The setting was an abandoned church at the foot of Bailiu Mountain.

This small church had once been built by the nearby village. But as time passed, the village became part of the city. Most original residents moved away. No one came to repair it anymore.

The long-neglected church leaked in spots. Many walls were rotten and moldy.

Spider webs draped the high dome. Dust coated the uncleaned pews.

A phone sat on the front platform, looping a wedding march endlessly.

A wedding was happening here. With only one person… no, two.

Silver Bell wore a pure white wedding gown. Its train trailed on the floor, yet not a speck of dust clung to it.

She was more beautiful than ever, breathtakingly so.

Yue Feather couldn’t find words for her beauty. He felt that as long as he was with her, even the world’s end wouldn’t matter.

He’d spent all his savings on the gown. But he didn’t regret it. Anything for Silver Bell was worth it.

Most importantly, seeing her genuine smile was his best reward.

The wedding march played solemnly yet joyfully. Its music seemed to cleanse the soul, purifying Yue Feather’s heart.

No officiant, no priest, no witnesses, no guests. Only the two of them, conducting their own ceremony.

Yue Feather, rarely dressed formally, wore a suit to match Silver Bell.

Together, they stood on the platform. Closing their eyes, they felt countless eyes watching them.

Their hearts raced with excitement and joy.

Finally, finally… this day had come. It arrived swiftly, yet slowly.

They were married.

To the one they loved most.

“Silver Bell… I love you,” Yue Feather said sincerely, cradling her face.

“Mm…” Silver Bell blushed, nodding slightly. She hugged him. “I like you too. I like you the most~”

“How much do you like me?”

“Mm… the kind where I want to be your bride.”

“Me too.”

“Huh? Yue Feather, do you want to be the bride too?”

“No… not that… I mean, the kind where I want to be your husband!” he stammered. “Ahem… let’s continue…”

With no priest, they handled the ceremony themselves.

They exchanged smiles. Though unprepared, they slowly recited their vows in unison.

“We voluntarily become husband and wife. From today, we share marriage’s duties: honoring parents, raising children, respecting and loving each other, trusting and encouraging, forgiving and yielding, supporting through thick and thin, loving faithfully for life!”

“Now… should we drink the wedding cups?” Yue Feather asked with a slight blush.

Silver Bell’s face flushed deeply. She almost wished to bury herself in a hole.

Whiskey, already prepared and not cheap, was poured by each for the other. They drank it all.

In Yue Feather’s eyes, Silver Bell’s figure blurred. Or rather, the whole world blurred.

Staggering, he pinned her to the ground. He exhaled softly, drunk with desire.

“Ling’er… I like you so much…”

“Mm… I like you the most, Yu…”

A strange scent filled the old church, like spring had arrived.

Outside, two wild cats yowled mournfully. Inside, the couple enjoyed their intimate union.

“Mm… ah… ngh… slow, slow down… it hurts…”

“Mm…”

“If it’s inside, I might get pregnant…”

“Can you carry our child?”

“Yes! I want to carry Yu’s child~ I hope for twins, a boy and a girl~”

“Panting…”

“Mm… still… still want more…”

“Huh? More…?”

“Hmph~”

“Alright… ahem… is it… very pleasurable?”

“Mm… don’t… don’t be so rough, it hurts.”

“Ling’er, I like you so much.”

“Me too.”

The abandoned church seemed to regain life, filled with new vitality.

Yue Feather gently slipped a ring onto Silver Bell’s finger. Softly, he said, “This is our token. We’ll never part, for eternity.”

“Mm, forever~”

After the wedding, life seemed calm again. But every day, Yue Feather was full of energy. Once lazy, he now worked hard.

His self-deceiving story posted online attracted like-minded readers. He secured a publishing contract, earning money at home while staying with Silver Bell.

He rarely realized he was living in illusion. He almost believed this was real.

What once felt bitter fantasy now read like a diary of days with her. Every word overflowed with happiness.

Yue Feather handled all chores and work. He never let Silver Bell tire. He’d rather suffer himself than see her tired; it pained him.

Even when boiling water, he watched nervously, fearing she might get electrocuted.

“I’m not that clumsy!” Silver Bell always said.

But Yue Feather always followed to watch.

