Chapter 74

****Chapter 74: Radiant Light [End of Main Story]**

**[Aurora Super Topic]**
The CP fans who’d been waiting hungrily finally got a new picture drop!
The colors were intense and vivid—stunningly beautiful.

But—
They didn’t understand it.

In the painting—
Threads of red intertwined like vines, forming a cage. Pristine glaciers and blazing flames wove together, trying to break free, only to be pinned down by a white lion perched atop the cage, using its furry paw to press them back down.

**“@GlitchLord, are you… hitting a creative block?”**
**“Still don’t get it, just can’t understand!”**
**“Red threads, glaciers, fire? A cage? All that in one image just feels weird. And what’s with the white cat?”**
**“Glitch: That’s a lion.”**

He Lingji looked on as they mistook the lion for a cat.
Expressionless, he dropped a cold comment.
Whether they understood or not—what did that have to do with him?

In the newly established studio inside the He Group building,
The man wore his usual black silk shirt, slender fingers idly spinning a fine paintbrush.
In front of him sat the very painting in question.

His gaze landed on the proud, domineering little white lion at the top.
How could that look like a cat?
It was clearly a feisty, temperamental little lion.

He mischievously dotted a tiny cinnabar mole on its pink nose,
Adding a touch of playfulness.

Under the bright lights, a low chuckle escaped He Lingji’s thin lips,
His handsome face coming to life like a painting.

…

Recently,
He Lingji had been posting more works on the Super Topic.
There was the little white lion wrapped in sheer golden silk, fierce and majestic.
There were vases from different angles with spider lilies.
And some showed the lion and vases both entangled in red thread.

The elements were minimal, but the variety of interpretations seemed endless.
The CP fans who’d once had hopes for GlitchLord: “…”

From “I don’t get it,”
They had now progressed to… degeneracy.

For instance, upon seeing the red thread,
Their minds jumped to—
**“Bondage play.”**
And the little white lion—
**“Whoa, human–beast play?!”**

In short,
They were either dying from the explosive tension or silently spiraling into perversion.

Some slightly more “normal” fans
Started tagging Little Watermelon like mad,
Begging her to turn their mental images into human form!

Wu Yuxi had been so busy she didn’t even have time to sleep, let alone scroll Weibo.
After returning to China, Qin Mang hadn’t been idle either—
She went to Northern City to shoot several ads,
And then attended a long-scheduled interview
To promote her new movie.

Only now did she finally get a breather.

On the way back to the lakeside estate,
Qin Mang had already gotten He Lingji’s recent schedule from Secretary Cong,
So she knew he was free that afternoon—
Perfect timing for a surprise!

She couldn’t always be the one getting surprised by him.

Suddenly, her private phone buzzed.
Qin Mang lazily unlocked the screen.

**Xiao Orange:** [Sis-in-law! My brother got a tattoo?! Did you know??]
**[Photo.jpg]**

Qin Mang looked at the photo He Xucheng had sent. It wasn’t a close-up but a wide shot.
The cold, handsome man was lounging on a black sofa in the game room,
Wearing casual shorts that reached his knees, long legs relaxed.
He looked completely unbothered, playing games with a group of younger cousins.

Even from his posture, you could tell he was barely trying.

Only then did Qin Mang remember today was the He family’s monthly banquet,
Where all free family members were required to attend.

She hadn’t expected that even a workaholic capitalist like him could still find time to game.

But her gaze eventually locked onto the red string wrapped around his ankle.

Her lips curled up.

**Little Lion Roar Meow:** [Tattoo? That’s a red string.]
**[The red string of fate!]**
**[I tied it on myself!]**

She didn’t expect He Lingji to have kept it on this whole time—
And in such good condition.

She had thought that thin thread, finer than a strand of hair, would be too fragile to last,
But it had already been almost a month, and he was still wearing it perfectly.

Which just proved—their fate
Was just as strong.

Now that her schedule was clear, Qin Mang glanced out the window at the familiar scenery.
“Take me to the He family estate.”

When Meng Ting and A Tong dropped her off at the estate,
They passed through the entrance lined with wisteria—
And were once again struck speechless.

**Holy sh*t.**
**Now *this* is what a real rich family looks like.**

Owning a garden-style villa in Duzhou was already impressive,
But this was **Shencheng**—a top-tier metropolis where every inch of land was precious!

They never even knew a place like this existed in Shencheng.

Then again,
Even from ten miles out, access required multiple layers of verification.
For regular civilians like them not to know made sense.

Meng Ting felt a sudden sense of crisis.
“Miss, you’re not planning to quit acting after winning Best Actress, right?”

Like it was just a hobby.

