CHAPTER. 111. Ending

"I do."

There was no hesitation in Xie Yan's voice, his gaze was focused and earnest. Su Shen didn't avoid his gaze this time and met his eyes directly.

"Ms. Su Shen, do you take Mr. Xie Yan to be your lawfully wedded husband? No matter for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness or in health, in happiness or in sorrow, you will love him without reservation and stay devoted to him as long as you live?"

Facing Si Yi's question, Su Shen held the mic and took a deep breath before replying firmly, "I do."

In an instant, the crowd below erupted into enthusiastic applause, and some naughty individuals shouted, "KISS, KISS, KISS!"

As the voices grew louder, Xie Yan held the mic and said earnestly and resolutely while looking at Su Shen, "I had never believed that some things or people in this world could not be replaced, nor did I believe that certain things must happen. But, since I met you, I realized that there is someone who is truly irreplaceable. I had never felt grateful for anything or anyone, but at this moment, I am thankful to the heavens for letting me meet you, for appearing in my life."

The deep and sincere voice of the man echoed in every corner of the hall. Whether familiar with Xie Yan or not, everyone knew that he was not an emotional or talkative person. Thus, his heartfelt words moved many hearts, and the applause erupted enthusiastically.

Su Shen tried to hold back her tears all along, not knowing what to say. Although it was just a ceremony, the weight of the moment felt infinitely magnified in her heart.

Holding the mic, she suppressed her choked-up emotions and looked into his eyes for the first time, saying earnestly, "I'm also very thankful for this opportunity given by the heavens. It made me understand that in life, there are gains and losses. I'm fortunate that what I've gained far outweighs what I've lost. I promise that from now on, I will be there for you, take care of you, take care of our home, and walk with you to the end of our lives.

As those words fell, the hall erupted into ardent applause once again, and the calls for a kiss grew louder and louder. Taking a step forward, Xie Yan embraced Su Shen, smiling without saying a word.

In the next moment, a pair of small hands suddenly wrapped around his neck, and a soft and warm pair of ruby lips pressed against his. Xie Yan jolted and quickly came to his senses when he heard the deafening cheers. He took control of the situation, holding her waist tightly and kissing her deeply in return.

Su Shen didn't know where she found the courage to do such a thing, but she did it, and she had no regrets about it!

Fortunately, Xie Yan also knew that this was not an appropriate venue for intimacy, and he quickly let go of her. The crowd cheered, and then they exchanged rings. After that, Su Shen immediately went to the room to change into the wedding reception gown.

Su Shen had put a lot of effort into the embroidery for this gown herself. Although it was a bit heavy and the hairpins in her hair were quite elaborate, Su Shen was already used to such intricate attire in her previous life. Thus, even while walking, she didn't feel tired at all.

During the toasting, Su Shen and Xie Yan didn't drink much as they were mostly blocked by Li Hao. When Li Hao couldn't handle it anymore, Xie Yan brought in Zhong Quan. When Zhong Quan couldn't handle it either, Sun Zhi was brought in. Finally, when Xie Yan couldn't find anyone else, he even pulled in Wang Cheng, but he couldn't hold his liquor well. Toward the end, during the toasts with some relatives, Xie Yan had to drink on his own.

After a whole day of festivities and celebrations, Su Shen hardly had a chance to eat anything. When they finally returned home at night, Xie Yan proved to be capable enough to prevent anyone from coming to disturb their bridal night. After Su Shen took a shower, she felt completely exhausted and collapsed on the bed.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, Su Shen suddenly felt an itch on her neck. She had gotten used to this, but there was still a lingering smell of alcohol on him. Despite taking a shower, there was still a faint scent of alcohol. It seemed like he had drunk quite a lot.

Feeling exhausted, Su Shen nudged his head. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and said, "Xie Yan."

A certain someone still didn't look up and continued to passionately kiss her neck.

"We should go to the hospital tomorrow."

He looked up with a frown, puzzled.

Su Shen pursed her lips and her gaze wandered. "I… I don't know if I might be pregnant."

Xie Yan: "...."

His breath paused for a sec, and it seemed like a string in his mind snapped, causing a buzzing sound.

Upon seeing him remain silent, Su Shen sat up straight and stared at him seriously, saying, "I'm not lying to you. I haven't had my period for a week, so… it suddenly occurred to me."

Blushing, she seemed hesitant to speak. Taking a deep breath, Xie Yan gently held her in his arms, feeling a myriad of emotions.

"We'll go check tomorrow. Go to sleep, I won't touch you," he said, taking a deep breath of the sweet scent from her hair. At this moment, he didn't know whether to be happy or worried. Happy because he and Su Shen were finally going to have a child! Worried because if she really was pregnant, all the hustle and bustle today might have an impact on the baby.

