**
**Chapter 76: It Was the Light That Took Pity on Me**

“Dead wood finds spring again, dark clouds find light, and He Lingji found Qin Mang. My heart was leaping when I typed this! The god has truly awakened!”

“I don’t understand, anyone here who can explain?”
“It means — Qin Mang is his light, ahhhh sisters!!!”

“Holy crap, is that really what it means?”
“I’m sorry, I’m actually going insane this time.”
“‘Glaciers melting, the apocalypse coming’ — I never thought I’d witness it in my lifetime.”

“Wait… who remembers the photo God posted years ago on Weibo, of the yacht named ‘Gazing at the Heavenly Light’? He wasn’t gazing at the sky — he was gazing at *his* light!”

“Now I finally understand that hug at the awards ceremony. Before the eyes of thousands, above all others, he personally gave the award to his wife! Personally placed what was once his exclusive light upon her halo — from then on, she would shine brightly. I’m sobbing!”

**Top comment:**
*”Who says ‘a god pities the mortal world’? Clearly, the god personally embraced his light!”*

No one expected it, but under this very post, He Lingji actually replied.

**He Lingji V:** *It was the light that took pity on me.*

CP (couple pairing) fans burst into tears.
“Ahhh!!! *It was the light that took pity on me!*”
“@QinMang, the light of the god, please say something!!!”
“@QinMang, goddess, please respond!”

“Sisters, is it possible that prideful Qin just couldn’t think of a better line?”
“LMAO at the person above, you *get* what pride is hahaha.”
“@QinMang hurry up and write a response, we promise not to laugh!”

Qin Mang hasn’t responded.
But —

**#ItWasTheLightThatTookPityOnMe** shot to the top of trending topics.
Trending #2: **He Lingji met Qin Mang**
Trending #3: **The god’s light**
Trending #4: **Waiting for Qin Mang’s response**
Trending #5: **Most mismatched CP goes public**
Trending #6: **Glacier and Scorching Sun**
Trending #7: **Gazing at the Heavenly Light**

In short, the top of the trending list was completely dominated by this earth-shaking couple reveal. Netizens witnessed history — Weibo exploded with seven simultaneous hot searches!

It crashed over and over again.
Then was restored again and again.
Before finally stabilizing.

Ever since that divine hug at the awards ceremony went viral, the “Aurora” CP super-topic had gained over 100k fans. And now —
With just one post and one reply from He Lingji, it exploded exponentially. In just half a day, it surpassed a million, and the number is still climbing.

“Aurora” CP became the #1 super-topic.

Inside the He Group president’s office —
The man behind this frenzy, He Lingji, leaned back lazily in his leather chair. His usually calm and emotionless gray-blue eyes now showed a rare hint of satisfaction.

His sharp, refined features under the light took on a faint porcelain sheen, adding a trace of allure.

Next to him, the elite PR team of He Group pretended to see nothing, hear nothing.
They dared not speak, dared not move.

While their big boss stirred up chaos on Weibo, they could only support him however they could.

The PR director summoned courage and asked, “Madam hasn’t responded yet — would you like to check with her…?”
Otherwise, only your post is up…

He Lingji casually flipped his phone face down.
His cool voice carried calm restraint, “No need. She’s busy.”

Everyone stared in unison at the stack of documents on his desk.
Aren’t *you* also busy?

It’s just a Weibo post, how long could it take?
Turns out — it *does* take time.

Qin Mang only found out about He Lingji’s post after finishing a magazine cover shoot for September. She was about to complete the grand slam of the top five women’s fashion magazines — all during the coveted Golden September and Silver October period.

It showed just how favored she was in the fashion world. Naturally, her resources now far outpaced those of actresses her age.

While others couldn’t even borrow a custom gown for red carpets, Qin Mang could pick whatever she wanted. Brands even *offered* matching jewelry — begging her to wear them.

Six months ago, she didn’t have this kind of treatment.
Now, both popularity and capability were fully recognized.
Even brands that were previously hesitant rushed to offer her olive branches.

Fu Yuan had managed A-listers before, but this was a first for Meng Ting. He looked at Qin Mang with increasing pride — even when she lost her temper, he felt she was *right* to do so.
A true lady should have a temper — otherwise, she’d be bullied.

He even considered deleting the calming Buddhist app he had installed on her phone himself.
Do top actresses need to stay calm?
No!
The ones who need to reflect are those who *make* them lose calm!