He hadn’t had enough time being Qin Mang’s manager yet!

Qin Mang glanced at him, “Why would I quit?”

“To have a baby?”
Meng Ting blurted out.
Most actresses who left the industry did it for that reason.

But clearly, Qin Mang wasn’t one of them. Her lips curled into a smile.
“Maybe I will retire one day,
But it definitely won’t be because I want to have kids.”

It would be because she’d found a new passion or dream beyond acting.

For now,
She still found playing different lives to be deeply challenging.

Meng Ting finally let out a breath of relief.
“You’ve got a long future ahead.”

He tested the waters, “Then… can I line up a few more roles for you?”

Qin Mang’s face instantly fell.
“No.”

“I want a break!”
“To save my *fragile* marriage!”

“What’s so fragile about it?”
“He’d die for you!”

Meng Ting had personally seen He Lingji walk into a raging fire,
One step at a time,
Without a single moment of hesitation.

But Qin Mang replied solemnly:
**“The entertainment industry is full of temptations! You think there won’t be some sweet young thing trying to seduce him?”**

Meng Ting / A Tong: “…”

So that’s what you mean by fragile…

In any case, Qin Mang successfully got her break to “save” her so-called fragile marriage.

…

Back in the He estate’s game room,
He Xucheng read Qin Mang’s reply,
Glanced at He Lingji’s ankle,
Then dared to inch closer to his intimidating cousin.

“Big bro, is that a tattoo?”

He Lingji lazily glanced at him.
Let out a soft “Mm.”

“But sis-in-law says it’s the red string she tied on you. Did she misremember?”

“She didn’t.”
“It *was* the one she tied.”

He Lingji thought of the original string, now carefully stored away—
It was too delicate and fragile.

“Does it look good?”

“Yeah! It looks great!”

“Do you think your sis-in-law will like it?”

He Xucheng froze:
“Uh…”

But it was clear He Lingji wasn’t accepting a “no” for an answer.
So he swallowed nervously and replied honestly,
“She probably will?”

That answer seemed to satisfy He Lingji.

But what pleased him even more—
Was the moment he stepped out of the game room, bored of playing,
Only to see a beautiful girl standing downstairs,
Looking up at him with a bright smile:
“Hubby~”

The lazy light in He Lingji’s eyes vanished.
His gray-blue irises deepened into the abyss,
Ready to stir a storm at the slightest touch.

“Oh my, these two are acting out a whole drama,”
Madam He said with a laugh,
More eager than they were, she urged Qin Mang,
“Go on, go on—don’t mind us!”

Other elders were also seated in the main hall,
All smiling warmly at the young couple.

Qin Mang lifted her skirt,
Ran up the stairs, “Come hug me!”
“I’m exhausted.”

In the next second,
The man standing above reached out and scooped her up without hesitation,
Casually greeting the elders below
Before walking off with her in his arms, not even looking back.

Laughter broke out downstairs,
Growing louder and more infectious.

The first to laugh, of course,
Was Madam He.

“I used to think Lingji was so emotionally detached,
That he’d never feel anything irrational in his life.”
“Who would’ve guessed?”

“Well, Mangmang *is* incredibly lovable.”
“Sis, just because you’ve sponsored her for so long,
Don’t go raising a little white-eyed wolf as your own.
Remember who your real family is.”

The speaker was He Xucheng’s mother. Because of He Xucheng, she was also very fond of Qin Mang.
Madam He immediately distanced herself, saying, “What are you talking about?”

“We won’t be keeping in touch anymore.”
That incident at the hotel last time had really scared her. “If Lingji hadn’t visited Mangmang on set that day, the consequences would have been unimaginable.”

Madam He felt she had done everything she could for Lou Tingdai, but Lou Tingdai had ended up hurting her family.
Now that it was brought up again, she just felt she had misjudged the person and had no intention of maintaining any relationship anymore.

“Enough, let’s not talk about those unpleasant people.”
“Mangmang has gotten thinner lately, she needs to be nourished properly.”

At that moment—
Qin Mang, who had been personally certified by her mother-in-law as having lost weight, was easily carried into the old mansion’s bedroom by He Lingji.

It was a room He Lingji had stayed in as a child.
They rarely stayed here.
Qin Mang clung to his neck like a feline, rubbing against his long, pale neck. “I want to sleep.”

He Lingji gently brushed under her slightly dark eyes, his voice low: “Sleep for a bit?”
“I don’t want to waste time sleeping.”
Qin Mang murmured softly.

But He Lingji heard it clearly, and the corners of his thin lips curved into a faint smile.
Qin Mang glanced toward the bathroom with her faintly flushed eyes. “I want to bathe… but I don’t want to move.”

