RITM - 64

Chapter 64: The Twenty-sided Mirrors – Blooming (3)

Two more weeks passed before Xie Xiuchen was discharged from the hospital. As soon as he was out, he took Xie Xinqi to attend a banquet. Though Xinqi had been worried about his health, his determination left her no choice but to carefully tend to him along the way. It wasn’t until they arrived at the venue that she realized it was part of the Xie family’s property—now acquired by He Cheng Group—and finally began to take in her surroundings. The red exhibition tent bore the words “Strategic Cooperation Signing Ceremony,” with two company names prominently displayed above: “He Cheng Group” and “Xie Real Estate Co., Ltd.” 

“Wait… didn’t our family already get acquired?” She stared at the text, rubbing her eyes. “Oh right, He Yingze is your cousin. He probably wouldn’t be so harsh on you. Did the two of you agree on a strategic partnership?” 

“Xinqi is so smart. If our child turns out as clever as you, it would be wonderful.” 

Xinqi froze, her cheeks flushing red. How could he say something like that… Embarrassed but unwilling to show her inexperience, she cleared her throat and replied, “What if the child inherits your brains instead?” 

“No problem. Looking like me will be enough. After all, this is a world that values appearances.” 

“And what if the opposite happens? With your brains and my…” Before she could finish, Xie Xiuchen gave a calm smile, and she realized she’d walked right into his trap. 

That day, Xie Xinqi wore a rose-red evening gown, her voluminous curls pinned atop her head, adorned with large silver earrings. From afar, she looked like an ancient Greek goddess stepping out of an oil painting. Such an elegant appearance didn’t suit being overly surprised. After finally calming her complicated emotions, she looked up only to see another figure in red. She waved, and the girl in front of her waved back. At first glance, she thought she was looking in a mirror. But upon closer inspection, the differences between them became apparent. 

“We already look alike, and now we’re even wearing the same outfit.” The girl in front—Luo Wei—laughed. 

Xie Xiuchen, however, extended his hand naturally. “Hello, Mrs. He.” 

After shaking hands with him, Luo Wei turned to Xie Xinqi and greeted her warmly. “Good evening, Mr. and Miss Xie. I’m a shareholder and marketing director of Vichi. Right now, Vichi is in urgent need of a talented chief designer. Has Miss Xie given it any thought?” 

“Vichi?” Xinqi looked puzzled. 

“Didn’t Mr. Xie tell you? This is the main content of the contract he and my husband signed today. With Miss Xie’s involvement, I believe Vichi—shortened as ‘Wei Qi’—will become the largest jewelry brand in Gongzhou within three years.” 

Xinqi glanced at her, then at Xie Xiuchen, expecting an explanation. Instead, all she got was an indulgent smile. Luo Wei immediately understood that this was his romantic surprise for her and refrained from saying more. Leaning closer, she whispered in Xinqi’s ear, “With your creative talent and my tiny bit of cleverness, we’ll definitely make the company thrive.” 

Xinqi still felt dizzy, but seeing Luo Wei’s sharp yet friendly smile, her hostility melted away for the first time, replaced by a mix of pride and reluctant joy. 

A short while later, He Yingze came over to greet Xie Xiuchen and escorted Luo Wei away. They had only taken a few steps when He Yingze, without looking at her, smiled and said, “Even from so far away, I could feel your overflowing charm. It seems you’re not only gifted in marketing but might also consider a career in PR, Mrs. He.” 

“‘Really?’” Luo Wei first looked at him with starry eyes, then exaggeratedly stretched her face into a bored expression. “If I actually said that, you’d probably respond with, ‘Try shaking hands with a few more men,’ and scare me into nightmares for half the night.” 

Since truly beginning their married life, Luo Wei had discovered that He Yingze’s controlling personality was even worse than it appeared on the surface. When it came to clothing, he only allowed her to expose her collarbone; if her dress was shorter than knee-length, he would mockingly remark, “You might as well not wear anything.” Any man who so much as glanced at her would cause his face to darken instantly—even deliverymen weren’t allowed to chat with her too much. He even imposed a curfew on her: no going out after sunset unless accompanied by him. Was this some kind of Tang Dynasty time-travel scenario? Going out alone would get her beaten by imperial guards. No, it was worse than the Tang Dynasty—there wasn’t even a Lantern Festival reprieve. But oh well, marrying He Yingze came with its costs. 

