He Shun leaned into Luan Xie's embrace, the warmth of the rising sun melting away the cold remnants of fear still lingering in his chest. In Luan Xie's arms, he found more than just shelter—he found belonging, something he had never truly known in the fast-paced world he had left behind. He had always been running, whether it was toward the next role, the next headline, or the next thrill. But now, with Luan Xie, there was nowhere to run. And strangely, that was what gave him the most comfort.
The gentle rustling of the wind through the fields was like a lullaby, easing the tension in his shoulders as he rested his head against Luan Xie's chest. Luan Xie's heartbeat was steady and reassuring, a constant amidst the turmoil that had defined He Shun's life for so long. He could feel the rise and fall of Luan Xie's chest as he breathed, each inhale drawing them closer, each exhale grounding them in the present.
He Shun lifted his head, meeting Luan Xie's gaze. There was something in Luan Xie's eyes—a quiet intensity, a promise that didn't need words to be understood. He Shun had felt alone for so long, even when surrounded by fans and friends, but here, in the arms of this man from another world, he didn't feel alone at all. Luan Xie's presence was a balm to his fractured soul, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there was light to be found.
"I never imagined it would be like this," He Shun murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "That I could just… let everything go."
Luan Xie's hand brushed against He Shun's cheek, his thumb tracing gentle circles along his skin. "You're not the only one who's left something behind," Luan Xie said softly. "But sometimes, what we leave behind isn't as important as what we find."
He Shun smiled, a small, fragile thing, but it was genuine. "And what have we found, Luan Xie?"
Luan Xie's eyes softened, and he leaned in, pressing his forehead against He Shun's. "Each other," he said quietly, his breath warm against He Shun's skin. "Isn't that enough?"
For a moment, He Shun closed his eyes, letting those words sink in. It was enough. It had to be. The weight of the world they had both left behind still lingered at the edges of his mind, but here, in this moment, it didn't feel so heavy. Not when they had each other.
The sky was brightening now, the sun casting golden hues across the vast fields, painting everything in a soft, ethereal light. He Shun felt the warmth of it on his skin, felt the promise of a new day, a new beginning. For so long, he had been afraid of what lay ahead, afraid of what he might lose if he stopped running. But now, with Luan Xie by his side, the fear seemed to fade into the background, replaced by something else—hope.
Luan Xie shifted, pulling He Shun closer until there was no space left between them. He rested his chin on top of He Shun's head, his arms wrapping tightly around him as if he were afraid to let go. They stood there in silence, the only sound the distant call of birds and the soft hum of the wind through the fields. It was a fragile peace, but it was theirs.
"We can stay here for as long as we need," He Shun said quietly, his voice a low murmur against Luan Xie's hair. "No one will find us."
Luan Xie nodded, though he knew the world outside would never stop searching for him. The thought of it still gnawed at him, the idea that at any moment, the life he had left behind could come crashing down on them. But here, in the quiet of the farmland, he could pretend—if only for a little while—that they were safe.
"I just wish..." He Shun hesitated, the words catching in his throat. "I wish we didn't have to hide. I wish we could live openly, without fear of being found."
Luan Xie was quiet for a moment, his arms tightening around He Shun in silent understanding. "Someday," he said, his voice firm, as if he were making a vow. "Someday, we will."
He Shun wanted to believe him. He wanted to believe that there was a future where they could be free, where they didn't have to live in the shadows. But for now, this was enough. This moment, with Luan Xie holding him close, was enough.
He pulled back slightly, just enough to look up at Luan Xie, his heart swelling with the quiet, unspoken promise between them. "I don't regret any of it," he said softly. "Not leaving, not the chaos, not even the fear. As long as I have you, I don't regret a thing."
Luan Xie's expression softened, and he leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to He Shun's forehead. "Neither do I."
And in that moment, with the sun rising behind them and the world outside forgotten, they knew they had found something more precious than fame or fortune. They had found each other. And for now, that was enough.
The future was uncertain, the road ahead still shrouded in darkness, but they would face it together. And whatever challenges awaited them, they knew that as long as they had each other, they could face anything.
For now, they would hold on to this moment, to the peace they had found in the quiet of the morning, and hope that it would carry them through whatever lay ahead. Together. Always together.
The day stretched on, slow and serene, with the golden sun climbing higher in the sky, casting long shadows over the fields. He Shun and Luan Xie remained close, the silence between them comfortable, but filled with the weight of everything unspoken. He Shun could feel Luan Xie's steady heartbeat against his own chest, a rhythm that was beginning to feel like home in a way nothing else ever had.
In the distance, a hawk circled lazily above the vast landscape, its call cutting through the stillness, a reminder that the world outside was still very much alive, even as they hid from it. He Shun tilted his head back slightly, looking up at the clear, cloudless sky. A sky so different from the bustling, oppressive city he had left behind. Here, there were no cameras, no flashing lights, no reporters hounding him for the next scandal. Just the endless stretch of blue and the gentle hum of nature around them.
But even in this peaceful place, a part of him couldn't shake the feeling that this calm was temporary. That eventually, the world would catch up to them, no matter how far they ran. It was a thought he couldn't escape, no matter how hard he tried.
He pulled away from Luan Xie just enough to see his face, searching his eyes for the same worries that plagued his own heart. "What happens when they find us?" He Shun's voice was barely a whisper, the fear he tried to suppress seeping into his words.
Luan Xie's expression didn't falter. There was a steadiness in him, a quiet resilience that had always drawn He Shun in. "They won't," Luan Xie said, his voice firm, but not unkind. "And if they do, we'll be ready."