Her meaning was crystal clear—she wanted to be bathed and pampered.
He Lingji didn’t rush to agree. Instead, he said lazily, “He’s an expensive laborer.”
“Has Miss Qin thought of what she’ll offer in return?”

Qin Mang bit lightly behind his ear:
“Are you going to help or not?”
“If not, then you’ll just have to cuddle a dirty little fairy tonight.”

He Lingji obediently walked toward the bed. “That works too.”
“I’ll just endure a bit.”
“Husband, no no no—”

Qin Mang realized the hard approach wasn’t working, so she softened her tone. “As a trade, how about letting you cuddle your fragrant fairy wife to sleep tonight?”

He Lingji whispered a few disjointed syllables in her ear.
The next second—
Qin Mang buried her face in his neck, her pale and delicate ears flushing red. “I’m tired…”
“Go to sleep, then.”

Qin Mang thought: what happened to that aloof and unattainable godlike man?
His mind was full of… indecent positions!

…
In the end, it was the “high-priced laborer” CEO He himself who dutifully bathed his fairy wife.
Then, under Madam He’s orders, gave her a massage for a long while.
If not for the upcoming family banquet, Qin Mang would have liked to sleep straight through the night.

He Lingji said, “We can skip it.”
“Skip it?”
“That’d be an obvious sign to the elders that we were… busy in the room, no?”

Qin Mang refused.
She still had her dignity!
She’d need to face those elders again in the future!

Qin Mang changed into a graceful, elegant silk qipao her mother-in-law had prepared and slowly descended the stairs with He Lingji.

The family banquet officially began.
Previously, Qin Mang hadn’t paid much attention to the He family.
Even on the wedding day, she only greeted them politely and committed names to memory.
But now—
She realized that no one in the He family had gray-blue eyes.
Only He Lingji, the new head of the family, had those unusual eyes.

After the banquet ended—
Qin Mang held He Xucheng’s face (he was closest in blood relation to He Lingji among the same generation) and studied his eyes carefully.
No matter how she looked, there wasn’t a hint of blue.

“What are you looking at?”
He Lingji poured her a cup of fruit tea for digestion, brushing away her hand from He Xucheng’s face.
He sat down beside her and wiped her fingertips with a wet wipe.

He Xucheng: What’s that supposed to mean?
Is my face that dirty?

Qin Mang rolled her eyes at He Lingji, coaxing, “Your brother isn’t disgusted by you.”
He Xucheng sighed gloomily, “I get it.”
“He’s disgusted by anyone who touches you.”

Qin Mang: “…”

He Lingji, on the other hand, gave He Xucheng an approving look.
Very self-aware.

Anyway—
That wasn’t the point.

Qin Mang looked at the siblings, feeling puzzled. “How come you’re the only one in the family with gray-blue eyes?”

Before He Lingji could reply,
His father, passing by, answered, “Your maternal grandmother’s line, going back a few generations, had some ancient Greek blood. But we can’t trace it clearly anymore. In the last hundred years, Lingji’s the only one in the He family born with gray-blue eyes.”

Madam He heard that and muttered under her breath, “When Lingji was born, I thought they’d brought me the wrong baby.”

But—
In a true elite family, there’s no such thing as a baby mix-up.
There are always people keeping a close eye on everything.

Over time, what started as bright blue eyes darkened as he grew, eventually becoming the icy, luxurious gray-blue they were now—barely noticeable unless under certain lighting.

Thankfully, his grandmother was still alive then and recalled that a distant ancestor had also had blue eyes.
So, mystery solved.

Qin Mang suddenly understood and looked at He Lingji’s gray-blue eyes, nodding. “So it’s an ancestral trait reappearing.”
“Hahaha!”
Madam He laughed. “Mangmang’s not wrong.”

But—
“I wonder if Lingji’s eye color can be passed down.”
“If it does, it could change the He family’s genes entirely.”

To be honest—
Qin Mang had seen He Lingji’s childhood photos before.
So the idea of having a baby in the future didn’t bother her.

What she did reject was giving up her dreams just to have one.

Before bed—
Something occurred to her.
Qin Mang reached for his ankle: “Check! Is the red string tied tightly?”

He Lingji hovered in front of her, blue eyes and thin lips, his usual coolness now carrying a trace of wild danger. His voice, usually cold, now hoarse: “It’s tied very tight.”

But the next second—
Qin Mang touched nothing.
Thinking she got the wrong side, she checked the other ankle.

She sat up suddenly, panic fogging her eyes. “It’s gone!”
“Quick, look for it.”