He Yingze lightly clapped his hands. “Mrs. He’s IQ has risen recently. Truly touching.” 

“Don’t keep calling me ‘Mrs. He’ left and right. No matter how many times you remind me, I still need time to accept the fact that we’re married. You know, becoming your wife feels surreal.” 

“Having a baby will make it real.” 

Unbelievable—he dared to say such a thing in such a high-end, crowded venue. Outwardly, Luo Wei remained as calm as still water, but inside, a tsunami raged. Just then, another lively voice chimed in: “Have one! Have one! Have one! The powerful genes of the He family must be passed down!” Turning around, they saw the ever-mischievous ninth brother of the He family. Despite his dapper appearance, his words were a hundred times bolder than his older brother’s. “Especially Brother Six—on the international sperm bank forum, his sperm has been bid up to thirty-six thousand US dollars!” 

“What? You actually sold your sperm…?” Luo Wei was shocked. 

“No, no, Sister-in-law! It’s others doing the bidding. Our Brother Six would never do such a thing.”

“This isn’t bad either. If we ever run out of money…” 

Luo Wei blinked at He Yingze, who calmly shot them a mocking smile. “If we’re out of money, then the price wouldn’t be this high, would it?” 

“Sixth Brother, you’re overthinking it! Your wealth has nothing to do with your sperm—people are clearly valuing your…” He coughed twice. “Anyway, Sister-in-law, good luck!” 

Luo Wei couldn’t help but laugh at Ninth Brother’s exaggerated antics. However, the thought of having He Yingze’s baby crossed her mind… She glanced at his profile, accentuated by the beauty mark on his nose—he was impossibly handsome. Shaking her head, she tried to snap herself out of her fangirling thoughts. 

Speaking of babies inevitably brought up the one imperfect aspect of their relationship—during their honeymoon phase, He Yingze’s demands in certain areas left her feeling overwhelmed. She mentally calculated the duration of last night’s activities and sighed in relief. Looking up, she saw him staring at her with confusion. Quickly, she whispered an explanation: “Even though today will be busy, since we did that embarrassing thing yesterday, we can still sleep at the same time as yesterday tonight. Great, great.” 

But after waiting for a long while, she received no response from him. She softly called out, “...He Yingze?” 

“You seem very happy about it.” 

“N-no, I just thought we could sleep earlier...” 

He cut her off mercilessly: “How do you know we’ll sleep early tonight?” 

A chill ran down Luo Wei’s spine. “...What? You’re not that much of a pervert, are you?!” 

“Whether or not we do anything depends on you?” 

“...” 

---

A little while later, Xiao Lajiao arrived on the scene. She wore a pearl-white cocktail dress, her short hair framing her small, mischievous face like a fairy straight out of Peter Pan. Though she was usually casual, this rare moment of dressing up didn’t stop her from being careless about appearances. After exchanging a few words with Luo Wei, she downed a glass of wine. Then, someone gently tapped her shoulder. Turning around, she found Lu Xiren, cheeks slightly flushed, his watery eyes making his six-foot frame look more like five feet. 

“So... you’re Miss Su from the Su family…” 

“Yeah, but don’t mention it,” she waved dismissively, rolling her eyes. “My brother has embarrassed our family so much that I don’t even want to talk about my surname anymore.” 

Her explanation didn’t make him feel any better. When she was still working as a delivery girl, he already found her difficult to pursue. Now, knowing her true identity, he felt even more unworthy of her. Depressed, he slumped his shoulders and muttered, “No wonder you didn’t want to be my girlfriend…” before heading to a corner to sulk alone. 

To his surprise, just as he took two steps, Xiao Lajiao spoke three words behind him: “Who said that?” 

These three words made him snap his head up, his eyes filling with bright, hopeful stars. 

---

Less than twenty minutes remained until the event began. He Yingze and Xie Xiuchen were busy preparing for the ceremony, while Luo Wei and Xie Xinqi crossed paths again. With their striking resemblance and identical outfits, standing side by side, they naturally drew attention. Passing reporters snapped photos of them, and the two intentionally posed in the same way, looking like one person gazing into a mirror. Their genetic similarity was so high, and their smiles so radiant, that their mirrored images repeatedly dazzled Xiao Lajiao and Lu Xiren. Rubbing his forehead, Lu Xiren sighed, “Oh, Queen of Flowers, tell me—of these two blooming red roses, which one is the queen consort of our king?” 

