A cataclysm had struck, and the Angel Legion of the City in the Sky had long since vanished, along with Tian Ranlin.
When Ming Zhi Tian found her, she was one hundred and nine years old!
Looking at her aged face, Ming Zhi Tian felt a pang in his heart. Tian Ranlin no longer possessed the fiery resentment she once held for him; instead, her heart ached with longing and yearning.
But she dared not face Ming Zhi Tian, covering her face with her hands and turning away, "You've mistaken me for someone else."
"No," Ming Zhi Tian gently took her withered, wrinkled wrist. "Lin, it's me, Ming Zhi Tian."
Tian Ranlin's favorite color was black. She had once said that black was the most naturally beautiful color in the world, representing elegance and classic beauty.
So, even in her old age, unable to walk, she was still wearing the black evening gown Ming Zhi Tian had gifted her, a custom lace creation, "The Swan's Lament."
Tian Ranlin shook her head desperately, pulling her hand away. "Who are you? I don't know you. Please leave, leave this place..."
Ming Zhi Tian picked up the flowing black chiffon fabric of her dress. "And this? I gave this to you. Custom-made, one of a kind in the world."
Tian Ranlin, as if driven mad, tore the Black Swan's Lament from her body, piece by piece, revealing her splotchy, aged skin.
Ming Zhi Tian held her tightly. "I'm sorry, I'm too late. I'm sorry."
They embraced and wept. Ming Zhi Tian summoned a Battle God's Cape and draped it over her. "No matter what you've become, you are still the love of my life."
He administered a supreme quality elixr, a Face-Restoring Pill, restoring her to the appearance of a nineteen-year-old.
Tian Ranlin was once again the vivacious, youthful Tian Ranlin. Ming Zhi Tian was still the handsome but awkward man who didn't know how to charm women, only he was more mature now.
Tian Ranlin returned to the age of nineteen, her prime, the era of her passionate romance with Ming Zhi Tian. Recalling all their past moments, she felt reborn, at peace, and accepted Ming Zhi Tian's love.
Like dry tinder and fierce flames, their love, ignited after nearly a century, now set the dilapidated hut ablaze. The two slowly surrendered to their love.
As if to accentuate the scene, the heavens opened up, and a gentle drizzle began to fall, pitter-patter, patter-patter…
They engaged in a battle of flesh and blood for three hundred rounds, only to finally cease at dawn.
...
Years later, at the kindergarten—
A little girl in a sunflower-themed outfit was playing on a rocking horse. Suddenly, a cheerful melody blared from the speakers, signaling the end of the school day!
The little girl was the first to dash to the kindergarten gate, waiting for the teacher to open it. This was her daily routine.
"Kui Kui, you're such a good girl, the first in line to wait for your parents again?" the teacher said, approaching her slowly. Another teacher was organizing the other children to line up, preparing to open the gate.
"Mhm!" Ming Si Kui nodded happily, eager to see her parents.
The gates swung open! ... Uh, no... Let's try that again.
The teacher opened the gate. Some parents had already arrived in luxury cars to pick up their children. However, Ming Si Kui's parents were nowhere to be seen.
Before long, Tian Ranlin, clad in her Black Swan's Lament and elegant high heels, strode in. "I'm sorry, Kui Kui, Mommy is late."
Ming Si Kui quickly scurried into her arms. "Mommy!..."
Tian Ranlin comforted her. "Kui Kui, Mommy is here, don't cry. If you keep crying, you'll turn into a little kitten, and it'll be very unsightly. Look at the other children, they're all laughing at you."
"Don't laugh..." Ming Si Kui pouted charmingly. "Kui Kui won't cry, won't cry..."
She wiped her tears with her small hands and looked around. "Where's Daddy?"
Tian Ranlin stroked her little head. "Daddy is on his way."
A single father, after handing his child to a nanny, walked towards Tian Ranlin, his gaze sweeping over her. A slight smile played on his lips. "My name is Gao Qiang. Gao means tall and mighty, and Qiang means strong in that department. I can be very strong, want to try? No, may I have the honor of knowing your name, beautiful lady?"
Ming Si Kui glanced up at him and said haughtily to Tian Ranlin, "Mommy, this uncle is scary. Is he a bad guy?"
Gao Qiang was quite embarrassed. Tian Ranlin chuckled, covering her mouth. "Don't mind him, let's go. Daddy will be here soon."
Having been snubbed, Gao Qiang was annoyed. He grabbed Tian Ranlin's slender hand. "What are you playing at? Just a mommy, right? My brother has plenty of money. How much would it cost to have you for one night? Ten thousand? Thirty thousand?"
"You're hurting me...!" Tian Ranlin tried to pull her hand away but couldn't.
Suddenly, a gust of cool wind blew, and with a "crack!"
Then came a scream: "Ah! My hand! Who?!"
Ming Zhi Tian appeared abruptly, pulling Tian Ranlin into his embrace. "I'm sorry I'm late, wife. Are you alright?"