She’d seen it in a photo with He Xucheng, so she didn’t suspect He Lingji removed it himself.
There was only one explanation—
It got lost just now!

“It’s not gone.”
He could hear the panic in her trembling voice, as if losing the red string meant losing something precious.

The dim lights suddenly turned on.
Qin Mang reflexively closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she saw the red string—still tightly wrapped around his elegant ankle.

Three loops.
Not one missing.

As she let out a breath of relief—
Qin Mang suddenly realized something.
Her pale, almost translucent fingertips reached out to touch that clearly **burned into** red string.

Her lips parted, but it took her a long time to finally ask:
“Why?”

He Lingji’s voice was calm and clear: “This way, it’ll never break.”

Before Qin Mang could say more—
The next moment,
He kissed away the tears at the corner of her eyes, his voice low and tinged with laughter:
“So touched?”
“Then fulfill me tonight.”
“Hmm?”

He didn’t need an answer.

…

When Qin Mang was lifted up, the first thing she saw was that mysterious **red spider lily** tattoo, faintly glistening with sweat—its tendrils curling around the bones, winding all the way to the core of her heart.

Echoing in her mind were the public’s impressions of He Lingji:
A flower high on a cliff, to be admired from afar, not touched.

What high cliff flower?
He was clearly a flower of desire—one that bewitched her completely.

…
Ever since she found out about the red string on He Lingji’s ankle that could never be removed.

**

Qin Mang silently continued honing her acting skills.

She wanted to respond to He Lingji.

She wanted to proudly and openly tell the whole world how deeply they loved each other.

Not like now—
Even going on a date required being completely secretive.

In the past six months,
Qin Mang hadn’t taken on any more films. At Pei Zhen’s suggestion, she accepted a major period drama adapted from a popular IP.

The female lead rises from a palace maid to Empress Dowager, filmed from youth to natural death. This kind of gradual progression was a strong challenge for her acting range.

Because Qin Mang had reached a new bottleneck in her acting.

Movie production cycles were too short.
The small screen offered a different kind of refinement.

Just as her first lead drama wrapped filming, Qin Mang received good news:

The director of *The Depressed Ones* personally called.

Qin Mang was once again nominated for Best Actress at the Golden Jue Awards.

It was her second nomination for such a prestigious film award—

A true battle for the queen’s crown, in the traditional sense.

Not only her studio, but also her fans were in an uproar.

> “Aaaah, congratulations to Queen Qin for being nominated again!”

> “*The Depressed Ones* was just too heartbreaking! Sob sob, the moment the female lead jumped, the whole theater burst into tears. Qin Mang’s acting is eternal!”

> “If this trophy doesn’t go to Qin Mang, I object ten thousand times!”

> “Shh, shh, a nomination is already recognition. Don’t jinx the Best Actress win.”

> “Let’s be real, *The Depressed Ones* truly tested acting skill. An actress who can pull every viewer into the story—doesn’t she deserve the trophy?”

> “She’s still young, it’s only her second time being nominated. Stay calm, stay calm.”

> “…”

*The Depressed Ones* premiered after the New Year, in the season of spring blossoms.

There hadn’t been much publicity.

But because of that scene with the burning roses, almost every netizen knew about the film.

From surprise release to box office boom, it took only one week.

In the end, the total box office surpassed 5 billion yuan.

It directly broke domestic box office records.

Just two years ago, Qin Mang had only been an average “8-second supporting actress.” But now, she was on track to become the new box office queen.

Now—

She only needed one trophy to prove herself.

At the film festival, seated among a sea of stars—

The scene of her nomination two years ago was still vivid in her mind.

Held every two years, the Golden Jue Awards had once again nominated her.

Compared to last time’s confusion and unfamiliarity, this year’s Qin Mang—tempered by time—was far more composed and assured.

Her heart was calm.

She even had the leisure to think:
If she didn’t win this time, she’d make He Lingji coax her for three whole days!

The director beside her looked more nervous than she did.

So far—

The film had already swept up Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and two other awards.

If they could also take Best Actress or Best Actor, they would be the biggest winner of this year’s Golden Jue Awards.

But—
The male lead hadn’t even been nominated. Which meant all hopes rested on Qin Mang.

Otherwise, how could such a hit film end up with neither lead winning?

She could hear the director murmuring rhythmically under his breath: “Best actress, best actress, best actress…”

Qin Mang suddenly thought of Meng Ting.

Just before she entered the venue,
Meng Ting was tapping a wooden fish app on one phone and spinning digital prayer beads on the other, with a picture of Buddha in the center.

He’d even prepared tea and offerings—
Turning the backseat of a luxury car into a full-on cyber prayer session.

Qin Mang closed her eyes briefly, forcing herself to stay calm.