Su Shen remained silent and let him hold her as they slept. Seeing his frown, she thought he might be feeling uncomfortable. Blushing, she hesitantly extended her hand and asked, "Do… you need my help?"

"En?" Xie Yan couldn't react momentarily, but when he saw her burying her head almost entirely under the blanket, he finally came back to his senses. He chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Where did you learn all these things?"

In her eyes, was he really so thirsty?

"No, I… I'm just afraid that you'll be in pain," Su Shen muffled in the blanket.

Lowering his head, he kissed her on the forehead and said gently, "I'm not in pain, as long as you're okay."

His gentle voice sounded in her ears; Su Shen remained silent, but her hands under the blanket tightened around his waist. Xie Yan chuckled, and without saying anything more, he held her and continued to sleep.

News of the wedding continued to spread online, and the internet was filled with congratulatory messages. There were only a few antis trying to spoil the happiness. Someone had leaked a video of the wedding, and as a result, more and more people were expressing their belief in love again.

The next day, when Su Shen went to the hospital for a check-up, Xie Yan's mom insisted on going along. After confirming that she was already half a month pregnant, Xie Yan's mom was overjoyed and immediately said she wanted to move in to take care of her. Su Shen didn't really mind, but she felt that there was no need to trouble the elderly. However, Xie Yan's mom seemed determined, and no matter how much Xie Yan opposed, it was of no use.

Knowing that she really wanted to hold her grandchild, Su Shen didn't refuse. However, she started to regret it a bit when she had to drink those nourishing soups every day, and she couldn't even go out normally. Even when she was nominated for the Silver Lion Award for Best Actress, she had to persuade her mother-in-law for a long time before she was allowed to attend the awards ceremony. When she saw that Xie Yan was also going, her mother-in-law gave him a long admonishment before finally relenting.

Su Shen hadn't appeared in front of the camera for a long while. This time, she walked the red carpet with Xie Yan. As she couldn't wear high heels, she used the long skirt of her dress to cover the part of her shoes, but this made Xie Yan look much taller than her.

As it was their first public appearance together after going public and coupled with their recent wedding, the cameras went off as soon as they stepped on the red carpet. Su Shen held Xie Yan's arm as they walked to the center, and the host immediately asked them to come over.

"Wow, though it's a bit late, I still wanted to say congrats! Did you two go on a honeymoon recently?" The hostess extended the mic with a smile.

There were cameras all around them. Today, Su Shen wore a fluffy pink fairy-like dress that covered her body completely. Her pregnancy wasn't showing yet, so nothing could be seen. Upon hearing the hostess' question, she took the mic and said with a smile, "No, I'm afraid of the cold, so we plan to wait for better weather before going on our honeymoon."

Hearing this, the other host asked curiously, "Will you stop acting after getting married?"

Just as Su Shen was about to speak, Xie Yan suddenly said, "Planning to."

Su Shen: "...."

Instantly, both hosts were in shock. Could it be that Xie Yan was planning to retire from the entertainment industry?

With limited time, the hosts could only hastily ask a few questions before letting them go. Perhaps worried that she might trip, Xie Yan kept holding her hand and would occasionally check to see if she was stepping on her dress or not.

After entering the venue, the organizer thoughtfully placed their seats together. Su Shen sat there, getting ready to scroll through her phone, while Xie Yan went to get a shawl from Xiao Zhou to cover her. He was afraid she might feel cold from the AC inside.

Ever since knowing that she was pregnant, Su Shen felt like she couldn't walk a few steps without being watched. Moreover, Xie Yan had really not taken on any new work. He claimed it was because he wanted to be there for the birth of their child. Su Shen didn't want to force him, and she was fine with it. Besides, behind-the-scenes investments were more profitable.

The award ceremony was being broadcasted live, and the host was already livening up the atmosphere on stage. Su Shen, on the other hand, looked down, engrossed in scrolling through her phone.

Xie Yan covered her glowing screen with his hand, whispering, "It's emitting radiation."

Su Shen: "...."

Turning around, she pulled his hand away and frowned in displeasure. "It's so boring, I'll just be on it for a bit. A little won't cause any harm. Besides, if I have to keep holding back, I might end up with prenatal depression."

He had never seen early prenatal depression before, but Xie Yan didn't say much and reluctantly compromised, "At most for ten minutes."

Su Shen pulled his hand and blinked pitifully, "20 minutes."

Just at that moment, a camera swept by, and Su Shen immediately put on a smile again.

Helpless, Xie Yan smiled and sat there without saying anything further.