For anything risky, he stayed by her side.

They often visited the deserted seaside. The small fishing hut had been rebuilt into a large villa. Empty, as if abandoned right after construction.

“Yu, let’s ride the roller coaster!”

“Huh? That one… it’s a bit high…”

“Come on, don’t be scared.”

“I’m not scared!”

“Yaaah—so fast—!”

“Ugh…”

“Yu, feeling sick?”

“Mm… this roller coaster… too much… ugh…”

“Alright, let’s try something calmer. How about the carousel?”

“Okay.”

“Yu, I want ice cream~!”

“Okay, okay, I’ll buy it. Still vanilla?”

“Mhm!”

“Wow, look, a haunted house!”

“Shaped like a school.”

“I want to play! I’ve always wanted to explore a school at night~”

“Alright, let’s go.”

“Eek—! Yu, so so scary!”

“Relax, I’m here, whoa!”

“Hmph, Yu is more useless than me.”

“I was just unprepared… I’m not afraid of this stuff.”

“Hehe, then let’s visit every room~”

“I… of course… of course I’m fine…”

“Don’t push yourself.”

“Who’s pushing? I’m not forcing anything. I’m not scared at all!”

“Yikes, Yu, run—”

“Ling’er, slow down, don’t fall!”

“Oof…! That hurts…”

“I told you to slow down. Let me carry you.”

“No… I want you to hold me.”

“Ahem… hold you… alright…”

“Hmm~ you’re reacting, Yu.”

“W-well, it’s because your chest has grown lately…”

“Tch, it’s because you keep touching it.”

“Th-this topic is awful… d-don’t talk about it here…”

“I just wanted to make the haunted house less scary, hehe.”

“Ahem… alright, alright, I know. But don’t touch there…”

“I want to play that~ surfing~”

“Sure, but we need to enter the water park. By the way, you don’t have a swimsuit yet.”

“Yeah.”

“Then I’ll buy you one. Hmm… black or blue?”

“Mm… black, it looks better~”

“Silver Bell, look, everyone’s staring at you.”

“Huh? R-really… yeah… why are they looking at me…”

“Probably because you’re so cute.”

“Mm…”

“Shy?”

“Not at all!”

“Your face is very red.”

“Th-that’s because it’s hot. Yeah, too hot, making my face red.”

“Hehe, then let’s ride the water slide to cool down?”

“Okay.”

“Wow! So high.”

“So thrilling! Let’s go again~!”

“…I… Ling’er, you go. I’ll wait below…”

“Hey, look, such a cute hamster. Do you want it?”

"Mm!"

"Then let’s buy one."

"Mmm… Isn’t it too lonely for just one? Let’s get two so they have company."

"Alright, let’s buy two—one male and one female~"

"Great! Great!"

"Bell, look—they’re running on the wheel."

"Mhm, so adorable~"

"You’re as cute as this little hamster."

"Hmph~ I’m not that chubby!"

"Bell, time to eat."

"Eeek—you feed me~"

"Bell, you’re such a kid."

"So what if I’m a kid? You have to take care of me for life."

"Of course. I’ll take care of you for life… and the next life, and the next, and the next…"

"Alright, alright—that’s so cheesy."

"Want milk?"

"I want—the pure kind."

"Mm."

"Here, I take a sip, you take a sip~"

"Huh, then you can’t secretly spit in it."

"Hmph, I will spit—go ahead and bite me."

"Then I’ll eat you right now."

"Eeek—ticklish!"

"This cola-flavored lollipop tastes pretty good."

"Really? Really? Let me try!"

"Good?"

"Mm, super sweet! Try my lemon-flavored one."

"Wow, this one’s sweeter."

"Is it? I think it’s just fine."

"Because everything from your mouth tastes sweet."

"Mmm… Hmph, so cheesy."

"It is, haha—"

"The sunrise is so beautiful."

"Yeah, the rising sun."

"It still has ages before it sets—so full of energy."

"Indeed."

"The sunset is so beautiful."

"Pity… it’s a beauty about to fade…"

"Exactly because it’s fading, the sunset’s more beautiful than sunrise. That’s called… imperfect beauty."

"But I still prefer sunrise."

"Why?"

"Because… then night won’t come too soon…"