He Shun wanted to believe him, wanted to hold onto the confidence in Luan Xie's words. But a part of him couldn't ignore the realities of the situation. He wasn't just some ordinary man who could disappear into the night without anyone noticing. He was a public figure, someone whose face was known by millions. Someone who had built a career on being seen, on being wanted.
And now he was hiding from all of it.
He sighed, his hand tightening around Luan Xie's. "It feels like the whole world is looking for me. How can we possibly outrun that?"
Luan Xie was silent for a moment, his gaze thoughtful as he studied He Shun's face. "The world is big, Shun. Bigger than you think. We can outrun them, we can outlast them. But more importantly…" He paused, his thumb gently brushing over He Shun's knuckles, a comforting gesture that sent a ripple of warmth through He Shun's chest. "We don't have to run forever. The world will forget eventually. They always do."
He Shun frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Forget? You really think they'll forget me?"
Luan Xie's gaze softened. "Not completely. Not all at once. But eventually, the frenzy will die down. The headlines will fade. Someone else will take your place, and you'll just be a memory. A story they tell once in a while, but nothing more."
He Shun wasn't sure how he felt about that. On the one hand, the idea of being forgotten was a relief. It meant they could truly disappear, that they could live in peace without the constant threat of being found. But on the other hand… it also meant letting go of everything he had worked for. Letting go of the fame, the recognition, the adoration of his fans.
Would they really move on? Could he live with that?
"I don't know if I'm ready for that," He Shun admitted, his voice barely audible. "I spent so long building that life. I wanted it so badly. And now…" He trailed off, unsure how to put his conflicting emotions into words.
Luan Xie's hand tightened around his, grounding him. "It's okay to feel that way," he said softly. "You don't have to decide everything right now. We have time."
Time. It was something they had in abundance now, hidden away in this remote corner of the world, far from the chaos of their former lives. Time to think, to reflect, to figure out what they wanted. But the longer they stayed here, the more He Shun realized how much his old life had consumed him. How little time he had actually spent thinking about what he truly wanted.
He had been chasing fame, success, validation for so long that he had forgotten what it felt like to simply exist. To breathe without the weight of expectations pressing down on him. And now, in the quiet of the farmland, he was beginning to understand just how much of himself he had lost along the way.
"Do you ever miss it?" He Shun asked, his voice quiet as he glanced at Luan Xie. "The life you had before? Before all of this?"
Luan Xie's expression grew distant for a moment, as if he were looking at something far away. "Sometimes," he admitted. "But not the way you think. I don't miss the power, or the influence, or any of that. What I miss is…" He hesitated, searching for the right words. "I miss the simplicity of it all. Before everything got so complicated. Before the lies, the betrayal, the pain."
He Shun nodded, understanding exactly what Luan Xie meant. Life had a way of becoming more complicated than anyone ever expected. And once things started to unravel, it was hard to put them back together again.
"Do you think we'll ever have that again?" He Shun asked, his voice filled with a kind of hopeful uncertainty. "That simplicity?"
Luan Xie's gaze softened, and he smiled—a small, tender smile that made He Shun's heart skip a beat. "Maybe not the same kind of simplicity. But I think we can find something better. Something real."
He Shun let those words sink in, feeling a strange sense of comfort in them. Maybe they couldn't go back to the lives they once had, but that didn't mean they couldn't create something new. Something that wasn't defined by the expectations of others or the mistakes of the past.
He turned to look out at the fields stretching before them, the tall grasses swaying gently in the breeze. It was so peaceful here, so far removed from the noise and chaos that had once dominated his life. For the first time in what felt like forever, he didn't feel the weight of the world on his shoulders. He felt… free.
"We could stay here forever," He Shun said softly, more to himself than to Luan Xie. "We could disappear, live quietly, without anyone ever finding us."
Luan Xie didn't respond immediately, and He Shun turned to him, searching his face for an answer. There was a quiet resolve in Luan Xie's expression, but also something else—something that made He Shun's heart clench with unease.
"We could," Luan Xie said finally, his voice calm but laced with something He Shun couldn't quite place. "But is that really what you want, Shun?"
The question hung in the air between them, heavy with meaning.
He Shun hesitated, the answer not as simple as he wanted it to be. Did he want to disappear? To leave behind everything he had ever known, to live a life of quiet anonymity with Luan Xie? A part of him did—especially after everything they had been through. But another part of him, the part that had chased fame and success for so long, wasn't ready to let go.
"I don't know," He Shun admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what I want anymore."
Luan Xie's hand found his again, their fingers intertwining. "Then we'll figure it out together," he said softly. "We have time."
Time. It was both a blessing and a curse. A luxury they had never had before, but also a reminder that the world outside wasn't standing still. Eventually, they would have to face it. They couldn't stay hidden forever.
But for now, they had this moment. And for now, that was enough.
The days began to blend together in the quiet of the farmland. Morning bled into afternoon, and afternoon into evening, each day marked only by the changing position of the sun in the sky. He Shun and Luan Xie fell into a routine of sorts, one that revolved around the simplicity of their surroundings. They tended to the small vegetable garden they had found on the property, cooked meals together, and spent hours walking through the fields, talking about everything and nothing.
It was a far cry from the lives they had left behind, but in many ways, it was exactly what they needed. A chance to breathe, to reset, to remember what it felt like to be human.
But as the days passed, He Shun couldn't help but feel the pull of the world outside. He knew it was only a matter of time before someone came looking for them, before the quiet life they had built here was shattered by the realities of their situation.