The awards were still being passed out on stage, and Xie Yan would have to present the Best Supporting Actor award as a guest presenter later. When he went backstage, Su Shen immediately took out her phone. It had been a long time since she had the chance to enjoy playing with her phone freely.

Since getting pregnant, Su Shen rarely went on her phone and posted on Weibo. Meanwhile, Xie Yan loved sharing his daily tidbits. There was an unwritten rule in the entertainment industry that it wasn't good to announce a pregnancy before the first three months. Despite not making any official announcement, rumors of her being pregnant had been circulating online almost daily. This event was also the first time she and Xie Yan appeared together after going public, and the barrage of comments in the livestream was flooded about them.

Netizen A: AHHHHHHH! My Su Su has become even more beautiful!

Netizen B: To keep holding hands even when speaking, how strong is Yan ge's possessiveness? [joy]

Netizen C: Just ate another spoonful of dog food unexpectedly!!!

Netizen D: The way Xie Yan looks at Su Shen's so sweet! This old man's inner fangirl heart can't handle it!!!

Netizen E: Is it true that our idol is going to retire for the sake of his family? Please don't scare me! [sob]

Netizen F: With a beloved wifey at home, he has no heart to act anymore. [joy]

Just at this moment, Xie Yan was already presenting the award to the winner. Afraid that he might see her using the phone, Su Shen immediately put it away and earnestly focused on the stage.

After he finished presenting the award and came back, Su Shen's phone buzzed again, but she didn't go check the notification. Instead, she continued to attentively watch the awards being presented on stage.

Seeing her pretending expression, Xie Yan directly took her phone from her bag. Su Shen immediately turned around and innocently whispered, "I wasn't using it."

Putting her phone into his own suit pocket, Xie Yan glanced at her and said, "Did you think I couldn't see you from the stage?"

Su Shen: "....." Should she say his eyesight is really good?

Su Shen snorted softly and said nothing. She felt that her future would be very miserable. Maybe she should just go back to her parents' home. But then, what if her mom also insisted on making her drink nourishing soups every day?

Nuzzling her head close, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and whispered, "It's just ten months, even I can endure it. Why can't you?"

With so many people around, Su Shen instantly pried his hand away. She couldn't process what he meant at first, but once she understood, she didn't want to bother with him anymore. How could playing on her phone be the same matter as what he was suggesting?

On the big screen onstage, clips of several nominees for Best Actress were being played. It seemed like rivals inevitably would cross paths. This time, Cen Qing and Fan Meng were both nominated. The entertainment industry was only so large, and there were only a few top actresses on the silver screen, so it was normal to encounter each other in such situations. However, Su Shen wasn't nervous at all, perhaps because she had the support of Xie Yan sitting next to her.

The presenters, Jiang Liankai and a famous director, playfully teased all the nominated actresses. When it was Su Shen's turn, they said very curiously, "I've noticed that Su Shen's acting has improved remarkably, which is truly admirable. So, I'm curious, do you often seek advice from Xie Yan to enhance your acting?"

Hearing this, everyone in the audience burst into laughter. Facing his teasing, Su Shen looked down and said nothing. Seeing that Xie Yan had something to say, the host ran down and handed him the mic. Looking at the stage, Xie Yan said with a smile, "We exchange ideas and learn from each other to improve together. Any objections?"

"No, no, no, it's great. But, I do think that Su Shen has much more potential. I remember you've come close to winning the Silver Lion Award three times, right? If Su Shen can win it, does that mean she's better than you?" Jiang Liankai playfully instigated, enjoying the excitement of the moment.

Although Xie Yan had won two other Best Actor awards, he had always missed the Silver Lion Award whenever he was nominated, so he had never achieved the elusive triple Grand Slam. Those who knew about this inside joke laughed and playfully scolded Jiang Liankai for being mischievous, but it was all in good fun among friends.

The host was still crouching there without taking back the mic, and Xie Yan said very naturally, "She was already better than me from the start."

As his words spread throughout the entire venue, everyone started cheering. Meanwhile, Cen Qing kept a smile on her face while clenching her fist. Only Su Shen looked down and covered her face, too embarrassed to look at the camera. She realized that Xie Yan really didn't understand being low-key.

The people on stage were already dead and deceased from him and didn't want to poke fun at him anymore. After seeing the award winner, Jiang Liankai finally spoke into the mic seriously, "Although many people are criticizing the new generation of actors for not being professional enough, I believe they still need time to grow. And the winner of this award, I think, is the artist who has shown the most rapid growth in the past two years!"

With that said, the director beside him suddenly said, "The winner of the Best Newcomer Award at the 53rd Silver Lion Awards is…"

"Su Shen!" Jiang Liankai led the applause while saying, "Congratulations, Su Shen!"