So lately, Meng Ting had been serving her like an imperial eunuch — giving in to her every demand.
Until today.
When Qin Mang finished the shoot and didn’t see him waiting for her.

As she walked back to the dressing room —
Staff along the way looked at her with excited, expectant, and shocked eyes.
Even someone like Qin Mang, who rarely cared about others’ opinions, noticed.

She remembered today was the official announcement of the couple reality show.
That must be it, she thought.

Given the internet’s logic, wouldn’t people suspect she and He Lingji had a business partnership and joined the show for publicity?
So why did *no one* look surprised?
Why was no one even questioning it?

She had no idea her husband had stirred up a storm on Weibo.
After all, her private phone had been taken during filming by Meng Ting.

Just as she was nearing the door —
A staffer suddenly shouted, “Teacher Qin! Don’t forget to reply to President He!!!”

One shout.
And then others joined in:
“Reply!”
“You *must* reply!”
“Waaah! President He really loves you!”
“A legendary love!”
“Teacher Qin really married right!”

Qin Mang was stunned.
Next second, the dressing room door opened.
Meng Ting pulled her in.

Inside, Atong was stomping and screaming excitedly.
All the studio staff were huddled together, staring at phones.

Qin Mang: “???”
No wonder no one came to get her — they were all slacking off!

“You guys…”
She didn’t even finish her sentence before Meng Ting shoved her personal phone into her hand.
“Look at your husband’s Weibo!!!”

“What about it?”
Qin Mang remembered she confiscated He Lingji’s Weibo before. He hadn’t posted in ages, right?

Maybe he just reposted the show announcement?

She sat in front of the makeup mirror, still in her ornate court-style gown.
As her pale fingers unlocked the phone, she casually asked,
“Is this about the couple reality show announcement?”

“Half correct.”
Atong burst out, “It’s your husband confessing love on Weibo!”

Qin Mang’s fingers paused slightly.
Her first instinct was that Atong was exaggerating.
He Lingji, confess publicly? With *his* proud nature?

But the next moment —
As her long lashes lowered, her gaze froze.

**Dead wood finds spring,
Dark clouds find light,
He Lingji finds — Qin Mang.**

Is that… really how he felt?

In the large dressing room, everyone chatted excitedly around her.
But to Qin Mang, it felt like the world had hit pause.

Even Meng Ting, a straight man, was moved to tears.
He urged her excitedly,
“Look at the top comment!”
“Look at President He’s reply.”

Qin Mang had been trying to remain composed.

Until she saw that line:
**“It was the light that took pity on me.”**

She broke.

Qin Mang knew He Lingji loved her, pampered her, would even risk his life for her — even die in a sea of roses with her, and still call it romantic.
But he was always lofty, as if anything he gave could be taken back at any time.

What no one knew was —
Though Qin Mang looked bold and unbothered, deep down she had no sense of security.
She was… afraid.

She was afraid that everything He Lingji gave her would one day be ruthlessly taken back.
If He Lingji did take it all back, Qin Mang thought, she probably wouldn’t be much more rational or graceful than her biological father.

But now—
He was using the most sincere, humble attitude, putting himself at her feet, to express his love for her.

Qin Mang’s eyes turned slightly red, and her shimmering gaze looked like it could spill tears with just a blink. She tilted her delicate chin slightly.
Suppressing her emotions.

A Tong, her assistant, secretly snapped a photo.
Then used her assistant’s main Weibo account to clap back at those haters saying Qin Mang was heartless for not responding to He Lingji’s public gesture.

This magazine shoot had been scheduled long ago and just happened to coincide with the official announcement of the reality show. Initially, Meng Ting and the team thought it was no big deal—they’d just retweet it when the time came. But no one expected President He to pull such a bold move. Because of that, they couldn’t respond publicly without Qin Mang’s consent.

So within thirty minutes, Qin Mang got tagged countless times.
Even black fans started spreading all sorts of speculations. Although many of those posts and accounts were quickly taken down or banned, there were just too many of them. A Tong even saw a few herself.

≈Take a picture of Qin Mang’s reaction and post it on Weibo!

**Assistant A Tong**: *Fairy crying.* *Photo.jpg*

In the photo—
Qin Mang had dyed her long curly hair a rose gold shade, brilliant and dazzling. Her eyes were adorned with pale pink diamond studs at the corners, sparkling like water under the light.
At that moment, the rims of her eyes were flushed a vivid red. Her strikingly beautiful face, usually sharp and aggressive, now looked like a weeping goddess—beautiful, but fragile.

