.

The sudden change raised the venue’s noise level sharply, then gradually settled as everyone curiously looked toward the venue’s only light source, still on the stage.

Shen Ci, who happened to be bathed in the only light, uncomfortably about to step back, somewhat panicked.

“Baby.”

A low, mellow familiar voice rang out from some dark direction. Shen Ci’s steps suddenly stopped.

The audience in the darkness suddenly whispered excitedly, chattering noisily.

“Oh my, what’s that falling down?”

“So fragrant! Seems like flower petals!”

“My god, look at Shen Ci, so beautiful…”

Under the spotlight, rose petals gently scattered down, reflecting weak light, tenderly falling on Shen Ci’s shoulders and hair. The excessively delicate-featured young man looked bewildered, accepting the rose tribute, sacred and wonderful, like poetry and painting.

Shen Ci picked up a petal that had fallen on his forehead, staring at it with trembling pupils, his Adam’s apple involuntarily sliding up and down.

What was Little Uncle… trying to do?

Shen Ci stiffly turned around, tightly closing his eyes, long lashes slightly trembling.

He clearly shouldn’t know what he would see, but couldn’t help the sweet speculation rising in his heart. His emotions couldn’t be hidden at all, written entirely on his reddened ear tips.

His heart pounded against his chest painfully. Shen Ci gripped the trophy tightly, finally opening his eyes—

Lu Xiao emerged slowly from the darkness, the light-dark dividing line clearly cutting across his deep features. His broad shoulders and long legs gradually appeared fully under the blazing light, like a knight breaking through darkness, impossibly handsome.

Shen Ci’s legs nearly gave out, his breathing rapid with nervousness.

The tall man held a large bouquet of red roses in his arms. Through the falling rose petals, his eyes were deep, gazing at Shen Ci with a look full of tender affection that couldn’t be dissolved.

**As they say: “In me the tiger sniffs the rose.” [Translator’s note: Reference to Siegfried Sassoon’s poem “In Me, Past, Present, Future Meet”]

He smiled and offered the rose bouquet. Shen Ci slowly accepted it, but his feet felt unsteady, his brain completely blank.

The audience below cooperatively maintained silence, though they were already covering their mouths and nearly jumping with excitement, eyes shocked wide as saucers, having already edited several versions of their Weibo posts.

“Baby.”

Lu Xiao suddenly spoke, his voice low and gentle, his tone especially solemn.

Shen Ci opened his mouth to respond, but his throat was so hoarse no sound came out. The scene before him seemed somewhat unreal.

In his slightly blurred and hazy vision, he clearly saw Lu Xiao slowly kneel on one knee, the little box he held up containing something sparkling, dazzling Shen Ci even more.

“Will you marry me?”

He said hoarsely.

Only Shen Ci could detect that his gaze was far less confident and determined than his actions suggested.

His pupils were shaking, forcefully suppressing humble uneasiness, even with slight panic.

Shen Ci’s nose immediately stung, here it came again…

The audience, whose emotions had been suppressed, suddenly found an outlet and began frantically cheering “Say yes to him”, wave after wave like giant breakers crashing toward Shen Ci’s rationality. Shen Ci’s beautiful deer eyes began to moisten, gathering indescribable teardrops that rolled from his eye sockets.

Too unexpected, too sudden. It left Shen Ci completely at a loss.

At the White Gardenia Awards ceremony, broadcast live nationally, Lu Xiao had actually proposed to him.

Shen Ci had imagined being proposed to. He should have happily shouted and danced, or deliberately held back his answer to tease Lu Xiao, or at the very least been reminded of their beautiful past moments together and moved to tears.

But when this moment truly arrived, Shen Ci’s mind went completely blank. He only felt heartache for Lu Xiao lowering his posture for him again, wanting to immediately embrace Lu Xiao and not make him wait any longer.

“Mm…” Tears poured down Shen Ci’s face as his legs gave out, and he collapsed directly onto the floor.

He cupped Lu Xiao’s offered ring box with both hands, bowing his head to touch it with his forehead, choking as he spoke.

“Of course I’m willing.”

Shen Ci couldn’t hear the sudden clamor around him, couldn’t hear the thunderous applause, only the sound of his and Lu Xiao’s heartbeats.

Thump, thump, thump…

Lu Xiao looked down tenderly, sliding the ring onto Shen Ci’s left ring finger, then lifting it to kiss the ring.

He could finally openly and solemnly declare to the world that Shen Ci was his.

The rose branch retracted its thorns, gently wrapping around the little prince, vowing never to voluntarily let go.

The matching rings on their fingers clinked lightly together, intimately brushing against each other.