As the spotlight suddenly shone on her, Su Shen was taken aback for a moment. It wasn't until Xie Yan hugged her that she snapped out of it. Holding onto him, she carefully lifted her gown and walked up to the stage.

Jiang Liankai knew that Su Shen was pregnant, so he specially came over to support her. When she received the heavy award trophy, standing in front of the mic with so many cameras and countless eyes on her, Su Shen felt a mix of emotions that overwhelmed her for a moment.

As the applause continued, Su Shen glanced at the spot where Xie Yan was sitting before speaking into the mic earnestly, "I feel that I've been very fortunate. Not everyone in life will have a mentor who guides them on their path, but I was lucky to have met him. Many times, I would get trapped in my own thoughts, and for the sake of a role, I couldn't get myself out of character. He never objected to any of my ideas and would always help me choose the right path at critical moments."

"Many people say that I'm very lucky, so I've been working hard to break free from the labels others give me. But later on, I realized that as long as I've tried my best and given my all, even if I fail, there won't be any regrets. It's just that I wasn't good enough."

"I'm actually quite timid at times, and I don't like it when others pressure me. But he has never forced me to do anything. I must honestly say that I owe a lot of my success and this award to him," Su Shen said as she looked down at the audience and smiled, "Thank you, my love."

In an instant, the audience erupted in enthusiastic applause once again. Even Yao Yin and He Hua, who were sitting in the audience, were surprised. They wondered if Su Shen had taken some kind of stimulant today because her courage had grown so much. This was not the same Su Shen they knew!

After finishing her speech, Su Shen walked off the stage holding the trophy in a daze. Although she maintained a smile on her face, her mind was muddleheaded. She had no idea what she had just said. Right now, she felt completely stupefied.

Looking at her walk down from the stage, Xie Yan went forward and supported her. He was taken aback by the unexpected feeling of being favored. He felt that this moment was the most glorious in his life. He knew firsthand how thin-skinned Su Shen was, but everything that had just happened left him feeling incredulous.

Sitting in the audience, Su Shen was still in a daze. She had no idea what Xie Yan had said either. When the awards ceremony ended, the reporters swarmed in. Thankfully, He Hua called the bodyguards to ward them off. Xie Yan then carefully escorted Su Shen into the car.

Sitting in the driver's seat, Xie Yan quickly drove the car away. It was quiet inside the car as Su Shen held the trophy in her hands, sitting quietly there. Knowing that it took her a lot of courage to say those words on stage, Xie Yan didn't disturb her and allowed her the time to adjust her emotions.

Outside the window, the rain was pouring heavily, creating a rhythmic sound as it hit the car window. When Su Shen finally came back to her senses, her heart was still racing as she looked at the trophy in her hands. Then, she playfully waved it in front of Xie Yan. "See that? I'm better than you."

Blushing as she said those words, she couldn't help but notice that Xie Yan was acting a bit unusual today. Surprisingly, he didn't tease her.

"En, I have the most amazing wife," Xie Yan said with a smile as he continued to drive.

Knowing he wouldn't be proper, Su Shen blushed and didn't feel like talking to him anymore. Instead, she covered her chest to calm her racing heart. She felt that saying those words made her more nervous than receiving the award itself.

At some point, the car had already stopped outside the mansion. It wasn't actually very far away, but Xie Yan called his mom to bring an umbrella out for them.

Outside, the heavy rain continued to pour down, washing the car windows from all directions. Su Shen was still looking out the window, while Xie Yan's gaze fell on her flat abdomen. He then took away the trophy she was holding and rested his head on her belly, softly saying, "Our daughter will definitely be amazing too."

Looking at the head resting on her belly, Su Shen couldn't help but gently caressed his hair and let out a laugh. "You can't be biased, you know. A boy would be just as great! And I'll make sure to dress him up really nicely. I think he'll definitely be even more handsome than you."

Hearing this, Xie Yan frowned. "A daughter can't be dressed beautifully?"

Su Shen choked for a moment, and in the end, she could only turn around and snorted coldly, pouting slightly, "In any case, you're biased!"

Seeing her displeased expression, Xie Yan could only hug her waist and bury his face in her neck, taking a deep breath. "Then, let's have a boy and a girl."

Upon hearing that, Su Shen couldn't help but purse her lips. She wasn't a fortune teller, so how would she know when she would give birth to a boy and a girl? Anyway, he was just talking without experiencing the difficulties himself.

The heavy rain outside continued to pour, and when Xie Yan looked up, he met her bright eyes and whispered, "No, it's not good to have too many children."

Su Shen was taken aback, and when she realized what he meant, she blushed. This man had no bottom line whatsoever!