The key point was: A Tong had captured Qin Mang looking at her phone—on the screen was He Lingji’s Weibo post.

Why was the fairy crying?
The answer was obvious.

> “Holy crap, forget waiting for a response—this level of beauty just hit me like a truck!”
> “With a face like that, who dares say she’s not worthy of He Lingji?!”
> “Seriously, this face could be famous *worldwide*!”
> “I used to wonder what kind of woman could match a god. Now I know—only Qin Mang.”
> “Ugh, I want to wipe her tears.”
> “@HeLingji Your wife is crying!!!”
> “You made her cry, now take responsibility! @HeLingji”

Everyone was waiting for Qin Mang’s response.
Especially the “Little Liu Mang” fans—most of them were supportive. After all, Qin Mang had never pretended to be single. She had always told her fans she had someone she loved.

And now, it turned out that person was *He Lingji*, the godlike being!
It felt like a dream—a divine brother-in-law dropping from the sky.

They hadn’t dared to hope. He was already willing to walk through fire for her—even if he turned out to be just a useless pretty boy, the fans would’ve accepted it.
But now—
Not only was he *not* a pretty boy, he completely outclassed a whole lineup of male stars in both looks and physique.

Which other female celebrity had a partner of this caliber?
Seriously—which one?!

Now, everyone was waiting on Qin Mang.
Once she responded, it would confirm everything—
This wasn’t some fake PR couple thrown together for a reality show.

How could it be?
One had a known partner, and the other had a known wife—how could they be fake?

The Little Liu Mangs didn’t want to pressure her. They flooded the comments with support:

> “Little Lion Mang, we believe in you! Whatever your answer is, we’ll support you forever.”
> “If you want to introduce him to us, we’ll give our blessings. If you need time, we’ll wait.”
> “Girls are precious—especially our precious little lion! You’re worth the wait!”
> “Your fans will never be your burden—we’ll always be your shield.”

Qin Mang’s eyes were still red—but suddenly, she smiled. A soft, radiant smile.

Yes.
Whether at her peak or her lowest, they had always been there.
So now, Qin Mang wanted to formally introduce her lover—her husband—to her fans.

Even in an industry like this, where being young, beautiful, and “single” often meant more opportunities, she had never once thought to lie to them.

She didn’t overthink it.
Some words had already been engraved in her heart.
Naturally, her fingers typed them out.

She hit send.

**Qin Mang V**: *My husband @HeLingji*

Qin Mang didn’t care about the storm brewing online. She just wanted to see He Lingji—now.

The white nanny van sped down the road.
Qin Mang leaned against the window, texting He Lingji on WeChat.

**He PoorPoor**: [You cried?]
**LittleLionAwooMeow**: [I cried so badly! Only three sparkly gems can fix my poor fairy eyes!]
**He PoorPoor**: [That sounds like a “lion opening her mouth wide.” Only three? So well-behaved?]
**LittleLionAwooMeow**: [Fine, four. Not a gem more.]
**CompletelySeriousNonsense**: [You’re so poor, save some money.]
**He PoorPoor**: [No matter how poor, I’ll never be poor when it comes to Mrs. He.]

Qin Mang giggled at his response, eyes crinkling with joy.

Neither of them mentioned the Weibo chaos—but they both knew.

Qin Mang’s gaze suddenly fell on a brightly lit tattoo parlor.
She thought of something and said abruptly: “Stop the car.”

“What’s wrong?”
“Weren’t you in a hurry to see your husband?” Meng Ting asked, casually scrolling Weibo.

As for Fu Yuan—
His phone was probably being blown up by media calls. Meng Ting wisely shut off his work phone and was now leisurely monitoring public opinion.

Ten minutes later—
They were seated in the private VIP room of the tattoo studio.

Finally realizing what Qin Mang wanted to do, Meng Ting tried to talk her out of it:
“Tattoos are permanent. You’re an actress.”

His heart almost gave out—just a few days of peace, and this little ancestor was at it again!
A tattoo?!
Was this something a female celebrity should do?

Especially—
“Didn’t you say you’re afraid of pain? Tattoos hurt. Where are you getting it?”

Qin Mang was casually flipping through a catalog. She hadn’t expected this studio they passed to actually have good aesthetic sense.
But she already knew what she wanted. She closed the book.
Just in time to hear Meng Ting’s question. Her soft, clear voice drawled lazily: “Ankle.”

