Nightfall

In the dark of a chilly night, secrets are like whispered promises, shared in the hushed intimacy that can only be found in darkness. The dark night cloaked the world in an inky shroud as the day's colors faded into nothingness, and the world took on another appeal.

The world was bathed in the soft glow of the two full moons and the shimmering light of a billion frosty stars. The crisp air was visible with each breath, a visible cloud in the chilly night air.

The earth was blanketed in a misty layer of dew, that rapidly turned into frost. Winter was coming, and the earth would soon be covered in snow.

The northern Donghua winter was beautiful but harsh. Many died of cold or hunger every year, but that wasn't a worry for the two households currently organized in the Wang residence in Yilin.

Under the covers of the night, two lovers found comfort in their forbidden affection. Society, with its unforgiving gaze, could never accept the bond they shared. But beneath the canopy of stars, their love was an untamed fire, burning bright against the judgmental backdrop of the day.

Their rendezvous became a ritual, hidden from the prying eyes and wagging tongues of the world. They met in the moon's gentle glow, where their laughter and whispers were shared like precious gems.

Their love seemed to be more genuine and passionate because it was born of defiance. In the secrecy of the night, they were free to be themselves, free to love without judgment or fear.

In a few hours, one of them would be married while the other remained single, but this was good for them. With a certain desire filled ger, they wouldn't need to work too hard to hide their affections.

They would need to be careful around the servants in Nanshan, it wouldn't be a world of only two, but it would be nice either way.

Above, the sky becomes a celestial masterpiece, a glittering cloak of stars that stretch beyond the imagination. A river of stardust, showered across the heavens, guiding the way for generations of stargazers.

Each twinkling carries its own story, a reminder of the vastness of the universe beyond. Theirs was a beautiful story as well.

"I will always be yours."

"And I yours…"

Their hearts beat in unison, a rhythm that only they could hear. The two tall men stood there, the world fading away around them, lost in the moment. The connection between them had been building for so long, and now, in this tender instant, it was as if the universe had plotted to bring their lips together.

The self-control they both practiced so much over the past few weeks seemed fake.

And then, their lips finally met—a soft, tentative kiss that spoke of longing and desire. They had been in the Jinghua mansion for the last few weeks under close watch of Lady Xuan and her servants ahead of Xuan Yang's wedding.

It was only now, in the Wang mansion, did they finally have the time to be with each other. But only the connection between their lips could be joined.

It was a moment of sweet surrender, a meeting of souls that had found their way to each other. Their lips moved in perfect harmony, a dance of passion and tenderness, and time seemed to stand still.

As the kiss deepened, it became a masterpiece of emotions. Their hands found each other, fingers tangling, holding on as if afraid to let go. The world around them faded into obscurity, and they were lost in the beautiful sensation of their mouths moving together, of their hearts beating as one.

It was a kiss that held the promise of a thousand tomorrows, a kiss that sealed their love, and a kiss that would forever remain fixed in their memories—a moment when two souls became one, and the world outside stopped.

Yet, not far from this hidden love affair, another story unfolded under the cover of darkness. A father and his father engaged in a battle of words that cut deeper than any blade.

In the absence of daylight's limitations, their confrontations were vicious, their barbed words like poisoned arrows, fueled by long-held grudges and unspoken resentments.

The darkness became their sanctuary for unleashing pent-up anger and frustration, where their disagreements took on monstrous forms in the shadows.

In the cloak of night, the father's grievances and the grandfather's stubbornness clashed like thunder in the quiet town, their harsh words echoing through the night like a storm.

The secrets of the night unfolded, revealing two opposite tales under the same foreign roof. One, of forbidden love, kindled in defiance of society's norms, and the other, of a family torn apart by unsettled battles, their wounds searing in the anonymity of the dark night.

In the quiet hours when the world sleeps, the secrets of the night are whispered to those willing to listen.

On the cleared slope in Nanshan village, the Nanshan estate stood, grand and imposing. The silhouette of a long slender back could clearly be seen. The owner stared up in awe at the dual moons.

The tall ger had already gone to sleep for the night, but here he was in the open courtyard of his blooming courtyard. The night was calling his name, his anxiety was calling his name, and even the ring given by "his mother" was calling his name.

After scurrying out of his room without waking San who was on watch, Xu Feng found a beautiful and clear spot in front of his house to star gaze.

The ring in his hand was searing hot, but it seemed to anchor him to this new world, and remind him that none of this was a dream.

He was in a different world.

He was a ger.

He was alone in this new world.

He was getting married in a few hours.

Everything seemed more real as he stared up into the sky.

*Sigh

Xu Feng rubbed the ring, as he shivered in the chilly air, "I should get some sleep."