Rewards (Part 1)
The gap between the CPhO preliminary and semifinal rounds was very short. Just a week after finishing the preliminary, it was already time to sit for the semifinals. During that week, Su Zesui spent nearly all his time in intensive review.
Fortunately, the final round was scheduled much later, giving physics contestants about a month and a half to rest and recover.
Because of Su Zesui’s outstanding performance in the preliminary, even before the semifinal results were released, the physics competition group at City A First High School pulled him into the prestigious Hongzhi team.
This team gathered the city’s top gold-medal physics coaches, who provided students with carefully compiled study materials and prediction sets for practice.
But since Su Zesui’s social anxiety hadn’t completely healed—and he already had a far gentler, better-voiced, one-on-one “coach” at home—he wasn’t too eager to attend classes at school.
The school compromised, requiring only that he come in every Monday to collect the practice sets, turn in the previous week’s work, and have a brief exchange with the coaches.
With that, his days finally settled into a steady rhythm. All he had to do was finish his assignments, go shopping with Mr. Gu, and spend time at home petting the kitten—exactly the kind of life someone with social anxiety could dream of.
Su Zesui’s very first kitten, Juzi1, was something he got for “free.”
On the afternoon after the preliminary exam, while on the way to the pet shop with Mr. Gu, they spotted a tiny stray kitten in the corner of a greenbelt.
The kitten was orange, its fluffy fur glowing in the sunlight like a warm cloud of tangerine. With its round amber eyes blinking and its tiny ears perked up, it played among the fallen leaves.
The moment Su Zesui squatted down, the kitten scampered toward him, twitching its pink nose as it sniffed at his shoes, as though curiously exploring the world.
Not very skilled at handling cats, Su Zesui carefully reached out with both hands to lift it up. The kitten instantly went limp in his palms, staying perfectly still.
And just like that, Su Zesui had his very first kitten. He named it Juzi, then went with Mr. Gu to the pet shop to buy a mountain of cat supplies before heading home, thoroughly satisfied.
Juzi quickly became attached to him.
When he did homework, Juzi sprawled across his competition books; when he streamed, Juzi shoved its little nose against the phone mic in front of the camera; and even when he went to the bathroom, Juzi would scratch tirelessly at the door, desperate to go in and keep him company.
Outside the door, the little kitten kept pawing with its tiny claws. Su Zesui couldn’t bear it, so he gently opened a crack in the door, intending to let the kitten in—only to see, through the gap, the man holding the kitten up by the scruff of its neck with one hand, scolding it: “This isn’t something you should be watching.”
Su Zesui immediately shut the bathroom door with a sharp click. His cheeks flushed red, and he pressed his soft lips together, pretending he hadn’t heard a thing.
It wasn’t until five minutes later that he carefully opened the door again. But as soon as he looked up, Gu Yilan’s tall, lean figure filled his view. On the floor, Juzi—the furious, puffed-up little orange kitten—was hopping around, launching a ridiculous 360-degree, zero-damage assault on Gu Yilan’s slippers. The sight was as comical as it was pitiful.
Su Zesui couldn’t help but laugh, though the thought of what had just happened still left the tips of his ears burning. He bent down, scooped up the ball of fur, and stroked its head soothingly. “W-What are you waiting for me for?” he asked.
“To guard the door for you,” Gu Yilan replied. “And, by the way, there’s something I want to discuss with you.”
Su Zesui’s thoughts started spinning.
His life had been calm and happy, filled with small daily joys. He couldn’t imagine what serious matter suddenly needed to be discussed.
Was it about the renovation of their new home? The upcoming desensitization plan? Or… was Mr. Gu finally planning to fulfill his promised reward?
Su Zesui’s eyes sparkled as he asked eagerly, “What is it?”
Gu Yilan raised an eyebrow and said, “Before, we only got the marriage certificate and held a simple wedding banquet. We still haven’t had a proper wedding ceremony. Do you want to have one?”
Su Zesui thought for a moment, then asked seriously, “After the wedding… do we go into the bridal chamber?”
“Mm,” Gu Yilan replied. “The cat can’t watch, but the husband can.”
His expression was perfectly serious, his tone calm and matter-of-fact. As he spoke, his gaze casually swept over the little kitten in Su Zesui’s arms, as if discussing some serious academic topic.
The unusual choice of words made vivid images pop uncontrollably in Su Zesui’s mind.
He parted his soft lips, frozen in place, and the tips of his ears, which had just cooled down, flared red again.
It wasn’t until Juzi mewed in protest in his arms that he snapped out of it, smoothing the kitten’s fur back and forth as he replied absentmindedly, “O-okay.”
Gu Yilan’s lips curved slightly. “September 22 is the autumn equinox, an auspicious day suitable for everything. Let’s set the wedding for that day. Does that sound good to you?”