Time passed quickly.

It was soon time to announce Best Actress.

The screen began playing the scene where the heroine leapt into the flames of the rose fire.

Due to the film’s massive popularity, this iconic moment had been reposted countless times, even becoming more viral than the debut video of her White Lioness dance.

Watching the giant screen roll forward—

Qin Mang felt like she was back in that moment.

In the film, no one saved the heroine from the “sea of fire.”

But in real life—amid thick smoke and raging flames—he descended like a god, saving her from the fire.

Until—

A voice rang in her ears:
“Congratulations. The Golden Jue Award for Best Actress goes to—*The Depressed Ones*, Qin Mang.”

Qin Mang blinked lightly, and the giant screen froze on her portrait.

Best Actress:
Qin Mang.

“Congratulations!”

The director beside her was the first to leap up and applaud wildly.

He had known it—

Qin Mang’s performance in this film was a rebirth through fire, a perfect blend of talent and skill. If she didn’t win, who could?

She had won the Best Actress trophy.

Qin Mang smiled brilliantly.

Her cold, striking features instantly softened with radiant beauty. Her affectionate eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

She had done it.

She had become a true actress.

Qin Mang exhaled softly, gracefully stood up, and hugged the director and cast members.

Only then did she lift her gown and calmly, elegantly step onto the stage.

Steady and poised.

The spotlight followed Qin Mang.

She wore a gradient black-blue gown that shimmered like water and stars. A delicate black *manjusaka* silk flower adorned her slender wrist. Her skin was porcelain white, the bold contrast creating a mysterious, seductive beauty.

Aside from a pair of sapphire drop earrings, she wore no other jewelry. Yet under the lights, she lost no brilliance.

Holding her gown, she walked with unhurried elegance toward the stage.

Beneath the dazzling lights—

She was breathtaking.

As though she belonged in the spotlight.

Worthy of the world’s admiration.

Until the host spoke—

“Let’s welcome the award presenter—”

“The head of He Corporation—He Lingji.”

The moment the host said this—

Everyone, whether they knew or not, exploded:

“AAAAHHHH!”

Were they about to witness *something*?!

The man wore an elegant, custom suit—simple, with no extra adornment. Only a sapphire glacier brooch glinted on his chest, echoing the cool gray-blue of his eyes. Luxurious yet lazy, he strode forward like a beautiful but dangerous deep-sea creature, cloaked in mystery.

The previously noisy venue—

Felt like someone had hit pause.

Below the stage, Qi Rong was trembling with excitement. Next to her sat her idol, Tan Guannan. But she had no mind to talk to him—instead she clutched his sleeve like a gossip buddy and whispered, “Tan-laoshi, don’t they look like they’re at their wedding?”

“Even their accessories are so coordinated—both sapphire!”

“Ahhh, now I get why Qin Mang wore that *manjusaka* flower today—ahhhh! We’re all just props in their public love-show, aren’t we?”

Tan Guannan’s eyes glinted with a warm smile. “It’s an honor to be part of their display of love.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk—”

What a worthy film king—he really knew what to say!

Qi Rong could only squeal “aaaah” in response.

Qin Mang’s heart, which had just calmed down, suddenly exploded.

Just hours ago, they had video-called, and he hadn’t given a single hint.

Her eyes still held disbelief.

Yet there he stood—deep as the sea, cold as a glacier—his gaze calm as ever. But Qin Mang felt, with strange certainty—

That He Lingji had been waiting for her for a long time.

Just waiting.

She immediately regained her composure.

His deep eyes were like whirlpools, pulling people in with ease.

And now, he personally handed the Best Actress trophy—
To the beautiful, delicate actress before him.

He Lingji slightly lowered his eyes.
His voice was elegant and magnetic: “Congratulations, Actor Qin.”

Qin Mang’s shimmering, water-like eyes seemed to forget how to blink at that moment.
She stood frozen, staring at the man’s dazzling and handsome face.

In the next second—
He Lingji, in front of the whole world, pulled his Mrs. He into his arms.
His familiar, cool, glacier-like scent filled the air between them.

In that moment, she suddenly understood.
Qin Mang, holding the trophy, her slender hand hanging at her side, slowly but firmly returned his embrace—

In her ear, the man’s deep, magnetic voice sounded:
“Actor Qin belongs to the audience.”
“But you belong to me—and you are free.”

So.
My little sun.
May you always shine brilliantly on the stage.

—

**Author’s note:**
The main story ends here.
The upcoming public appearances, variety shows, and love declarations (complete with flying comments) will be in the extras. Feel free to subscribe based on your interests.
The extras will continue to update daily.