Meng Ting gasped dramatically:
“That’s right on the bone—it hurts more!”
“Your skin’s already thin and delicate.”
“Don’t be impulsive. Want to think about it more?”

Impulsive?

Qin Mang’s red lips curled in a faint smile. This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. She knew—it was irreversible.

That day when she saw the three red lines around He Lingji’s ankle, the thought had flashed through her mind, but she didn’t act on it.
She was afraid of pain.
More than that—she was afraid of falling too deep, of being unable to escape.

But now—
She wasn’t afraid of anything anymore.
Of course she’d do what she’d always wanted to do.
What was there to hesitate?

When the tattoo artist asked what she wanted, Qin Mang pointed to her right ankle and said firmly:
“Three red lines.”

Tattoos hurt. Especially on the ankle.
Even as tears welled up in her eyes from the pain, she had no regrets.

Those three red lines wrapped around her delicate ankle—weren’t chains, but the red threads of fate she’d wished for.
Unbreakable.

—

**Lakeside Estate**

He Lingji returned two hours late after an impromptu private meeting with the PR department.
Qin Mang had told him she’d be back tomorrow.
But as he opened the master bedroom door—

He froze for a few seconds.
The girl with rose gold curls was sitting there—just like when they first met.

It was as if time had turned back.
Back then, she was a rebellious girl who didn’t belong to him.

But now, the girl with rose gold hair was waiting for him to come home.
She sat on the large black leather sofa, toying with a black spider lily in her fingers.

Only one lamp was on—casting a bewitching glow on her luxurious dress.

She must’ve heard the door.
Her thick lashes fluttered slightly. She swayed the flower branch in her fingers and softly asked,
“Does this spider lily look good?”

He Lingji’s slender fingers loosened his tie with a tug.
Even that casual motion had a wild, untamed charm.

He calmly closed the door and stepped in.

He bent slightly, interlocking his long fingers with hers—those delicate fingers holding the flower.
Then, right beside her ear, he said slowly and clearly:

**“It only looks good in your hands.”**

That black *Manjusaka* (red spider lily) was casually placed by He Lingji at the foot of the bed into an exquisitely beautiful pink porcelain antique vase. As he did, he left behind a light remark:

“Flowers should go in a vase.”

He Lingji did as he said—he placed the *Manjusaka* into the world’s most exquisite and precious “pink porcelain vase.”

In the middle of the night.

Qin Mang was sleeping soundly, completely unaware that He Lingji had gotten up and had been quietly looking at the three faint red marks circling her slender, fragile ankle for a long time. He even applied a thin layer of ointment for her.

Under the dim light of the wall lamp, He Lingji’s gaze lingered on the faintly red marks wrapped around her ankle. His gray-blue eyes rippled slightly with emotion.

Qin Mang had things on her mind.

She woke up once near dawn.

She had long forgotten about the pain in her ankle, so she didn’t notice the ointment. Instead, she grabbed her phone and found the candid photo she had taken of He Lingji back in the hotel, the one where he was playing with the *Manjusaka* in the vase in front of the bay window.

He had made two official posts.

She would post two as well.

Very fair.

Satisfied, Qin Mang clicked “post.”

Then she burrowed back into He Lingji’s arms.

Her “little furnace” body needed her “glacier” husband to sleep comfortably. With her misty eyes half-open, she kissed the fine lines of his well-defined jaw.

The next second—

Even in a half-asleep state, He Lingji instinctively pulled her into his arms, adjusted into the most comfortable position, and kissed the tip of her nose in return.

In the early hours of the morning, when netizens were at their drowsiest—

Qin Mang suddenly posted a Weibo update, instantly waking everyone up.

**@QinMangV**: *He is a distant glacier in others’ eyes—eternally unmelted; yet to me, he is a blazing field of summer flowers—forever in bloom.*

In the photo—

He Lingji was draped in a thin black silk robe, no longer the austere, distant figure known for his icy restraint. Instead, he radiated a wild, decadent allure full of lazy sensuality.

Outside the large glass window beside him lay the neon-drenched decadence of the night city, and the man with his elegant and noble features was fiddling with a mysterious, beautiful black *Manjusaka* blooming in a lavish antique vase.

What divine being untouched by mortal desires or worldly passions?

He was clearly the most violent blossom—blooming atop glaciers, burning under the scorching sun.