Xiao Lajiao, equally bewildered, replied, “Yeah, which one is Wei Wei? I can’t even tell anymore…” 

At that moment, a young heiress passed by, clearly inexperienced in social settings. Her face bore traces of jealousy and disdain as she deliberately tilted her champagne glass, splashing its contents onto one of the women. The splashed woman simply wiped herself off and smiled, waving it off as no big deal. The other, however, erupted in fury, exuding an imperial aura as she prepared to reprimand the heiress—only to be stopped by the first woman. The heiress walked away smugly, but after only a few steps, the splashed woman chuckled and flicked a few drops of red wine onto the back of the girl’s light beige dress. 

“Alright, that’s Luo Wei. Damn, that was cool as hell,” Xiao Lajiao gave a thumbs-up. 

Seeing Luo Wei’s actions, Xie Xinqi paused, then burst into laughter with her. 

---

When they first met, they didn’t understand each other but envied the lives they perceived the other to have. Or rather, they envied the happiness they imagined the other possessed. At the same time, the other’s existence served as a mirror, reflecting the ugliest parts of themselves. 

Some people look through mirrors to find substitutes and solace, only to lose themselves, like Su Jiannian. 

Others rediscover their true pursuits through their reflections, realizing they seek not appearances but souls, like Xie Xiuchen. 

Still others remain unaffected by mirrors—they are leaders, self-centered and resolute, destined to leave a lasting mark on their era, like He Yingze. 

And some have yet to encounter mirrors, though they may face such troubles in the future. For now, they live fulfilling and joyful lives, like Lu Xiren, Xiao Lajiao, and Chang Feng. 

For Luo Wei and Xie Xinqi, they finally understood that surpassing others was meaningless. Because, aside from oneself, no one truly knows how another person lives. Behind many triumphant smiles lie hidden tears, and many seemingly ordinary or downtrodden individuals harbor no self-pity, their hearts filled with sunlight. 

Other people’s lives are, ultimately, just mirrors. 

If today’s self is better than yesterday’s, then today is a success. Knowing there will be new goals tomorrow ensures the sky remains bright even after the sunset. 

Some may take a long, long time to realize that the most beautiful scenery is the rose itself reflected in the mirror. 

---

By morning, the event had ended. After changing into fresh clothes, Luo Wei dragged He Yingze out for a walk. They strolled for a long, long time, chatting intermittently. Along the way, Luo Wei noticed many people casting glances their way. She whispered, “Why do so many people look at us whenever we go out? Are they looking at me, or at you?”

“Mrs. He is a beauty that could captivate an entire city with just one glance. Clearly, they’re not looking at me.” 

Never having been praised by him like this—even with a hint of teasing—Luo Wei couldn’t help but smile happily. “Mr. He is tall and handsome, the epitome of charm. They must be looking at both of us.” 

He Yingze didn’t respond, only smiled. 

After walking for a while longer, he suddenly said, “By the way, you didn’t go home for the New Year this year. Do you miss your parents?” 

“I do. So next year, I’ll have to go back. Will you come with me?” 

“I’m the pillar of the family now—I can’t leave. You can go back and spend it with your parents.” 

At this, Luo Wei felt a little disheartened. “...Why does it sound like you’re trying to get rid of me?” 

“I’m not. The New Year should be spent with family.” 

After saying this, he waited for her response for a long time, only to glance down and see her staring blankly at him in silent disdain. Realizing his mistake, he quickly corrected himself: “Alright, how about we invite your parents over to celebrate with us?” 

“Since I’m apparently not your family, there’s no need to celebrate together, huh. Heh.” 

He chuckled, ruffling her hair. “I’ve learned my lesson. My little wife may seem approachable, but when she gets angry, she can be quite terrifying.” 

Recently, Luo Wei had been discovering unknown tender sides of He Yingze. Suddenly curious, she asked, “Xiao Ying, I read an interview with Henry Miller once. He said French women hold a high status because, to them, a woman is a complete life—not a toy, companion, or possession. French men also enjoy spending time with women, unlike American men who feel comfortable only around other men. Which do you prefer—spending time with men or women?” 