Tian Ranlin shook her head and rubbed her wrist. "Let's go."
Ming Zhi Tian then lowered himself to speak to Ming Si Kui. "I'm sorry, Daddy is late. Come on, let's go eat fried chicken."
Ming Si Kui, who had been in low spirits due to her parents' lateness, was instantly overjoyed. "Yay! Fried chicken! Daddy is the bestest Daddy in the world!"
Ming Zhi Tian smiled faintly, completely ignoring the other man. The family of three was harmonious and loving.
Gao Qiang clutched his wrist, enduring the pain, and roared forward. "Stop right there! It's you! You think you can leave?"
"I'm the CEO of a Fortune China Top 500 company! I have thousands of numbers in my phone. Do you believe I only need to dial one to make you suffer untold misery?!"
It seemed the trouble wasn't over. Ming Zhi Tian gestured. "Kui Kui, be a good girl and wait for Daddy in the car with Mommy."
"Okay." Ming Si Kui, in her sunflower outfit, obediently walked hand-in-hand with Tian Ranlin towards their Hai Ma car.
Ming Zhi Tian turned back to face Gao Qiang. "What did you just say?"
Seeing that he had sent his wife and daughter away, Gao Qiang thought he was scared and became emboldened. He pointed at Ming Zhi Tian's nose. "Kneel down and apologize to me immediately, then let your wife spend three days with me, and we'll let this matter go. Otherwise... Ah!!"
Ming Zhi Tian directly gripped his fingers and broke them. "I'll give you a chance to say that again."
Gao Qiang's hand trembled with pain as he dialed his phone. "You damn bastard, you wait for me! I'm calling someone over! Hello? Master Long! I'm being bullied near the kindergarten. Send some people over to deal with it, yes, good!"
After hanging up, Gao Qiang's hand didn't hurt as much. "Hahaha! Kid, Master Long is nearby. He said he'd be here in three minutes, so you can just wait to die!"
Ming Zhi Tian picked up his phone. "Shall I make a call too?"
Gao Qiang shrugged, looking nonchalant. "Call whoever you want, but don't forget, this is Master Long's territory. Even if you call Master Lion, Master Tiger, or Master Leopard, it will be useless. In the end, you'll only crawl beneath my crotch!"
Ming Zhi Tian: "Hello? Flying General, I need you to fly to the kindergarten in five minutes. Which one, the one Kui Kui attends."
"Yes! Emperor Ming, I'll be there immediately!"
Ming Zhi Tian: "Oh, by the way, there's a Master Long heading this way. Clear him out along the way."
...
Gao Qiang checked his watch. "Why isn't Master Long here yet? Is there traffic?"
Five minutes later, right on time!
Flying General arrived with a group of subordinates!
"Young Master Ming...!"
Ming Zhi Tian pointed. "I want this person to disappear forever."
"Yes!"
Flying General waved his hand. "Arrest him!"
The subordinates quickly subdued Gao Qiang!
Gao Qiang was drenched in sweat! "No! Who are you?! Do you know who I am?! How dare you! Master Long knows, I'm his man! How dare you! Let go!"
Flying General sneered. "Master Long? Oh, you mean him. He's currently on his way to the Yellow Springs. Why don't you call him and ask him to slow down and wait for you?"
Gao Qiang didn't believe it. Seeing that he wasn't stopping him from making the call, he became defiant. "You damn bastards, just wait."
"Hello? This is the funeral home. No, this is on the way to the funeral home. May I ask who you are to the deceased?"
The phone slipped from his grasp. Gao Qiang's face turned ashen...
He was then forcibly dragged away by Flying General and his men. "Boss, spare me! Spare me!..."
Ming Zhi Tian returned to the Hai Ma car. Tian Ranlin looked very worried. "Husband, what happened?"
Ming Zhi Tian waved his hand slightly. "I've sent people to handle it. Everything is peaceful again."
Ming Si Kui also looked concerned. "Daddy, what happened to that strange uncle? He looked like a bad guy."
Ming Zhi Tian smiled faintly at her. "Just a clown."
Ming Si Kui entertained herself. "Clown? Is it fun?"
Ming Zhi Tian looked at the windshield and pulled Tian Ranlin closer. "Only I can touch my woman. No one else can."
Tian Ranlin, dressed in black, her face flushed, nestled in his arms, feeling immense warmth and security. "I'll do whatever you say."
Ming Si Kui thought Daddy was teasing Mommy. "Yay! Daddy is teasing Mommy again, so great, so great!"
The couple froze for a moment. "..."
Ming Zhi Tian teased, "Where did our daughter learn that from? Who does she take after?"
Both said in unison: "You!"
"Hehehehe... Hahahaha..." The family was full of joy.
Ming Zhi Tian started the car and drove to the fried chicken restaurant. After eating fried chicken and drinking Coke, the family of three took a family photo. Holding hands, growing old together, it was nothing more than this.