“September 22…” Su Zesui murmured, “That’s this Sunday?”
Gu Yilan nodded. “Five days from now.”
“Five days… just five days…” Su Zesui muttered under his breath.
He had never attended a wedding before and didn’t know what to expect. Panic and uncertainty crept in, and his kitten-petting became messy—after a few strokes, Juzi looked like a dazed little golden lion.
Suddenly, he seemed to remember something and asked, “Then… does that mean… Brother will be drinking?”
He still remembered that Mr. Gu never touched alcohol, and that the fancy red wine at home was purely for display. Even at the wedding banquet, they had used tea instead of wine…
“You can drink,” Gu Yilan said calmly. “It won’t make it go soft.”
Su Zesui, still processing, froze in confusion. Before his brain could catch up, the man scooped him up horizontally, holding both him and the kitten.
“Everything’s arranged. No need to worry. Just go and have fun when the time comes,” Gu Yilan said, sitting the boy on the bed. “For now, let me check how well your body has recovered. Are you ready for your reward?”
“How do we check… mmph.” Su Zesui didn’t even finish speaking before the man pressed his lips against his, cutting him off.
Gu Yilan’s thin lips met his lower lip, and his tongue boldly entered Su Zesui’s mouth, slowly tracing over his sensitive, wet flesh again and again, making his body shiver uncontrollably.
Whenever he couldn’t bear it and pushed against Gu Yilan’s chest, trying to catch his breath, Gu Yilan would quickly cup the back of his head, forcing him to accept the heated, aggressive kiss. Su Zesui could already imagine what it would feel like to receive his “reward” that night.
The man had been working out for years; his lung capacity was impressive. Even a long, deep kiss like this never left him gasping.
Fortunately, in recent days, Su Zesui had been exercising with Gu Yilan too, strengthening his body, which had become frail from a high fever.
Once he got used to the man’s rhythm, he let out a soft breath and tentatively flicked his own tongue against Gu Yilan’s, intertwining slowly and exchanging warmth and saliva.
Gradually, his pupils clouded over, and he lost himself in the moment.
But Juzi had no idea of his owner’s pleasure. Feeling neglected and seeing his little master restrained by the “bad man,” the kitten flew into a rage, leaping and bouncing across the soft bed, launching a fierce but futile attack on Gu Yilan’s back.
. . . . .
Wedding Day – September 22
Although they were already living together and didn’t need the traditional bridal procession, the sheer number of wedding preparations had them both up at five in the morning.
The makeup artist was already waiting in the living room downstairs, setting out cosmetics and ironing the suits.
After Su Zesui finished the noodles prepared by the butler—symbolizing longevity and togetherness—he was led to the makeup chair. Nodding off slightly, he let the artist pat, brush, and paint his fair skin.
Even little Juzi, still a kitten, was dressed in a tiny, fitted suit by the makeup assistant, who had thought of everything. Today, the kitten would be cared for by the nanny and attend the entire ceremony alongside his little master.
By seven in the morning, Su Zesui and Gu Yilan, both dressed in sharp suits, headed to the wedding venue to do a final check of the decorations and take some wedding photos.
The theme of their wedding was “Starry Sky.”
The wedding stage was a massive “Galaxy Gate,” decorated in deep blues, purples, and silvers, adorned with countless twinkling LED lights to mimic a dazzling night sky.
Above the stage hung a softly glowing “full moon,” surrounded by delicate star-shaped chandeliers, as if a sky full of stars was circling overhead.
In addition, the main stage corridor had been transformed into a “starry tunnel,” with glowing nebula-shaped decorations and streaks of light like falling stars projected along both sides—symbolizing “crossing time and space to reunite with your love.”
As soon as Su Zesui stepped through the main gate, he was so delighted that he could barely close his soft lips. He grabbed Gu Yilan, eager to take photos at every beautiful spot. Along the way, they changed into several different suits, creating multiple exquisite photo sets.
By one in the afternoon, after grabbing a quick bite, it was time to start the wedding rehearsal.
Stepping into the dreamy “starry tunnel,” Su Zesui felt his heart tremble. Memories of past hardships and pain surfaced—what a long and difficult journey it had been. Yet, fortunately, the ending was beautiful.
His eyes grew a little misty, and he gently poked Gu Yilan’s hand, whispering, “Brother… I really like you. What should I do?”
“I like you too,” Gu Yilan replied with a soft laugh, leaning down to kiss the boy’s forehead. “Don’t cry. The future is long… very long. And we’ll get to spend it together.”
After two rounds of rehearsal, both sets of parents and the wedding party—best men and bridesmaids—arrived at the venue first.
Su Zesui’s parents had long since let go of their previous prejudices against Gu Yilan. Attending the wedding this time, they both wore warm, affectionate smiles.