“And?” 

“Do you prefer being with men or women?” The question seemed redundant; He Yingze was clearly more patriarchal than the average American man. After some thought, she rephrased it: “Would you enjoy spending time with women?” 

“I only enjoy spending time with one woman—you.” 

His answer was firm and immediate, leaving no room for doubt—or perhaps he hadn’t even thought about it. Either way, her heart raced. She smiled, looping her arm through his and resting her head on his shoulder. “I only enjoy spending time with one woman too.” 

“Are you itching for trouble?” 

“Since you love spending time with me so much, if I were to die, how soon would you remarry?” 

He fell silent for a long moment, sighing deeply before meeting her gaze with a serious expression. “I wouldn’t. For the rest of my life, I’d remain unmarried until death.” 

Her heart softened, and her voice grew tender. “...Why is that?” 

“After going through marriage once, I know how exhausting it is to deal with a wife. Why go through it again? Impossible.” 

“...” 

Watching him grin like a mischievous boy, Luo Wei couldn’t help but feel her affection for him grow even stronger. This was what drew her to He Yingze the most—no matter how stern he appeared, he always had moments of childlike vulnerability around her. No one knew that getting him to eat breakfast required coaxing, threats, and bribes. No one knew he would silently beam while watching comedy movies alone. No one knew he whistled in the shower. And no one knew that, in love, he was as simple as a schoolboy. What others saw was King, surrounded by his aura of power, the sixth son of the prestigious He family. But only she knew the real him—Xiao Ying—and Xiao Ying belonged solely to her. 

The feeling of being newlyweds was magical, like suddenly gaining a best friend you could always meet up with. Whether traveling, choosing outfits, or sharing books and movies, they did everything together. Though arguments arose occasionally, whenever she showed even a hint of sadness, he would immediately pull her into a tight embrace without hesitation. 

On planes, trains, park benches, or life’s winding paths—wherever they paused to rest—she could lean on his shoulder whenever she was tired or sleepy. He wasn’t just a friend or husband but also a fatherly figure, always her safe haven. Walking forward on life’s journey, she no longer felt afraid. She vowed to become strong, excellent, and considerate, forever supporting and respecting him. 

Thinking of this, a smile tugged at her lips, earning her another chuckle from him. She looked up at him. “He Yingze.” 

“Hmm?” 

“Do you have any religious beliefs?” 

“No.” 

“Do you believe in reincarnation?” 

“No.” 

“You’re such a boring person,” she teased, sticking out her tongue playfully. 

“Why? Do you believe in it?” 

If she didn’t know him so well, she’d probably be annoyed with him at least thirty times a day. Sighing dramatically, she said, “Yes. I think I must have started liking you from a past life.” 

“Why?” 

“Because I always feel like I owe you something.” 

“What kind of convoluted logic is that?” 

She didn’t reply, instead giving him a sly smile before turning away with her hands behind her back. 

--- 

Before I met you, I never believed in reincarnation. But now I do. 

In a past life, I must have loved you, hurt you, owed you, betrayed you. 

Because I don’t believe one lifetime is enough to like someone this much. It must span across lifetimes of longing. 

Am I right? 

He Yingze. 

She walked ahead briskly, and even silently mouthing his name filled her with sweetness and bittersweet emotion. Then, she heard him call out from behind her: “Luo Wei.” 

She turned back. “What is it?” 

Lost in thought, she hadn’t noticed that spring had quietly arrived. The peach blossoms near the park and along the streets were in full bloom. Petals drifted down, forming a silent carpet of flowers. In the distance, the sky stretched out like a watercolor painting, its diluted blue blending with the towering buildings. She heard the distant melody of waves, a song that became the last heartbeat of humanity. The sea breeze swayed her skirt and rustled the branches. His face flickered in and out of view behind the blossoms, petals resting gently on his shoulders. 

When the wind finally stilled, she finally saw his figure clearly.

He stood still beneath the peach tree, gazing upward without bothering to brush the petals from his clothes. Instead, he simply raised a finger, pointing to the blooming branches above. 

At this moment, the wind had faded, and the fragrance of the blossoms permeated every corner of the street. 

Peering through the flowers, his eyes sparkled with a smile. “Wei’er, look—the flowers have all bloomed.” 

[The End]