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

The audience began cheering again, shouting loudly, rhythmically clapping.

Shen Ci came to his senses, blushing furiously with embarrassment. After being helped up by Lu Xiao, he tried to back away in mortification, but was grabbed by the waist by Lu Xiao, who leaned down for a kiss.

The moment the kiss fell, the dark dome of the venue suddenly began flickering with small points of light, gradually increasing until they scattered across the dark sky like stars. Rose petals fell again, this time carrying tiny glowing points, creating an instantly spectacular scene like a falling galaxy, spreading ultimate romance.

Audience members competed to take photos with their phones, capturing the passionate kiss of the two on stage.

“Mmph…”

Shen Ci tilted his head back, receiving Lu Xiao’s intensely lingering kiss, only able to see the spectacular dark scene from his peripheral vision, tears flowing uncontrollably.

How long had Lu Xiao carefully prepared for this…

He gripped Lu Xiao’s suit tightly, barely managing to stand upright, then was finally swept up in Lu Xiao’s arms as they hurriedly left the stage.

Neither paid any attention to the uproarious audience behind them. Lu Xiao quickly carried him to the car, speeding directly to the nearest hotel under his ownership, going up to the penthouse presidential suite that had been specially prepared.

Lu Xiao placed him on the large bed covered with rose petals, somewhat urgently leaning down to kiss. Dense, burning kisses covered him overwhelmingly. Shen Ci was pressed down by the wrists, forced to endure.

“Little Uncle… why so suddenly?”

Shen Ci’s breathing was uneven, his face red as he struggled to ask, trying not to make strange sounds.

Lu Xiao chuckled softly, biting his earlobe while removing their clothing piece by piece: “Forgot? I mentioned before that I prepared a surprise for you.”

Mentioned before… Shen Ci’s nose wrinkled, thinking carefully for a long time but couldn’t remember.

“Little fool…” Lu Xiao lay beside him, holding his waist: “I originally wanted to propose at Mr. Min’s banquet, but those scumbags interrupted, so I had to move it to now.”

Only then did Shen Ci have a vague impression.

Lu Xiao said no more, moving closer to nuzzle Shen Ci’s forehead, their burning breaths intertwining.

Shen Ci’s eyes were red-rimmed, not daring to look at Lu Xiao’s deep black eyes that stirred overwhelming desire, his heart beating like a drum, vaguely afraid.

“Baby…” Lu Xiao murmured against Shen Ci’s ear. His body was very hot, causing Shen Ci to shiver when he pulled close.

He clearly felt Lu Xiao’s presence, felt the veins bulging with restraint on his skin, felt Lu Xiao’s excessive gentleness in not wanting to hurt him.

But no matter what, Shen Ci didn’t want Lu Xiao to suffer anymore.

Lu Xiao closed his eyes, struggling to control his heavy breathing, comforting in a hoarse voice: “Baby, don’t be afraid. Tonight we can just use hands—”

“But Little Uncle, I want to.”

Shen Ci interrupted the person above him, his moist pupils full of trust and adoration. He actively wrapped around Lu Xiao’s neck, tilting his head up to bite his trembling lips, quickly being roughly dominated in return…

---

The next morning.

Lu Xiao opened his eyes punctually. After becoming alert, he immediately looked down. Shen Ci was curled in his arms, sleeping sweetly and peacefully.

“Baby…” Lu Xiao’s expression immediately softened, never having felt so satisfied.

Like a satiated, lazy beast, he lowered his head to affectionately nuzzle his exclusive little trophy, his heart soft as mush, sweetened to the point of nausea.

Shen Ci’s naked, pale body was covered with kiss marks and bite marks, bruised and mottled, looking pitiful.

But so beautiful.

Lu Xiao’s cool fingers traced the bite mark on Shen Ci’s neck, where life pulsed beneath, and this place… had already been marked by him, would forever belong to him.

“Mm…” Shen Ci groggily opened his eyes.

Still not fully awake, he burrowed into Lu Xiao’s embrace, unconsciously acting spoiled with his hoarse voice: “Little Uncle, Little Uncle… so cold…”

Lu Xiao’s lips curved, indulgently pulling him closer and covering them with the blanket: “You called me wrong. What did you say last night?”

Shen Ci blinked in confusion, then he remembered after a long moment, his face completely red, just pressing his lips together without speaking.

“Forgot?” Lu Xiao smiled with narrowed eyes: “Should we do it again to help you remember?”

“No, no, I’m practically falling apart…” Shen Ci quickly stopped him, his whole body aching and weak.

Seeing Lu Xiao’s persistence, Shen Ci had no choice but to close his eyes and shamefully call out in a low voice.

“…Husband.”