"Finally finished!" Shenhe leapt up in delight. Elliot, who had just opened the door, froze for a moment before quickly catching her in his arms.
"This is our home..."
Shenhe gazed at the house before her, joy lighting up her face.
The house had three floors. The first floor contained a kitchen, living room, bathroom, dining room, and a tea room. It was also connected to a courtyard.
Fragrant flowers and plants filled the yard. Between two trees hung a leisurely, inviting hammock, and beside it stood a swing. That was the first floor.
The second floor held a large master bedroom with an attached walk-in closet. Elliot had always planned to buy Shenhe many beautiful dresses in the future, so he had designed the closet with plenty of space. Naturally, the master bedroom also came with a bathroom that had a bathtub. Next to it were two secondary bedrooms—meant for future children or for visiting friends.
The third floor was a study. Recently, Elliot had become fond of reading and was even trying his hand at writing. Perhaps he had simply been through too much; now he preferred drinking tea, reading, listening to rain, and admiring flowers.
Outside the study was a small gazebo, surrounded by a ring of greenery. Inside were a few stools and a barbecue grill. Warm lights were hidden within the leaves, creating a cozy, comforting glow beneath the night sky.
For a moment, Shenhe stood dazed, the soft, warm lights flickering in her eyes.
"It's beautiful..." she breathed.
"Yes. It really is," Elliot said, smiling gently as he looked at the home that now belonged to them.
Soon, the glow inside the house reflected in Shenhe's eyes, and a clear tear slid down her cheek.
"I never thought... this day would really come..." Her eyes reddened.
She had imagined countless times how Elliot would marry her, and they having a warm home together. But seeing it now with her own eyes still felt like a dream.
And she wasn't the only one who felt that way. Even Elliot found himself wondering if this was all real. He never thought he would truly return to her side—let alone build a home like this with her.
"Elliot..." Shenhe turned toward him, disbelief trembling in her voice.
"Is this real...?"
Elliot didn't answer. He simply looked at her tenderly, cupped her cheeks in his hands, lowered his head, and kissed her forehead.
Then, drawing her gently into his arms, he looked toward the warm home ahead and whispered softly, "Of course it's real."
"Come on, let's go inside." Elliot took Shenhe's hand and stepped into the house.
From the entrance to the rooftop, they examined every corner. This was their home—a home that belonged solely to them.
"It's so beautiful..." Shenhe murmured repeatedly.
Once, she had looked down upon the mundane affairs of the world and couldn't comprehend why anyone would choose to form an inseparable family with a complete stranger. Having lived in the wilderness for years, she believed one could live quite comfortably alone—carefree, unbound, needing neither to consider others nor compromise herself.
Only now did she finally grasp how foolish those former thoughts had been.
"Still looking?" Elliot asked, approaching Shenhe's side.
"Mm... I want to remember everything here." Shenhe's cheeks flushed slightly as she tucked her hair behind her ear, her tone exceptionally gentle.
"Let's eat first. I made tomato and egg noodles for you," Elliot offered with a faint smile.
"Tomato and egg noodles!?" Shenhe paused, surprise giving way to delight.
"Yes! Come on, don't let it get cold."
"Okay~"
They entered the dining area beside the kitchen, where two bowls of steaming noodles awaited on the table. The familiar aroma drew Shenhe eagerly over.
"Try it," Elliot murmured, smiling at her wide-eyed excitement.
"Mmm!" Shenhe nodded, picked up a strand of noodles, blew on it, and popped it into her mouth.
A moment's chewing brought that familiar taste, making her pause. She quickly scooped up another large portion of noodles, shoveling them into her mouth without blowing.
But before she could take another bite, Elliot stopped her.
"No rush. I won't be leaving this time. As long as you want it, I'll make it for you every day."
Hearing this, Shenhe realized she'd just lost her composure.
"I'm sorry..." She bowed her head apologetically.
"It's okay, sweetie. Take your time. Don't burn yourself." Elliot ruffled her hair gently, his voice soft and reassuring.
"Mm~" This time, she ate slowly, savoring each bite, carefully chewing to appreciate that familiar, unique flavor.
"Shenhe, let's get married the day after tomorrow." Midway through the meal, Elliot suddenly spoke up.
"The day after tomorrow...?" She felt a flutter of nervousness.
"Yes. The house is ready, and I want to marry you as soon as possible."
"But... don't you want to reconsider? I have so many flaws, I..."
"I only want you."
Before Shenhe could finish, Elliot cut her off.
Shenhe froze, her eyes widening as she stared at Elliot. Meeting his determined, earnest gaze, her face instantly flushed.
"Shenhe, no one in this world is perfect. Everyone has flaws.
I love you, and I love you with all your flaws, because they are part of who you are.
I have many flaws too, and I hope you can accept mine as well.
"We need to work together to minimize our flaws and embrace each other's imperfections, if only for each other's sake. In the future, we might disagree, we might argue, we might clash over trivial matters. These things are inevitable, but we can't let such small things make us doubt the decision we're making today.
"I will write down your virtues, word for word. During our conflicts, during our cold wars, I will open that page and read it over and over again. That way, I'll focus on how much I'd lose if I lost you, instead of dwelling on your flaws and thinking losing you would bring me relief.
"Shenhe, marrying you is a decision I've made after deep consideration.
I won't doubt this decision for even a moment—not now, not ever."
Shenhe listened to Elliot's words, her eyes reddened. Words she had never even imagined hearing.
To outsiders, she was either a white-haired Adeptus who punished evildoers, or a white-haired witch who resorted to violence at the slightest provocation. Apart from her master, no one had ever treated her with genuine kindness.
It was Elliot's arrival that pulled her from that lonely, icy world. He brought her into the mortal world, introduced her to Jean, let her taste countless delicacies she'd never known, and showed her the twinkling lights beneath the night sky. Finally, Elliot resolved the most troubling issue plaguing her—the Lonesome Transcendence.
He traded his own fortunate destiny for her Lonesome Transcendence, freeing her from nightmares that haunted her sleep and the fear of drawing close to others.
Now, Elliot had given her a warm home, and was about to marry her.
Shenhe felt she was the happiest person in the world—happier than anyone else. And the luckiest—lucky enough to have met Elliot.
"The day after tomorrow..."
"I will marry you..."
"I will marry you in the most beautiful way..."