Father Su patted their shoulders and offered a few words of advice, telling them to take care of each other. Mother Su looked at her youngest son, whose face had grown even rosier, and with a heart full of joy, couldn’t help slipping him a bank card with a nine-figure balance.
Even Su Mingyu couldn’t help but shake his head in amazement at the scene of the wedding. Time had flown—just over two months ago, these two lovebirds had never met, and now… they were inseparable.
As for Gu Yilan’s parents, though they had once been displeased with their son’s “rebellion,” time had softened their hearts. Seeing that Gu Yilan was successfully managing the family business, they gradually came to accept matters regarding the next generation and attended the wedding.
Gu Yilan, however, merely nodded politely to them before turning to speak with Grandpa Gu, maintaining a courteous but distant demeanor—the familiar formality of acquaintances rather than family intimacy.
Today, Gong Chuang also arrived as the sole member of the best men’s group and immediately struck up a friendly conversation with the three young “bridesmaids.”
The three boys—Feng Chengwen, Tong Jing, and Yuan Mingcheng—never imagined that, still in the second year of high school, they would have the chance to attend a close friend’s wedding as “bridesmaids.”
Though initially a bit excited and shy due to their age, they quickly relaxed under the warm, chatty presence of Brother Gong Chuang, soon chattering happily among themselves.
By six in the evening, guests from all sides were arriving steadily.
Backstage, Gu Yilan, relying on his excellent memory, hummed through several versions of the wedding marches that would be played during the ceremony. Su Zesui, who had previously been severely shy in large crowds, was soothed by him until his eyes curved with joy, wanting kisses and cuddles.
At six thirty, the ceremony began with a video on the big screen.
The video showcased little moments from the couple’s life together over the past months. Many of the photos were ones Su Zesui didn’t even know Gu Yilan had secretly taken. While delighted, he was also deeply moved and instinctively held onto Gu Yilan’s hand.
Then the lights dimmed. Sophisticated starry projections cast constellations and shooting stars across the stage. Dressed in their stunning custom suits, the couple formally stepped onto the stage, exchanged vows and rings, and shared a brief, tender kiss.
The applause from the audience was enthusiastic and sustained.
Meanwhile, the nanny, holding little Juzi—dressed in a tiny suit and trying to dash toward his little master—fed him a can of cat food, finally calming him down.
Following Su Zesui’s earlier request, the butler livestreamed the entire ceremony on the boy’s social media account. The combination of this near-luxurious wedding and the striking appearance of the newlyweds sent the live viewer count soaring past 200,000.
By seven thirty, the ceremony concluded. The couple changed into simpler suits and began going table to table to toast the guests.
Su Zesui stuck to juice mixed with a little alcohol, while Gu Yilan, for the first time ever, picked up a glass of red wine, leaving the guests from the Gu family completely stunned. Several tables froze for a few seconds before hastily standing to toast.
By nine in the evening, the wedding concluded, everyone was in high spirits, and guests began to leave.
When the couple finally tidied up and returned home, it was already past ten o’clock at night.
After running from five in the morning straight through to ten at night, Su Zesui collapsed onto the soft, expansive bed in the master bedroom, too exhausted to even open his eyes, while little Juzi pawed at his fingers beside him.
It wasn’t until Gu Yilan leaned down to kiss him that he felt a flicker of energy, clumsily and passively responding, tasting the hint of wine on the man’s lips.
“It’s time to claim your reward,” the man said.
At those words, Su Zesui’s heart skipped a beat, and his eyes cleared slightly.
The reward he had been longing for so long was finally about to arrive. Excitement and anticipation surged through him, his heartbeat drumming wildly. Yet, exhausted as he was, he worried he might not do well enough for his very first time.
The clash of emotions filled his mind, reaching its peak just as Gu Yilan stood, scooped up the few-month-old kitten, and went to the bedside table to retrieve a small box.
Su Zesui felt a bit breathless. He nervously wrung his fingers, wanting to back away but not wanting to leave. He hesitated, conflicted, and stammered, “How about… how about… tomorrow night…?”
“It might be too late to say anything now,” Gu Yilan said, leaning down, taking the boy’s fingers, and guiding them down to explore, little by little.
But after only a few seconds of touch, Su Zesui recoiled as if shocked, the tips of his fingers burning, his entire body heating up. The area where their skin made direct contact had gone numb.
Mr. Gu hadn’t lied—he really had been drinking, and Su Zesui knew he couldn’t be an irresponsible “bride.”
Blushing and flustered, Su Zesui turned over, burying his heated face into the pillow, and muffled out, trying to sound composed, “O-okay… tonight.”
- 橘子(Júzǐ) or Tangerines. ↩︎
Author’s Note: Case solved. Because Su Zesui often told Juzi stories about him and Gu Yilan, one day Juzi opened the Jinjiang app and wrote a book. That’s the very book you’re reading now (bushi 🐶🐶